Skunks become conspicuous in autumn, including in yards and – sadly – roads. This is in large part due to dispersal, as young skunks that left their mothers at the end of summer are foraging in new home ranges.

Boxelder (Acer negundo) – also known as ash-leaf maple, elf maple, Manitoba maple, and other, less printable names – is the misfit cousin of the Acer family.

On a cold November day in 2020, my daughter Lucy and I detected a strange floral scent in our woods. I challenged her to find its source, and promised a reward of chocolate cake. After some sniffing, she led the way several feet upslope, stopping at a rotting log which bridged the air between two boulders.