Category Archives: Nature

Windswept, snow-covered weeds (photo)

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

Every day on my way to work, I think about how pretty this hill looks . . . as I speed past. And then I vow to remember to stop the next day so I can take a picture.  Problem … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Photography | 2 Comments

Box Elder Gold on Ice

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

This is the junkiest, ugliest tree in the neighborhood—a female box elder.  Not only does it drop seed pods constantly throughout the year, but it also harbors box elder bugs.  Most of the time these red bugs stick close to … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Milwaukee, Nature, Photography, Science | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wind-sculpted snowdrift

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

I noticed this snowdrift up against our fence late this afternoon—and would love to learn more about the physics behind the beautiful swirls and ridges of sand dunes and snowdrifts.  I’m sure it has something to do with the granular nature of sand … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Photography, Science | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Empty nests, awaiting summer occupants

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

  They look so lonely up there in the naked trees 🙂 But there’s a reassuring permanence about them at the same time.  When spring comes, these nests will be here to shelter baby songbirds again, as they have for several years … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Photography | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Lake Michigan, January

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

An old friend lives on Prospect Avenue, high on the bluffs overlooking Milwaukee’s lakefront.  I visited her today with another friend.  The day was gray, frigid and quite breezy.  But I pulled off my gloves and braved the wind—only for a minute—to … Continue reading →

Posted in Milwaukee, Nature, Science | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

That winter quality of light

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

People who brave winter in the North know what I’m talking about: the strangely bluish quality of cold air and golden flash of low-angled sunlight.  When we say we appreciate the change of seasons, this “quality of light” is almost always … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Milwaukee, Nature, Science | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Communication lessons learned from the Indian Ocean tsunami and other natural disasters

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Katherine Wikoff

It has been ten years since the December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami.  Many “anniversary” articles today will look back at this event, so this post doesn’t cover the same ground.  Because my academic specialty is communication, I wanted to … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Learning, Life, Nature, News, Science, WPLongform (posts of 1000 words or longer) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Urban gray fox

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Katherine Wikoff

This fox was hanging around the parking lot at my doctor’s office yesterday.  There’s something spooky about a wild animal that doesn’t have an appropriate level of wariness around humans.  The fox stared at us for a long time (somewhat balefully, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Milwaukee, Nature, Science | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Art of the Fire Escape (Milwaukee’s City Hall)

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Katherine Wikoff

I had to walk past City Hall to a dentist’s appointment yesterday.  For months (actually, years off and on!) the Market Street shortcut behind City Hall has been blocked off by scaffolding erected to preserve/shore up the nearly 120-year-old structure.  I almost … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, Art, Life, Milwaukee, Nature, Science, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paths of Glory

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Katherine Wikoff

Actually, that post title came to me just now because I wanted something to do with “paths,” and Paths of Glory, the old Stanley Kubrick film starring Kirk Douglas, is one of my favorites.  Sadly, if you were hoping to … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Nature, Science | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments