Author: Brenda Clements Jones

  • Early Spring Butterfly

    If I wasn’t paying attention, not to the season or the size of the butterfly I would think this might be a Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris rapae). But this is a female Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea) which is smaller and only flies in the early spring. I see the Cabbage White as the weather warms…

  • First Of The Season

    Yesterday. Quite a surprise to see a Tiger Swallowtail this early. Normally my first sighting is at an apple tree in full bloom a month from now. This one was flitting from one yelllow Daffodil to another. So very glad I just happened to see this one now.

  • Another Bluebird Day

    Another day of watching Bluebirds. Not sure if they are the same couple making plans for their house or another couple looking for a nesting site. And to add to the mystery Chickadees were checking out the house as well. There is another Bluebird house on the other side of the cabin but it’s not…

  • Pine Cones

    A common pine tree around my cabin. Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) with its beautiful pine cones which take 2 years to mature. Its needles grow in bundles, or fascicles, of three. Twisting or straight with a length of 2.5 to 5 inches. A tree that grows to 30 to 50 feet in height with a width…

  • Pi Day

    Made in honor of π Day. A Blueberry Pie made from the berries that grew here at the cabin last summer, put in the freezer, and PRESTO! A pie decorated with daffodils to match the season. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

  • Looking For A House

    At lunch today a pair of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) caught my attention as they checked out one of the bluebird houses I have here in the yard. Along with the house, they paid attention to what was being served up at the feeder (their favorite meal worms) and the bird bath (which is filled…

  • My Little Insect Eater

    The Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) eats insects, and spiders, ticks, and millipedes. During the winter they may resort to small fruits and seeds. They’re solitary birds and will only hang around together for a tiny bit during breeding season. Introvert of the bird world. These Phoebes breed in wooded areas where manmade buildings are found.…

  • Another Day Into Spring

    Checking on how spring is progressing today I found just what I had been expecting to see for a few days now. Pushing their way up through the soil, a single bud wrapped in a single leaf. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) pushing its way up through the first days of spring. Early March up through early…

  • Little Buds

    Clinging to the ends of the branches all winter long. Waiting for spring to start growing. Becoming blossoms. Then blueberries. Making me happy. Bringing delight to the birds. No problem, there will be plenty. Enough for the birds. An abundance for me and my freezer. Plenty for the rest of year. Pies, muffins, coffee cake.…

  • A Pair Of Downy Woodpeckers

    A pair of Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens) have been coming to my feeder regularly for quite a while. This image is of the male. The male and female Downy Woodpecker look similar with the exception of the red spot at the back of the male’s head. The female has no red, just black and white.…