Featured image: USS Portland (image credit: Ingalls Shipbuilding) The USS Portland, the newest ship in the Navy fleet, arrived at Terminal 2 in Portland last weekend. It's an impressive vessel with a length of 684 feet and beam of 105 feet (see more specs). The Portland is the third ship to be named after the … Continue reading Tour the newest ship in the U.S. Navy fleet in Portland this week

Featured image: A Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream cone (photo courtesy Ben & Jerry's) From noon to 8 p.m. today (April 10) in your time zone, get your free ice cream cone at a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop. Since this tradition started in 1979, Ben & Jerry's has handed out more … Continue reading It’s Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s

Featured image: Tundra swans have a distinctive black beak, often with yellow at its base. (photo by pixel mixer, courtesy Creative Commons) The tundra swans are migrating, and they stop at Calispel Lake in Washington State's northeastern corner along the way to their breeding grounds in the Arctic. On Saturday, March 17, from 10 a.m.-2 … Continue reading Tundra Swan Festival March 17 at Cusik, in northeastern Washington

Interested in learning more about the vegan lifestyle? Or are you vegan and looking for culinary ideas? Then come to the Veg Out! Vegan Beer & Food Festival in Scottsdale, Arizona, Saturday-Sunday, March 17-18. This new event features vendors specializing in locally sourced vegan foods and beers, along with vegan-friendly skin-care products, clothing, and artwork. … Continue reading Veg out at this vegan beer and food festival in Scottsdale, Arizona

Photo by Cheryl Landes Hundreds of orchids on display, a juried art exhibition of orchid-themed works, floral arrangements and corsages, and orchid culture and information demonstrations are among the activities at the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show this weekend (March 9-11) at the Earl Warren Showgrounds. Got questions about growing your orchids? Stop by the Earl … Continue reading Santa Barbara International Orchid Show March 9-11

Featured image: A tree nymph dines on nectar from a flower at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (photo credit: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park) See more than 7,000 tropical butterflies representing 50 species in the Tropical Conservatory at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, … Continue reading Free-flying tropical butterflies return to the Meijer Gardens’ Tropical Conservatory in Grand Rapids through April

Photos courtesy Creative Commons Watching trumpeter swans gliding on the open water is an incredible, beautiful sight. They're the world's largest waterfowl with a standing height of up to five feet, a wingspan from 7-8 feet, and weight ranging from 21 to 30 pounds. Despite their size, their gracefulness on the water is flawless. And … Continue reading Where to see trumpeter swans in the winter and during their migrations

Featured image: Snow geese in flight (photo by skeeze, courtesy Creative Commons) It's waterfowl migration season in North America. Thousands of snow geese have arrived in the Plains and Midwest, and the sandhill cranes aren't far behind. More than 500,000 snow geese have been reported at the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, … Continue reading More than a half million snow geese and sandhill cranes arriving in the Plains and Midwest

Featured image: A fried whole-belly clam plate at The Clam Box (photo credit: The Clam Box) Updated March 3, 2018 After weathering a Nor'easter causing heavy flooding in Quincy, Massachusetts, on its original opening day, the waters have receded enough for The Clam Box to officially open for the season. Today (March 3), the restaurant … Continue reading The Clam Box is now open for the season in Quincy, MA

Featured image: Collecting sap from the maple trees at the Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa (photo credit: Hartman Reserve Nature Center) Come to the Hartman Reserve Nature Center this weekend (March 3-4) for the annual Maple Syrup Festival from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn how maple syrup is made and explore … Continue reading Flying flapjacks at the Maple Syrup Festival March 3-4 in Cedar Falls, Iowa