Mercury Glass Ornament

Ten years ago, on December 9th, there was a remarkable ice storm here that entertained me for hours as I roamed with my camera. These images are just a very small look at the many pictures that I captured as I was wandering on Cloud Nine.

This first picture is a native shrub. Beautiful, particularly in winter, when it is without its leaves but, oh those wonderful scarlet berries! It is Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), a species of holly that is native to eastern North America in the US and southeastern Canada.

Ice, ice everywhere. Here it tries to drip from the yellow-green, twisted pairs of needles of a Virginia Pine tree (Pinus virginiana). Another native plant in the “neighborhood” here.

Ice dripping from the red branches of Blueberry (Vaccinium). Looking closely you can see the buds that will, in a number of months, turn into the flowers of the Blueberry bush.

My favorite find in all my strolling was what appears, to me to be a mercury glass ornament in the shape of a pinecone.

Why be normal. I adore ice storms and snow. Why be normal indeed!

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Crimson in a Black and White Landscape

Late May into June they go from tiny bud to minuscule flower.

A flower and lots of buds of Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). A deciduous species of Holly native to eastern North America in the United States and southeastern Canada.

And now in WINTER a big splash of color. Crimson berries that attract oodles of birds like Bluebirds, Hermit Thrushes, Robins, Catbirds, and Cedar Waxwings. Brilliant color in a black and white, pen and ink landscape.