Michael Smith
@msmithtx.bsky.social
Naturalist and author, wanderer in the woods and prairies, and retired psychological associate. Most recent book: Mindfulness in Texas Nature. See https://livesinnature.com
Reposted by Michael Smith
Don’t forget about the #FindThatLizard Scholarship!! Please share
#science #scholarship #funding #herps #HERpers #lizards #snakes #frogs #salamanders #game #challenge #education
#science #scholarship #funding #herps #HERpers #lizards #snakes #frogs #salamanders #game #challenge #education
November 28, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Don’t forget about the #FindThatLizard Scholarship!! Please share
#science #scholarship #funding #herps #HERpers #lizards #snakes #frogs #salamanders #game #challenge #education
#science #scholarship #funding #herps #HERpers #lizards #snakes #frogs #salamanders #game #challenge #education
livesinnature.com/2025/12/03/r...
It was a day for tree leaves changing, a mischievous grasshopper, more mushrooms, and bees active at the bee tree.
It was a day for tree leaves changing, a mischievous grasshopper, more mushrooms, and bees active at the bee tree.
Rumors of Winter
After the warm days of October and November, now we are seeing a bit of cold with a first freeze (barely, in some places) yesterday morning. And it is December now; in the “meteorologicalR…
livesinnature.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:19 PM
livesinnature.com/2025/12/03/r...
It was a day for tree leaves changing, a mischievous grasshopper, more mushrooms, and bees active at the bee tree.
It was a day for tree leaves changing, a mischievous grasshopper, more mushrooms, and bees active at the bee tree.
Coming up on an important five-year anniversary. I continue to be grateful to still be here, and hope I use my time well.
livesinnature.com/2020/10/29/g...
livesinnature.com/2020/10/29/g...
Grateful for an Autumn Walk
Today’s walk at Southwest Nature Preserve was especially rewarding for me. A week ago last Sunday, I got prompt, excellent medical care for a heart attack and I seem to be recovering well. As a res…
livesinnature.com
October 12, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Coming up on an important five-year anniversary. I continue to be grateful to still be here, and hope I use my time well.
livesinnature.com/2020/10/29/g...
livesinnature.com/2020/10/29/g...
October 3, 2025 at 3:16 PM
A walk today and an encounter with a lovely and sad moth... open.substack.com/pub/rainlili...
A Sad Underwing
A Brief Encounter
open.substack.com
September 27, 2025 at 12:18 AM
A walk today and an encounter with a lovely and sad moth... open.substack.com/pub/rainlili...
A day at LBJ National Grasslands at the end of summer, with notes about Croton and Bitterweed, time spent under pine trees, a peaceful and lovely sunset interrupted just a little by gunfire. Sometimes it is hard to share this place with everyone who shows up.
livesinnature.com/2025/09/16/s...
livesinnature.com/2025/09/16/s...
Summer’s End at the Grasslands
With one more week of summer, I wanted to walk in the LBJ National Grasslands. Summers there can get really hot; I will never forget a midsummer walk years ago in these grasslands. I was out with s…
livesinnature.com
September 17, 2025 at 3:37 PM
A day at LBJ National Grasslands at the end of summer, with notes about Croton and Bitterweed, time spent under pine trees, a peaceful and lovely sunset interrupted just a little by gunfire. Sometimes it is hard to share this place with everyone who shows up.
livesinnature.com/2025/09/16/s...
livesinnature.com/2025/09/16/s...
Reposted by Michael Smith
This is out-Sovieting the Soviet Union. "You are free to express any opinion at all as long as it's the right one, and the consequences for all the others will be severe, and ratting out is an important part of our free society."
they're going around and documenting flags that aren't at half-mast for Charlie Kirk
September 15, 2025 at 6:41 PM
This is out-Sovieting the Soviet Union. "You are free to express any opinion at all as long as it's the right one, and the consequences for all the others will be severe, and ratting out is an important part of our free society."
livesinnature.com/2025/09/13/t...
I've written a little about what the teachings of Jesus, the wisdom of the Buddha, and the findings of science have to say about empathy and compassion (in a time when I believe those teachings and findings are being twisted or ignored).
I've written a little about what the teachings of Jesus, the wisdom of the Buddha, and the findings of science have to say about empathy and compassion (in a time when I believe those teachings and findings are being twisted or ignored).
September 13, 2025 at 3:44 PM
livesinnature.com/2025/09/13/t...
I've written a little about what the teachings of Jesus, the wisdom of the Buddha, and the findings of science have to say about empathy and compassion (in a time when I believe those teachings and findings are being twisted or ignored).
I've written a little about what the teachings of Jesus, the wisdom of the Buddha, and the findings of science have to say about empathy and compassion (in a time when I believe those teachings and findings are being twisted or ignored).
