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.
From mid-April through mid-May the Blackhaws, Viburnum prunifolium, are in bud and bloom up here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blackhaw is a shrub or small tree that gets its name from the inky black of the fruit, that develops during the summer, and ripens in the fall.
Fruit or Drupe
The floral display turns to fruit in June. This fruit, which, seems to me would be called a berry, is actually called a drupe. They start out apple green and oblong.
Blushing
As the summer days pass, the apple green gains a blush of dark pink and then crimson as the sun shines on the drupes.
Overnight Changes
Each day as I hike the mountain, as summer turns to autumn, I see changes. I’m surprised at how quickly one little drupe will turn from its crimson red to inky black. It just takes one night and presto! there is another one, blue-black and ripe.
Preserves And Wine
There are sites on the internet that mention Blackhaw preserves and wine. Sure would take a large amount of these drupes to make anything at all. Though tasty, they are mostly a single, large seed. Birds and wildlife enjoy eating the Blackhaw fruit. I think I will leave the drupes for them!
I think it was just a perfect day! After finding a sincere pumpkin patch and locating a large, golden orange squash that would please even the Great Pumpkin, I returned to my cabin to find a Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, enjoying the many varieties of asters that I have in the yard. What a delightful surprise! During this butterfly season, from spring until now, I had only seen a grand total of two Monarch butterflies.
Mid-Summer
My first Monarch sighting was in mid-July, way up the mountain. He was flitting back and forth from one fleabane flower to another. It was another month until I saw another one, just one. I managed to get some pictures of the first one (above) but the second sighting went without photographs.
Where Are They
In other years, the Monarchs have been much more plentiful. The photo, above, was taken in June 2010 and shows a Monarch feasting on a purple coneflower. My gardens this summer have had lots of purple coneflowers blooming. It didn’t attract any Monarchs though.
Sunflowers?
It made no difference that sunflowers were around, Monarchs just weren’t there.
Gaillardia?
It made no difference that gaillardia was blooming in my garden earlier this summer. But today I saw 6 or 7 of these beautiful, rich orange and black creatures! Hooray! These butterflies are beginning their long migration, all the way to Mexico. I wish them well, finding plenty of good weather and the foods they need along the way.
Caterpillar Of The Monarch Butterfly
More Milkweed
I’m going to be putting more native Milkweed, Asclepias, in my garden. Milkweed is the only plant that Monarch larvae eat, and I want to make them feel at home here on my mountain! AND I will be reading, and listening to reports from scientists who study butterflies to learn why there have been so few this butterfly season.
Ever notice lines in the tree bark? Lines of little dots, little holes, made in thoughtfully placed rows?
A Message?
These rows of dots, look to me like someone is trying to tell me something. Or that someone has a brand new drill and has to try it out, decorate something with this new tool, new toy. Haven’t we all had some new something that we just couldn’t put down?
But Who?
Who in the world would be doing something like this? I see these holes often in the woods up here in the mountains, but I’ve also seen these holes in trees on the rolling hills of James Madison’s Montpelier, and so many other places as well.
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
These holes are called “sap wells” of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius. A medium sized woodpecker with a brilliant patterned face of black, red and buff white; a black and white striped back; and red forehead. The male also has a red throat. The white of his striped back is an off white which looks a bit dingy to me.
The Sap Wells
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drills these sapwells and laps up the sap and insects that are attracted to it. They complete their diet by also eating fruits and berries. And they provide me more patterns to be attracted to.
This is a special bend in the road on my hike up the mountain. Here I find fun mushrooms and cool little lichens that could be the center of an elf village. But the real treasure for me, is the sprouts of American Chestnuts that are just up the slope at this bend.
Almost Gone But Not Quite
The American Chestnuts have almost been wiped out by a fungus, commonly known as “the blight.” What is generally now found in some, lucky woods, are sprouts of determined trees, still trying to survive. That is what I have found on this bend in the road. Sprouts. I wouldn’t call, what is occasionally found these days, American Chestnut trees, but American Chestnut bushes.
Ocean Waves
The leaf of the American Chestnut has a distinctive, ocean wave edge, and the leaves that I find in the woods right now are a rich emerald green, as in the first close-up shot. By the end of October those leaves will turn a warm golden brown. I have to smile whenever I see these leaves – so determined to survive.
Virginia Creeper is a very common plant here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I enjoy seeing it, with its five leaflets radiating out in its palmate fashion.
Five Leaflets
Those five leaflets create one leaf. They are so precise with their sawtoothed edges, like a seamstress has taken her pinking shears to each one.
A Climber
The vine loves to climb trees, like a child in an apple orchard. This beautiful creeper, above, is clinging to a Persimmon tree. A tree with a gorgeous checker board pattern, that it earns as it ages.
