-
Not Berries
In the vegetable garden there’s not much going on right now, except the parsley which is going crazy, enjoying the cold weather. Aside from that, there are what appear to be berries on the asparagus plants. Beautiful, small, perfectly round, scarlet. Though they resemble berries, they are actually seed pods, containing three or four seeds…
-
The Sapsuckers Are Back
Elation at the cabin this afternoon as I spotted two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus varius). One took off before I was able to get a photo of both of them together, working on a Flowering Dogwood tree. They’ve returned to their winter home! The one that remained in this image is a female. Working to get…
-
The Garden Gate
Tonight has me looking through photographs. Mainly snow pictures. I’m thinking perhaps I’ll come across an image that will be the perfect Christmas card. I’m not sure about this one, though I love it. It’s from February 6, 2010, part of my favorite winter, 72 inches total during the season. In this image, mighty deep…
-
Robins Roaming Together For Winter Food
During the winter the American Robin (Turdus migratorius), here in Virginia changes its diet, eliminating invertebrates and switching to fruits and berries. Roaming, flocking, together with many other Robins, sometimes Cedar Waxwings joining in, looking for winter fruits, such as Holly berries, Juniper berries, Crabapples, Hawthorn berries. Emptying one location after another of those fruits.…
-
Dressed For The Season
Three little Red Maple leaves (Acer rubrum) on a stump, dressed appropriately for the holiday. Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving! _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
-
Reeling With Joy
Such a comfort to go for a walk and find the soil is moist, after receiving 2.93 inches of rain yesterday. After being so dry for so long. I expect this is just an aberration, like the 2.12 inches of rain that fell from the sky on September 10th. An absolute tease. Who knows though.…
-
Thankful For Rain
Rain drops on Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens). Severe drought. A sad situation. But today, at long last it has rained all day. Still coming down steadily. I’m watching as the inches slowly creep up. As I write this the rain gauge tells me 2.89 inches. A bit of a dent in our 18 inch…
-
White Berries
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa). White berries, not red, as we would normally expect on another member of the same genus (Cornus), a Flowering Dogwood tree. Those white berries, sitting on bright crimson pedicles, that to me look like miniature trees. Those pedicles lasting through the winter. Gray Dogwoods send out suckers from their rhizomes, creating…
-
Away With The Wind
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Spring finds the plant reaching tall to the sky. Summer brings blooms of pale mauve, brownish-pink. Autumn’s cooling temperatures welcome horn-shaped seed pods filled with flat brown seeds. Fluff called milkweed floss are attached to the seeds, ready to send the seeds wherever the wind may take it. Much like making…
-
Winter Residents
They’ve been here a couple weeks now. Some of the winter residents. They’re thoroughly enjoying the seeds and suet that I’m putting out for them. White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis). Come spring, they’ll be heading north again, to Canada and New England. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign…