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By Terri Gorney Gene Stratton-Porter met and became friends with fellow writers. She found a true kindred spirit in writer and poet Constance Lindsay Skinner. Constance was a British Columbia native. Constance, like Gene, loved the outdoors and nature and both were born in a rural setting. Constance was very much her own person, andContinue reading “Kindred Spirits: Gene Stratton-Porter and Constance Lindsay Skinner”

By Terri Gorney One hundred years ago, the Great War began in Europe. Gene Stratton-Porter was a supporter of the war effort when America entered WWI. She purchased a $5000 Liberty bond from the Allen County Chapter of the Liberty Loan Club. Dr. Miles Porter, her brother-in-law, was chairman of the first aid committee forContinue reading “Gene Stratton-Porter and the Great War”

By Terri Gorney Gene Stratton-Porter made the Limberlost Swamp famous in her novels. Gene’s writings influenced several generations of people from all walks of life in a number of countries. Because Gene paints Limberlost as a magical place, some even today believe that it was a place born of her imagination. Not so, the LimberlostContinue reading “Limberlost Influences Artist”

By Terri Gorney “I was to meet Gene Stratton-Porter and I was scared to death,” wrote young nature writer Emma Lindsay-Squier in 1922. Both women were native Hoosiers and living in California. According to Emma, “A New York editor had asked her to give me some advice concerning nature stories.” At the time of thisContinue reading “Emma Lindsay-Squier Meets Gene Stratton-Porter”

by Alexandra Forsythe Are you right- or left-handed? Are you right-handed when you write, but left-handed when you perform other tasks? How about your vision? Are you right- or left-eyed? American Tree Sparrows have a preference when watching for predators: they use their left eye. Researchers from the Department of Life Sciences at Indiana StateContinue reading “American Tree Sparrow”

By Scott Forsythe As all of you know, Gene Stratton-Porter was a naturalist, a scientist, a researcher, an author, and a champion of Limberlost Swamp and its flora and fauna. She dedicated her life to educating others about the importance of wetlands. The Friends of the Limberlost have honored Gene in the most fantastic wayContinue reading “Birding with Gene Stratton-Porter at Limberlost: a mobile app and interactive iBook”

By Terri Gorney Gene Stratton-Porter was an environmentalist long before it was popular. She was a founding member of the Izaak Walton League of America. The League was established by 54 men in 1922. The League is still one of the oldest and most respected conservation organizations in the country. It is concerned with theContinue reading “Gene Stratton-Porter and the Izaak Walton League”

By Alexandra Forsythe As I write this, it is 17 degrees Fahrenheit outside. The eggs that my chickens and ducks laid in their heated coops are near the freezing point. Can you imagine a songbird trying to incubate an egg in such frigid temperatures? Imagine no more! Meet the Snow Bunting! These tough birds willContinue reading “Snow Bunting”

By Terri Gorney On January 1, Limberlost State Historic Site hosted a Christmas Bird Count (CBC). It was a great way to start the New Year and one that would sure have pleased Gene Stratton-Porter. This is the oldest citizen science program in the world. The data collected will become part of a national databaseContinue reading “The SANJO Christmas Bird Count hosted by Limberlost”

by Alexandra Forsythe This finch dressed like a sparrow can be seen in abundance one year, then rarely the next. The migration patterns are variable. During irruption years Pine Siskins travel further south and east in the winter in search of food. Normally seen in the northern states, some irruption years have resulted in largeContinue reading “Pine Siskin”