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Introduction
Hello, welcome to my little world of words! This first post is meant to serve as an introduction to myself and the topics this blog covers! To start, my name is Willow and I am a student of biology and english literature in Alberta, Canada. I’m a collector of books, plastic animals, more books, cool…
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Troubleshooting: Bats
Spring is in the air (sometimes it feels like it’s already here) and with it will come new life – plant growth, the return of migrating birds and the awakening of hibernating animals. Among these is one of my favourite animals – bats! I’m always thrilled to see these incredible mammals darting about at dusk,…
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Sunset
Why Not Every Hunt Ends With A Bang The sun has set on another deer season, and I still have all my tags, unused. This is not uncommon for me, and over the years it’s had me considering all the factors that go into a meat earning hunt and what I can do to change…
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On Bowhunting
I need to get my bowhunting permit. Then a gamebird license. When I got my bow five years ago, I wanted a recurve because all I planned to do was shoot it recreationally. But Dad insisted I get a compound in case I changed my mind and wanted to hunt with it. Which I initially…
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Books Everyplace (Poem)
I have a home All full of books, On all of the shelves, In all of the nooks. They’re in every corner, And every box, In every closet, Even drawers meant for socks! They cover the steps, Also under the stairs, They fill up the cabinets, They’re simply everywhere. You’ll find them up high, Look…
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Time and Memories Found
Since May 1st of this year, I’ve been doing what is unthinkable to many living in 21st-century Canada. I’ve been living without wi-fi. Until very recently, it was a service not offered at the rural place I’m living for the summer. And I didn’t mind it. Instead of doom-scrolling social media, I’d go birding. Instead…
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Troubleshooting: Skunks
IF YOU OR A PET HAS BEEN SPRAYED, SCROLL TO THE END OF THE POST FOR DIY CLEANING SOLUTIONS Skunks are an unmistakable weasel, common throughout North America, comfortable around farms and homes, strikingly coloured in black and white and notoriously stinky. The chance of an encounter, however unwelcome, has increased as cities expand and…
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Troubleshooting: Summer Geese
Migration and hibernation are over, wildlife baby season is upon us and human-wildlife interactions can be expected to increase through the summer. This was the busy season when I worked on a wildlife phone hotline, and certain concerns came up a lot. One species of particular note is the Canada Goose, a large, sometimes aggressive…
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Read, Write, Imitate
Since I finished university in December, I’ve been reading more non-fiction than I have since starting high school. It’s a lot more fun to learn without deadlines and tests. So I’ve been digging into textbooks, science and philosophy books and even field and travel guides. The thing is, it’s affected my ability to write fiction. …
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Opening Weekend
Nov 5. Morning The deer rifle season opened on Nov 1st and runs to the 30th, but since I’m in university and Dad works, our hunting opportunities are restricted to Saturdays and Sundays. So we headed up to Grandma’s late Friday night. There were already some deer out by the highway, just visible in the…