A Garland
I’ve been watching this garland of Virginia Creeper, draped over a downed tree since spring. I’ve imagined that it would be so lovely in the fall, in scarlet. As you can see, I’m still waiting. Sometimes things don’t go as I had imagined. Will those leaves turn a brilliant shade of red, or just wimp out on me? Stay tuned. I’m still watching and hoping!
The days recently have been absolutely yummy. Blue skies, low humidity – perfect for hiking during the day and wonderful for sleeping at night. It’s been a dream, being able to hike up my mountain and watch as the leaves change from their summer blue-greens to their autumn tones of chartreuse, lemon, lime, golds, mango, crimson and every color in between. The colors are changing much more rapidly than I ever expected. Of course, I’ve never in my life observed nature so closely as I have the past many months.
Sassafras, Going From Rich Deep Emerald To Lemon And Lime
Changes
Some things are slowing down. I’m not seeing nearly as many new flowers now. Goldenrod season seems to be coming to an end. Asters in shades of snow white, lavender and grape are still going full speed ahead but I don’t see many buds left on them, to open when I’m not looking. The next big floral display I’m awaiting, is the opening of the Witch Hazel. That will be a delight when it happens, and I’ll photograph the blossoms and share them with you. I expect that won’t happen for another several weeks though.
My Turn-Around Point
Ferns
I’m watching, each trip I take, out the gate and up the road, to see what happens. I’ve spotted many patches of beautiful ferns along my daily route. My turn-around point is marked by Maidenhair Fern on one side, and Sensitive Fern on the other. The Sensitive Fern has been given that name because it quickly withers and dies back when the temperatures get to be too cold. I’m watching to see at what point in the season that will happen. Fortunately the woods are also filled with many evergreen ferns, such as Christmas Fern, so I’ll be seeing that finery as I go about my observing during the winter. Another beautiful season to look forward to!
I grew up with apple pies. Lots of other pies too, but the standout memory is apple pies. My Mom is Pennsylvania Dutch, which, in my mind, means she is a terrific cook, but most of all a terrific pie baker. She tells me of falling asleep in her grandparent’s dining room, while all the adults sat around the table speaking German, a language she didn’t learn. Interesting to me — these family members had been in America for 300 years but still spoke their German.
The Pie Connection
Mom also tells me of her grandmother baking many, many pies at the end of each week, so that the hard working family would have pies to last throughout the coming week. They would be set aside in a pie safe. Years ago I found a pie safe at an antique shop in Leesburg, Virginia. I was told that the pie safe had come from York, Pennsylvania. My son now has that pie safe. We used to keep our stereo equipment in it. I don’t know what he stores in it now, but I doubt it is pies!
First Apple Pie, First Year At Wm & Mary
Carrying On The Tradition
Now both my son and I are pie bakers. I make crust from scratch all the time. I think he makes crust from scratch some of the time. But I think we both do a super job! Apple Pie? A must for me, is to use McIntosh apples. Their flavor just can’t be beat. Some say the apple, when cooked turns to mush. I say, “Who cares?!!” It just plain makes a scrumptious pie!
A New Ingredient
I learned to add a new ingredient, on my first visit with my husband’s grandmother, when we moved to New Mexico. She added a touch of salt to her apple pies. I’ve used that touch of salt ever since.
Mom’s Recipe With The Added New Mexico Ingredient
One unbaked 9 inch pie crust
6 medium sized apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 2 inch pieces (or the size that you prefer), place in pie crust
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cream together flour, sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of chopped apples. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 375 degrees, and continue baking for 45 more minutes. Let pie cool or serve warm topped with homemade vanilla ice cream.
The White-Tailed Deer Is Thriving In Large Part Because Of Human Activity In Both Suburban And Agricultural Areas
Oh Deer! What To Do?
There is nothing more heart warming than seeing a white-tailed deer in your yard. Unless of course you see too many deer, night after night, eating the vegetables in your garden. For those of us who do not have gardens and enjoy seeing the deer, we must remember that feeding deer puts them at risk of developing disease due to attracting larger numbers to a small area. These diseases include bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis and chronic wasting disease — AND feeding deer is illegal.
Female deer normally have their first fawn when they are just a bit over a year old. Sometimes though, if food is plentiful, they can have a fawn, when they are as young as six-months-old. Young does typically have one fawn, while older does have twins and occasionally triplets. With favorable circumstances, does can produce two or three fawns every year, and populations can increase quickly.
As the human population has increased, so too has the deer population. At the turn of the twentieth century the deer population was low due to over harvesting for food and hides, and loss of habitat. Over time, we have instituted hunting regulations, changed our agricultural practices and have begun to conserve woodland. These changes have allowed the deer population to increase.
Along with an increase in deer population there is a corresponding increase in human/deer conflicts. Those vegetables that are eaten by white-tailed deer in your garden are only a very small part of the problem. Deer can cause large economic losses for farmers. A USDA survey conducted in 1992 sites 40 percent of farmers reporting substantial deer damage.
