There was no reason to be ticked off by the black creature crawling among my foraged food. At first glance, it appeared to be a tick.

Is Miss Rumphius responsible?

Herman Melville didn’t mince words when it came to the sperm whale. With emphasis, he explained “I tell you, the sperm whale will stand no nonsense.” And it didn’t ­— since we know it as the creature that sank the whaleship Essex in the real-life tragedy that was the inspiration for Moby Dick.

While it may be intended as an insult, one should be proud to be called a gannet.

John Muir had a fondness for ferns. He encouraged this activity: “Spread a fern-frond over a man’s head and worldly cares are cast out, and freedom and beauty and peace come in.”

Death is delicious if you are a carrion beetle.

What else can you say about the arrival of a famed fish? Known for its brilliant and beautiful coloration, mackerel are also admired for their historic abundance and one-time ease of harvesting.

Wild horses couldn’t drag me away. On my belly on a boardwalk, my face was up close and personal with a peculiar profusion of plants.

Early 20th Century Anglo-Argentinian author, naturalist and ornithologist William Henry Hudson was a grass grouch.

Take this advice, label your seeds.