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Puffed Up Against The Cold
January 22, 2026 All set for the snow a Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) puffed up against the cold, is filling up on hulled sunflower seeds that I’ve put out. Many birds, including Cardinals are wise when it comes to the weather. They have unique senses which enable them to detect air pressue, temperature and wind.…
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Cold Frosty Morning
I was out this morning quite early, at least for me. Frost seemed to be everywhere making all the fields come alive with glistening. Though the vernal pool that I often see was not filled with much water, there was enough to bring delight. White Oak leaves gathered in the ice with stems reaching up…
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Putty Root In Winter
January 20, 2026 Approximately 64 species of Orchids call Virginia their native home. This is one of those native Orchids, Putty Root (Aplectrum hyemale), often found growing alongside Beech and Maple trees, in calcareous ravines. It has an odd way of presenting itself. Its single leaf emerges from the soil in late November and lives…
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Ironweed With A Bit Of Snow
January 19, 2026 Seedheads of Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) with a bit of snow from yesterday’s dusting, showing signs of having been nibbled on by birds. Full seedheads of Ironweed in late November. And in late August, showing off its bold magenta color. Growing to 5 – 8 feet, Ironweed is a beautiful plant that blooms…
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Another Dusting Today
January 18, 2026 Midafternoon today, I looked out and saw snow coming down out of the sky, hard and heavy. It went on for a while but only left a dusting. Another day of pure joy. These seedheads, topped with some of that snow, are the Maryland state flower, Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). The green,…
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A Dusting
January 17, 2026 I woke up to a beautiful dusting of snow this morning. To me, snow is magical, creating such beauty, and taking me back to my childhood. Living on a steep hill with lots of sledding happening whenever winter brought snow. Pure joy! This is me back then. Me and my Snowman!
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Seedheads Of Asters
January 15, 2025 Another chance for you to feed the birds by doing nothing! These are the seedheads of Asters (Aster) which can provide much food for wild birds. And the Asters look lovely while in bloom during the summer. A disheveled garden can be a source of pride. _______________________ If you would like to…
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Tall Anemone Fluff
January 14, 2026 Blooming mid-to-late summer, a Tall Anemone (Anemone virginiana). After the blooms, fluffy seedheads develop which last until spring. With spring, comes nest building season, and birds, such as this Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus), use the fluff of the seedheads for building their nests. Another reason to not tidy up your gardens, _______________________…
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The Nuthatch Pose
January 13, 2025 A White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) in its classic nuthatch pose, upside down. I love having these birds around with their funny, laughing sound, much like a horn of a tiny, tin toy model T. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!