Walkin' on the Wild Side

Many birds have amazing adaptations to compete and survive in the world, and the woodpecker is no exception. Even though early naturalists didn't use much imagination naming the bird (I mean seriously...a bird that pecks wood so they call him a wood pecker...c'mon y'all!) , they certainly were amazed at the coloration, adaptations, and behavior of woodpeckers. Join Marvin and Gabrielle as they talk about the amazing antics and adaptations of woodpeckers and share stories about these unique birds.
Here's some great websites about woodpeckers:
https://birdfeederhub.com/woodpeckers-in-south-carolina/
http://www.ivorybill.org
https://www.livescience.com/19586-woodpecker-skull-concussions
How Congaree Was Saved by the Ivory-bill Woodpecker
In this episode, we also include a special shout out to the Trailblazers of Make-A-Wish and the amazing and selfless work, dedication, and volunteer commitments they make to big a ray of sunshine and glimmer of hope to critically ill children and their families.
*Gabrielle, our co-host, is actively fundraising for Make-A-Wish and finished her 3rd 28.3 mile hike. Please help her meet her fundraising goal:
Gabrielle Bouknight Trailblaze Challenge - Donate Now!
Make-A-Wish HomepageYou can follow us on Facebook at Nature Nook Photography
Email us at [email protected]
Or listen directly from our website at https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com
As always, we hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback. Subscribe to our podcasts and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more! So get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

We'd love to hear from you with your questions and comments!

It's time for a little different episode of Walkin' on the Wild Side! Join Marvin and Gabrielle for a foraging adventure to harvest, cook, and have Gabrielle try stinging nettle, a choice wild edible. This nutritious wild plant needs to be harvested with care and positive identification, but once you do, you'll have a tasty green for the table! We talk about harvesting this plant, how to handle, and then, off to the "WWS Culinary Institute" (our kitchen, lol) and we show you how to clean it, cook it, and then on to the back porch for Gabrielle's first taste. Don't worry, she survives and will make it to the next episode!
Health Benefits:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9253158/#:~:text=Aids%20in%20skin%20and%20bone,magnesium%2C%20potassium%2C%20and%20zinc.
Cooking:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/sauteed-stinging-nettles-2217561#:~:text=Nettles%20need%20to%20be%20thoroughly,down%20in%20one%20fell%20swoop.
Positive Identification:
https://www.wildedible.com/wild-food-guide/stinging-nettle
If you're ever in Saluda, NC, please check out this amazing gallery called Earthly Minds Gallery. Such a great store and co-owned by Sabrina Romero, a wonderful artist! Check out this webpage, learn about this great gallery, and if you're up that way, stop in and support them!
https://earthlymindsgallery.com/
Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event? Email us below for more information!

Email us at [email protected]
Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
Nature Nook Photography
Walkin' on the Wild Side
You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback. Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

We'd love to hear from you with your questions and comments!

It's time for another episode of Walkin' on the Wild Side and this episode is a 3-parter that we wanted to share with you! Gabrielle and I travelled to Italy for the Interational Cheese Festival in Bra, and then to Cinque Terre, Florence, and the Tuscan Countryside. For our first episode, we take you into the heart of the largest artisan cheese festival in the world, focusing on the art and passion of Italian food, and in this case, raw milk cheeses that many times can only be found in remote villages and alpine valleys of Europe. Yes, sure, it's a different kind of podcast, but if you're a "foodie" and love good food and wine, join us for a different walk on the wild side and learn more about the amazing cheese makers, traditional balsamic vinegar artisans, hazelnut farmers, beekeepers, and more! Join us to hear interviews, experiences, and stories from the beautiful people and their traditions, and experience the beauty, cuisine, and of course, the wine and cheeses of the Piedmonte region of Italy!
Here are some websites to learn more:
Slow Food Cheese Festival - https://cheese.slowfood.it/en/
Wine Bank: https://www.bancadelvino.it/en/
Wine producers:
https://www.abbona.com/
https://www.vietti.com/
https://www.gdvajra.it/it/homepage
Our interviewees and their websites:
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar: https://acetaiasanmatteo.it/
Beekeeper Fabrizio Zagni: https://foodoteka.com/fabrizio-zagni-le-api-di-airole
The Restaurant in Verduno: Trattoria Day Berau, http://www.bercau.it/gallery.aspx
AND FINALLY, OUR USA CHEESE ARTISAN SUPERSTARS!!!
https://www.jasperhillfarm.com/
Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event? Email us below for more information!

Email us at [email protected]
Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
Nature Nook Photography
Walkin' on the Wild Side
You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback. Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

We'd love to hear from you with your questions and comments!

For many folks, like Gabrielle and I, when you think of playful critters, the amazing otter comes to mind. These playful and cute members of the weasel family always look like they are having fun, and they probably are, but they are also amazingly adapted to the semiaquatic lifestyles they lead. Incredibly smooth and agile in the water, these little carnivores not only are physically adapted to their environment, but studies show that they are one of the smartest animals in the animal kingdom! Join us and maybe learn something new that might endear these critters to you even more (if that's possible)!
To learn more about river otters, check out these websites:
SCDNR Website about Otters
https://www.bioexpedition.com/northern-river-otter/
South Carolina Aquarium - Two New Otters in 2021!
Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event? Email us below for more information!

Email us at [email protected]
Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
Nature Nook Photography
Walkin' on the Wild Side
You can listen directly from our website at https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback. Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!
Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event? Email us below for more information!

Email us at [email protected]
Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
Nature Nook Photography
Walkin' on the Wild Side
You can listen directly from our website at https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback. Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

We'd love to hear from you with your questions and comments!

With the days getting shorter, and temperatures giving us hints of cooler weather, Fall is right around the corner! Most are looking forward to the Fall colors but forget about the maturing fruits that provide food for animals preparing for migration, hibernation, etc. Have you ever stopped to wonder why fruits like persimmon, apples, acorns, and more drop in the fall? What's the correlation with maturing fruits and winter preparedness? Join Marvin and Gabrielle on the porch to learn more about how Mother Nature provides for the upcoming winter with this latest episode!
Here's some websites for further info:
https://www.theinteriorjournal.com/2023/07/31/how-fruits-use-color-to-propagate-their-species/
https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/entry/the-power-of-poop
https://extension.umn.edu/natural-resources-news/winter-berries-feed-wildlife
https://www.fs.usda.gov/nrs/pubs/jrnl/2022/nrs_2022_wright_001.pdf
https://www.charlottenewsvt.org/2019/09/05/mast-years/#:~:text=While%20squirrels%2C%20other%20mammals%20and,parasitized%2C%20eaten%20or%20otherwise%20destroyed.

Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event? Email us below for more information!

Email us at [email protected]
Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
Nature Nook Photography
Walkin' on the Wild Side
You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback. Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

We'd love to hear from you with your questions and comments!