by Marlene Berlin Hikes through Rock Creek Park in recent weeks have featured several encounters with fellow hikers sporting field glasses and all sorts of fancy cameras and accessories. They are birdwatchers on the lookout for migratory birds, especially warblers. Many are recording their sightings and photos here. “Spring migration turns Rock Creek Park into […]
A Van Ness “No Kings” June 14 rally, and the “Rush-Hour Resistance”
The Van Ness North co-op neighbors who organized an ultra-local version of the national April “Hands Off!” rallies are still at it, this time gathering people for an ultra-local “No Kings” rally on Saturday, June 14th. Barbara Green, Susan Gillespie, and Ann Matheson write: Many of us are experiencing fear, anger, trepidation, exhaustion, and even […]
Backyard Nature: With the flip of a switch, we can help migrating birds find their way
by Julia K. Stevenson The biannual migration of birds has begun. Washington, DC is on the path of the Atlantic Flyway, a major route for birds traveling north in the spring and south in the fall. The spring migration actually began earlier in April and is expected to last through May. This is an event […]
Opinion: Election got you down? Focus on what you can do close to home
by Forest Hills Connection We’re not going out on a limb here: Odds are you voted for Kamala Harris on November 5th. Ninety percent of DC voters did so. And perhaps, you’ve been in a funk ever since. What can you do? Here’s one answer: Find local ways to be a force for good. The […]
Meet Your Neighbors: A “lens-based artist” with photos on display at The Den
Think back to the first time you descended into an underground Metro station. The cavernous cathedral of concrete was a wonder to behold, and did it also feel different from the surface world somehow? Dreamlike and surreal? “Something changes when you go underground,” writes Scott Lassman, a documentary, travel and street photographer, in a statement […]
Plant this, not that: A guide to plants that attract and sustain wildlife as well as beautify your garden
by Kathy Sykes Each Earth Day, we reflect on what we can do for Mother Earth, and meet the challenges that come from the changing climate and landscapes. Fortunately, there is a simple action we can take to respond: plant native plants. A plant is considered native if it occurred naturally in a particular region, […]
A Biblical history, and a Purim story for our time
Purim, celebrated this year from March 23rd to the 25th, is a spring festival; a noisy and joyful celebration in the Jewish community. For local businesses, it’s also an opportunity to sell Hamantaschen. Receiving Call Your Mother’s annual “Hamantaschen Time” notice sparked memories of when I, as a child, starred in a synagogue play as […]
Neighbors Recommend: “Feast Your Ears,” the WHFS documentary
by Mark Moran Fifty years ago, circa early 1973 when I was about to turn 13, a friend of mine known for eccentric traits and tastes urged me to listen to an FM radio station that was nothing like the AM pop music stations I was used to. I tuned in, expecting nothing special, and […]
Neighbors Recommend: Communing with nature near and far
by Marlene Berlin We have long been privileged to have a national park practically in our back yards. The trails through Rock Creek Park and tributaries including Broad Branch, Soapstone and Melvin Hazen have taken on new importance in the pandemic. Communing with nature has been a balm to our souls. I walk these trails […]
Neighbors Recommend: Why icy sidewalks don’t stop me from walking
by Marlene Berlin Icy walkways greeted us after last week’s snow and sleet storm. But they do not need to stop us from walking. I found a solution a few years ago – contraptions that fit over your hiking boots or whatever you wear in the snow. They are removable and give you the traction […]