Last week, I ended more than 30 years of public service as a federal employee and Air Force officer. The people I worked with over the decades were dedicated, amazing people who care deeply about what they do. But there’s a special place in my heart for NOAA, where I spent the past 17 years. Simply put, it’s the best mission with the best people, and I was privileged to work there.

Spring is the best time to hike in the mountains. Here’s a Shagbark hickory coming to life on a rainy, cold day.

Did some hiking this evening and a few casts in a small, spring-fed creek that’s home to some small, spring-fed brook trout. Glad we still have brookies in Frederick County, Maryland — and just look at how clear that water is.

The frogs are announcing that spring has arrived to the mountains north of Frederick, Maryland. What a racket.

How do we reconcile this: MIT-led study confirming that the ozone layer is healing

With this: Satellites burning up in the atmosphere may deplete the Earth’s ozone layer