Field notes

Nature & Other Curiosities

The odd, wonderful things that turn up in my garden and the world around it, followed down whatever rabbit hole my scientific brain insists on.

Close-up photo of a dragonfly resting in Julie's garden — A dragonfly in my garden. Photo: S. Kaiser.

What’s turned up lately

Field notes from the garden, and the odd rabbit hole beyond it. More coming.

What are these large ants with wings? It’s an alate ant nuptial event

Free 7-lesson course + newsletter

Canning Science Foundations

Seven short lessons on the biology behind home canning: why the rules exist, what actually keeps food safe, and how to look at any recipe and see where the safety lives (no chemistry degree required). Finish them and you stay on for the newsletter: seasonal harvests, kitchen experiments, and the science behind each one.