Thankfully, the winter has broken and we are beginning to see some lovely weather, perfect for planting a garden, an outdoor picnic or a walk through the neighborhood.  Some of the happiest times in my life have been simply hiking and exploring the beautiful countryside in New Jersey with loved ones and family. From the terminal moraine (where the glaciers came to their sliding stop at the end of the ice age) and mountainous woodlands of Northern Jersey to the meandering rivers and pinelands of Southern Jersey, the beaches to the East and the wonders of the Delaware River to the West there's no end of amazing areas to explore.

David Wheeler, who has published a book entitled "Wild New Jersey" about his adventures during a year long exploration of the wild parts of the state, will be at the Clinton Book Shop tomorrow, April 17 from 1-3:00. . Here's an excerpt from his press release.

The fastest animal on earth dive-bombs him from the skies. A young black bear bounds up a mountain trail a few yards away. Poisonous snakes swirl at his feet. A thousand bats careen past his head in a pitch-black roost. Pods of dolphins swim right past him by the scores. Who? Experienced naturalist David Wheeler. Where? In Wild New Jersey, of course.

Wild New Jersey invites readers along Wheeler’s whirlwind year-long tour of the most ecologically diverse state for its size in America. Along with the expert guidance of charismatic wildlife biologists and local conservationists, he explores mountains, valleys, beaches, pine barrens, caves, rivers, marshlands, and more—breathtaking landscapes and the state’s Noah’s Ark of fascinating creatures.

This isn’t your ordinary ride on the Jersey Turnpike. Fasten your seatbelts and join Wheeler as he . . .

Kayaks through the Meadowlands under the watchful eye of the Empire State Building, Pans for cretaceous fossils in a hidden brook once home to mastodons and giant sloths, Rides a fishing boat in the frigid snows of winter on a high-seas quest for Atlantic puffins, Trudges through the eerie darkness of a bog on a mysterious night hike, Dogsleds across the windswept alpine slopes in the haunts of the porcupine and bobcat.

With Wheeler’s compelling narrative, in-depth background details, and eye for revealing the offbeat, you can count this as the first nature book to paint the extraordinary picture of New Jersey’s unlikely wilderness in all its glory. Come along for all the adventure and insight in Wild New Jersey!