A good group of people came out for the program on Bats of the Area, at Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve. Kate Rugroden of Bat World Sanctuary talked about their natural history and then as night fell, Ellen Ravkind and Anne Alderfer demonstrated some listening equipment that can identify them.
September 10, 2025 at 9:16 PM
A good group of people came out for the program on Bats of the Area, at Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve. Kate Rugroden of Bat World Sanctuary talked about their natural history and then as night fell, Ellen Ravkind and Anne Alderfer demonstrated some listening equipment that can identify them.
Led a couple of groups of kids on walks, together with another volunteer, finding this yellow and black garden spider among other things. I love how often somebody in that group asks a good question, revealing a real interest in nature.
September 10, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Led a couple of groups of kids on walks, together with another volunteer, finding this yellow and black garden spider among other things. I love how often somebody in that group asks a good question, revealing a real interest in nature.
An adventure walk with Lilly, with (almost) raccoons, dragonflies, games, and sand
livesinnature.com/2025/08/08/a...
livesinnature.com/2025/08/08/a...
A Summer Adventure Walk
Lilly began visiting the preserve with me when she was still two years old. She was captivated by grasshoppers and loved climbing on the sandstone boulders there. I guided and protected her as she …
livesinnature.com
August 8, 2025 at 6:44 PM
An adventure walk with Lilly, with (almost) raccoons, dragonflies, games, and sand
livesinnature.com/2025/08/08/a...
livesinnature.com/2025/08/08/a...
Connecting kids with nature - or in this case, hoping to deepen a connection that's already there.
livesinnature.com/2025/07/26/t...
livesinnature.com/2025/07/26/t...
The Children of Maria’s Meadow
The First Walk in the Wildscape The morning of July 25 was very mild compared to the afternoon’s heat. It was a great morning for a group of about 14 kids and several adults to take a walk in…
livesinnature.com
July 26, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Connecting kids with nature - or in this case, hoping to deepen a connection that's already there.
livesinnature.com/2025/07/26/t...
livesinnature.com/2025/07/26/t...
Reposted by Michael Smith
I AM SHRIEKING 💀🤣
Forget the statue at City Hall, this guy is the *real* Spirit of Detroit. 🫡
Forget the statue at City Hall, this guy is the *real* Spirit of Detroit. 🫡
July 22, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I AM SHRIEKING 💀🤣
Forget the statue at City Hall, this guy is the *real* Spirit of Detroit. 🫡
Forget the statue at City Hall, this guy is the *real* Spirit of Detroit. 🫡
livesinnature.com/2025/07/19/l...
About our "adventure walks" and those Letters to Nature Kids...
About our "adventure walks" and those Letters to Nature Kids...
July 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
livesinnature.com/2025/07/19/l...
About our "adventure walks" and those Letters to Nature Kids...
About our "adventure walks" and those Letters to Nature Kids...
I'm exploring several issues in conservation, especially with reptiles and amphibians - like how we can feel some connection with the species that are disappearing.
livesinnature.com/2025/07/09/c...
livesinnature.com/2025/07/09/c...
Connection and Compassion With Lives Unlike Ours
An article at a UC Berkeley website reports that “We are currently losing species hundreds or thousands of times faster than normal background extinction rates. If this continues, Earth’s bio…
livesinnature.com
July 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I'm exploring several issues in conservation, especially with reptiles and amphibians - like how we can feel some connection with the species that are disappearing.
livesinnature.com/2025/07/09/c...
livesinnature.com/2025/07/09/c...
"If we could imagine the diversity and richness of an earlier time, clear water and air, the peace of a quiet day and the depth and mystery of a dark, starry night, perhaps we would fight twice as hard for those things." livesinnature.com/2025/07/05/s...
Shifting Baseline Syndrome
Each generation of us takes a snapshot in time of the natural surroundings in which we live. What we experience is what is – for us – normal, and it feels like how things have always be…
livesinnature.com
July 5, 2025 at 9:55 PM
"If we could imagine the diversity and richness of an earlier time, clear water and air, the peace of a quiet day and the depth and mystery of a dark, starry night, perhaps we would fight twice as hard for those things." livesinnature.com/2025/07/05/s...
Reposted by Michael Smith
Reposted by Michael Smith
Written this morning. I once noted, "Dante had Beatrice. Orwell had Stalin." Negative muses are a thing. www.meditationsinanemergency.com/cynicism-is-...
Cynicism Is the Enemy of Action
We have distant enemies, the enemies of truth, justice, human rights, and environmental protection, and they are easy to recognize and oppose. We also have near enemies, the cynics and defeatists amon...
www.meditationsinanemergency.com
July 1, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Written this morning. I once noted, "Dante had Beatrice. Orwell had Stalin." Negative muses are a thing. www.meditationsinanemergency.com/cynicism-is-...