Author Archives: Brenda Clements Jones

About Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

Emerging Mayapples

A discovery yesterday. Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) are just beginning to emerge from the soil. As one might expect given the lack of winter, they’re a bit early. I’m totally pleased to see them, early or not.

In the past I would expect to see this swath of umbrella-like leaves at the beginning of May.

These flowers too, at the beginning of May. But who knows what this coming season will bring and when. We shall see.

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Rummaging Through Leaves

This morning, an Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) rummaging through the leaves looking for something to nibble on. Note to self: toss some sunflower seeds into that leaf litter.

Goodness, those piercing red eyes. Not everywhere though. In Florida and the southeast coast up through most of North Carolina you might see Eastern Towhees with white or cream colored eyes. I haven’t seen that and think that might be just as jarring as the red eyes!

Glad to see the Towhee this morning. I’ll be listening for its song of, “Drink your TEA!”

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Ground Cedar

Known by the common names of Ground Cedar or Fan Clubmoss (Diphasiastrum digitatum). A Clubmoss. Though not a cedar, and not a moss. So much for common names. You can’t depend on them. That scientific name, which is a doozy to remember, is the one you can depend on for accuracy.

This Clubmoss is one of the most primitive of vascular plants. Vascular plants are those that have vessels within their roots, stems, and leaves that carry food and water to the plant cells. The Clubmosses first appeared in the fossil record approximately 400 million years ago. Now it grows as a small plant, but in those first appearances in the Carboniferous period, 350 million years ago, Clubmosses grew to be the height of the tallest trees of today.

Ground Cedar is a plant that I don’t often find around my cabin, so when I see it, I’m thoroughly pleased.

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Memories

Photographs often contain precious memories. Even photographs that were taken just a few minutes ago. That’s the case with this image. My Mom loves gardens and while she was very active, she had beautiful gardens filled with lovely flowers blooming or just waiting to come into bloom.

These Daffodils, just out my kitchen window make me think of Mom’s gardens and spring just beginning.

Black Birch

Black Birch (Betula lenta). A tree that’s common around my cabin.

It’s a tree that is monoecious, meaning it has male and female flowers on the same plant/tree. The flowers of birch trees are called catkins. The photo, above, is of male catkins, on a branch I found on the ground after some wild winds we had recently. These male catkins emerge as summer turns to autumn and will stay on the tree (unless there are wild winds) during the winter months. They will release their pollen in the spring.

Just in time to catch those pollen grains, the female catkins appear in early spring. Once fertilized, green cones are formed. Then in early autumn the green cones turn brown and burst open dispersing the seeds of the cones.

As those leaves turn golden, more male catkins are formed and the cycle continues.

Not One But Three!

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens). Most often I’ll see one at the suet feeder. Less frequently it will be one at the hulled sunflower seeds or at the shelled peanuts. But only one.

Yesterday, much to my surprise there were three Downy Woodpeckers. Not at any of the feeders. Just hanging out in the woods. Of course they didn’t want to pose for a group photo. Maybe next time.

A Perfect Day For Pie

Happy February 23rd. A very warm day. Like a marvelous summer day. Here in the mountains it got up to 77°. The weather forecast for February 24th, two days from now, sleet, freezing rain and snow has been mentioned. Crazy.

For today, it’s a perfect day for a custard peach pie. But then isn’t every day perfect for a custard peach pie?

Wood Frog Eggs In The Pond

Just a few days ago the noisy Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) arrived at my little pond for their breeding season. Two days ago Granddaughter and I went out to check on the pond and the eggs. Here’s what was out there, and surely today there are many more. Those frogs have really been busy.

Since these eggs have been laid in chilly water, it may take a month for them to hatch. If the eggs had been laid later in the season in warmer water, hatching would take place in 10 to 14 days.

Stay tuned. I’m going to be watching what happens as winter turns to spring.