Our forests suffer with an overabundance of deer. Many of us have seen deer browse lines, where everything is eaten within reach. This can create a forest in which only trees that deer dislike are surviving, with no understory of bushes, herbs, and tree seedlings. The result could be a forest that may not be able to replace itself naturally. Deer over-browsing also makes way for alien invasive plants to be more easily established. Deer prefer native species and will avoid alien plants such as kudzu, oriental bittersweet, Japanese honey suckle, mile-a-minute vine, garlic mustard and Japanese stilt grass, giving them an easy way to establishment.
With a forest understory having no native herbs, bushes and desirable tree seedlings, there is very little for other animals including birds, reptiles and insects to eat, and their ability to find shelter is challenged.
A larger deer population means more deer on area roads. Consequently that means more collisions with vehicles. These collisions can mean costly repairs, human injuries, and at times can even take human life.
As I mentioned earlier, a more dense deer population also threatens the health of the herd. Bovine tuberculosis, a bacterial disease that has the potential to infect other animals including humans, has recently been found in deer. Chronic wasting disease and brucellosis are also a concern. Another health risk for humans, white-tailed deer are a host for the tick that carries the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Control of deer populations is a difficult social and political question. Aside from other aspects of the issue, they need our help regarding overcrowding, which means more serious, more quickly spreading disease. Overcrowding can also result in a shortage of food, leading to starvation. Of course with control, agriculture will benefit with less crop damage. Roads will be safer.
An already established method of control is hunting. There is great advantage to hunting for states’ economies. The value of license fees, meat, and purchases made by hunters, of equipment, food and transportation brings in hundreds of millions of dollars throughout our country.
This pastime is a highly valued tradition to a large portion of our population. Aside from just being a form of recreation, many of my neighbors use deer hunting as a way to put food on their tables. This is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Hunting is a part of our heritage and those deer with their burgeoning population need our help.
My day was off to an excellent start. This spring, using pollen that had been collected from trees at the American Chestnut Foundation‘s research farm in Meadowview, Virginia, a tree that we call VA0333, The Rosebrook Tree, was for the third year in the row pollinated. This was at the height of a visit from Periodic Cicadas. The females Cicadas had done their work on The Rosebrook Tree. Slits were visible on some of the ends of branches, high up in the tree’s canopy, even on branches that had flowers. The pollen was applied in hopes that some of the flowers would live and develop burs containing seeds to be used for further research. This morning as the bucket truck went to the top of the tree, it became evident that there were some bursbut only a few. But I was prepared for the worst, so just a few was way better! Hooray!
American Chestnuts Harvested In Virginia
Virginia Harvest
The chestnuts in the photo above were harvested in 2010, the first year that I become involved with the Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation. Since that time I’ve come to appreciate more than ever the amazing things that are being done in the Foundation. We are making progress!
VA0333, The Rosebrook Tree
Here She Is!
This is The Rosebrook Tree. She’s fighting but won’t be around much longer. She’s got the blight, as all pure American Chestnut trees will get. No getting around that. I have 9 pure American Chestnut trees at the front of my cabin. They will get the blight. But The American Chestnut Foundation is cross-back breeding American Chestnuts with Chinese Chestnuts. The aimed for result is a chestnut tree that is American in its growth habit — a very tall and straight tree, with blight resistance.
An American Chestnut With Clearly Visible Blight
Here Is The Blight
This is a struggling American Chestnut sprout high up on my mountain. Do you see the splits on the bark and the orange fungus? This is the blight. The roots of the American Chestnut do not get the blight because they are not exposed to the air. The roots keep sending up sprouts which usually die back within a couple years. But with the research that’s been done and continues, there will be American Chestnut trees growing in the tree’s native range again — given time and much continued work.
Those of us who just came through the summer, with Brood II of the Periodical Cicadas, are still seeing flagged trees. Tomorrow I will find out the results of pollinating American Chestnuts this spring. A friend and I did the pollination at the height of the Cicada invasion. Slits in some of the branches we worked with were noticed, but the real damage, at that point, was not obvious. We had to pollinate what flowers there were, and keep our fingers crossed.
A Bucket Truck Is Needed To Get To The Top Of These Tall Trees
In The Morning
Keep your fingers crossed for me in the morning too! I’ll be meeting the bucket truck at 10:00 A.M., and I’m hoping that we will be able to come away with at least someseeds from this mother tree to represent this growing season.
American Chestnut, Castanea dentata
Turning Leaves
These are the leaves of an American Chestnut. On my mountan, right now, the leaves are still a bright green, but in a few weeks, they like many other leaves in the forest, will be turning to their autumnal tones. Oh how I love the seasons to change!
