Mushrooms intrigue me, particularly the ones that emerge in surprising colors. This one certainly fills that stipulation. Indigo Lactarius (Lactarius indigo).
Mycorrhizal, or having a symbiotic relationship, with pines and oaks. Indigo Lactarius will grow in a large group or a small group, or alone in summer and fall.
Found in North America from the northeast to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, East Asia and in middle of my lane.
Some might think this an LBJ. A little brown job. But certainly deserving of more distinction than that.
This, a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and a master of camouflage.
A bird that is known for its rich collection of songs. Quite the crooners, males use their songs to identify their territory and to attract females.
Song Sparrows are year round residents in much of their range. In the northern most parts they will migrate south for the winter.
The diet of the Song Sparrow includes a large variety of insects and invertebrates, and many different berries. If you put out a platform feeder close to good cover with sunflower seeds or peanut hearts you’ll probably find Song Sparrows coming to your buffet.
Of the native sparrows in North America the Song Sparrow species is one of the most abundant. But NOT just LBJs.
And, as you can see from my photos, if you’ve got a bird bath that you can put out summer and winter (with a water warmer) they’ll love it.
This morning was what seems to be quite the trend. Sleet and freezing rain. That rain turned the landscape into a sparkly fairyland. For me, this winter has become The Winter of Ice and Sleet. And this is no complaint. I’m absolutely loving all the frozen precipitation. All the diamond covered trees. Snow takes me back to my childhood and the shimmering of ice yields the same reaction.
But with the blink of an eye it is going to be summer again. A new set of birds to enthrall me. Summer birds to capture in pixels. Things growing, plants calling to me. Colors popping. Very soon.
Tall Anemone (Anemone virginiana). A gift that shows up in my gardens thanks to Mother Nature. Filled with delight when it makes an appearance as a volunteer.
A plant native to eastern North America where it can be found in 38 of the 50 United States. In the north from Maine to Minnesota and clear to the south, Georgia and Louisiana.
A beautiful flower which has a trick up its little sleeve. Those “petals” of white or pale green are not petals at all but are sepals. And take a look at the photo above, with the crab spider on the lower right sepal. It’s just waiting to pounce on a pollinator that may come by.
The central yellow green area is the pistillate head which is encircled by stamens topped with yellow or light brown anthers. Those anthers are covered with pollen that lures hoverflies, sweat bees and other small bees.
Summer moves along. The sepals fall away and the pistillate head expands as seeds are created.
Those seeds become surrounded in a woolly world. Fluff that becomes a transportation system. Caught by the wind the seeds are sent on their way.
But that transportation system takes time. See that snow? Over the winter the seed heads persist waiting for the perfect breeze. And waiting for something else.
As the pollen lures pollinators, the fluff of the seed pod lures nest builders.
Come spring birds are assembling nests. Nests occasionally of fluff.
A Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) knows where to find its fluff. In the garden next to the daffodils. Perfect for the nest.
In my yard I’ve got a good number of mature blueberry bushes. Twelve? Fourteen? Enough that I can stock my freezer with loads of quarts of luscious berries to last throughout the year. And the birds? They’re welcome to their share. I love that the berries entice them.
Of the birds that come to enjoy the berries some are frequent visitors that I know well. A cardinal, a perfect example. Other birds don’t often make their presence known depending on the magic of camouflage to hide from my attentive eyes. A female scarlet tanager blending right in.
Each of the seasons provides a different aspect. A different way to appreciate the berries, the bushes. Winter with the buds anticipating the following spring develop sometimes encased in ice.
Winter as the rusty-red branches provide an accent to the snow that falls.
Spring with buds creamy white. Spring with buds soft red.
Spring and her blooms. A pollinators’ playground.
And then there’s summer. You know what that means.
Harvesting and eating.
Autumn celebrates with a brilliant palette. Sumptuous warm colors that tell me there is more to come with each season.
Can you tell? I am in love with blueberries and their bushes.
So many trees out there! Summer provides us with leaves to look at to recognize species, often right away. When winter arrives we’re left with very little hint as to what species of tree we might be looking at. Along with limb character, the tips and buds on branches, and the look of leaf scars, there is also the bark of the tree. The tree above is a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra).
Black Walnut is a tree that is plentiful here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, giving me an opportunity to really get acquainted with all its traits. In the image above a White-breasted Nuthatch is checking out the bark of a Black Walnut tree by going down the trunk in its amusing way, going down head-first. Check out the pattern that the bark has presented to you.
From time to time the bark of the Black Walnut will remind me of a work of macrame or some other fiber artwork. Weaving maybe?
In this photo you’ll see a couple perfectly round holes in the Black Walnut bark. These are created by a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The Sapsucker will hammer out a series of holes, drink the sap and eat the insects that get trapped in the sticky liquid.
The bark of Black Walnut, is communicating to you. Speaking to you in its limited winter way. Trying to tell you its identity.
