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Hellebores
March 4, 2026 Hellebores (Helleborus) native to Eurasia. There are 15 to 22 recognized species in this genus. I have a few of those species in my gardens. Remarkable plants, after seeing what they have come through this winter, and bloom as if everything was perfectly normal. But then the Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), and…
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Playing In The Icy Pool This Morning
February 12, 2026 My camera and I got to play at the vernal pool today, the one at the yoga studio where I take classes. It has been dry for so long, much longer than is usual, so we had a great time. Melting snowcrete created a marvelous amount of moisture, perfect for imagination. One…
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Hunger At The Garden Gate
January 2, 2026 Word seems to have gotten out. No songbirds there for a meal. A Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) sitting on the garden gate, a spot where there are often many birds. Try, try again little hawk. And it is indeed a small hawk. The males of this species are the smallest hawks in…
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Shortest Day Of The Year
The seedhead of a Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma), wearing its snow white winter cap. Just waiting for a hungry bird to come along for a meal. And Happy Winter! Yes, today is the first day of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The shortest day and the longest night of the year. _______________________ If you…
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Sign Of A Pileated Woodpecker
November 21, 2025 This morning on my way down the mountain I saw a woodpecker that I often see, a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus). The largest woodpecker in North America. About the size of a crow. Measuring in at 16 to 19 inches long, with a wingspan of 26 to 30 inches, weighing about 8.8…
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Red Maple Decked Out For Autumn
October 26, 2025 The Red Maples (Acer rubrum) are joining in with many of the trees in the woods to create a celebration of autumn. As is often the case, this week is the peak of the spectacular color display. Before long it will look like winter, with shades of black and white leaving only…
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At The Post Office
August 3, 2025 Just no telling when Mother Nature will allow her children to make an appearance. Even at a walkway leading to the Post Office. A seed made its way to a crack between the sidewalk and curb. The seed germinated and managed to live to produce a bloom of a rose-colored Zinnia (Zinnia).…
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A Pair Of Towhees
May 17, 2025 He came by just before lunch today. Splashing around in the birdbath to get those feathers clean. He had enough of the cleaning and went to a perch to shake off the water and get his feathers in order again. A male Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus). Just a couple minutes later, she…
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Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar
March 28, 2025
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The Elusive Towhee
March 27, 2025 Another solitary bird. One that is around but not obvious, since it enjoys dense shrubs and lots of leaf litter in which to search for their next meal of seeds or insects. An Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus). The male Towhee sings its song, an easy one to remember, “Drink your teeeeea!” A…