Get outside

Indian paintbrush at Baker Prairie, Harrison, Arkansas

I’ve have links here (see sidebar) to a category called Ozarks Nature. The sites listed here are the work of talented people, whose writing and photography are of unusually high quality. I’m not a scientist, but these people open a welcoming door to that world, so that my enjoyment of being outside is richer.

Of the four, I have met only Jim Long, but I hope to meet the other writers someday.

When you click a link in this article or on the sidebar, it will open in a new window, so that you can use your browser’s “back” button or arrow to get back here to go to the next site.

Beetles in the Bush belongs to Ted MacRae, a St. Louis scientist who studies bugs. His photography and commentary are wonderful. Even if bugs bother you, this site should teach you some fascinating things to think about before you swat, stomp or spray.

Allison Vaughn’s The Ozark Highlands of Missouri, is the work of a working naturalist, who apparently lives in  central Missouri and works for a state agency. Her passion for setting fires in connection with controlled burning of woods and savannas spices up her writing.

Jo Schaper’s Missouri World examines the Ozarks from the point of view of a geologist with knack for journalism. Jo works with my brother Emery’s print and online outdoor monthly River Hills Traveler as a writer and copy editor.

Jim Long, as I’ve mentioned here, is a nationally-known gardener and teacher, whose herb farm is near the Arkansas-Missouri border near Blue Eye. He travels the country lecturing about growing flowers, vegetables and herbs, and promotes the enjoyment of wholesome garden products. His website Jim Long’s Garden is a treasure of tips for the garden and the table.

All these sites can pull you in for a while, but you shouldn’t let them keep you from enjoying the Ozarks in springtime.