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Arizona
The desert Southwest, such a different environment from where my deep roots are. Different from the lush green of DC, Maryland, and southeastern Pennsylvania. I have an acquaintance who went to the Southwest for a visit and was so disappointed. They returned and only had this to say, “It is SO BROWN out there!” That’s…
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Color
So important to me – COLOR. And autumn really brings it to me. Now, in early autumn, a small tree, Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum), is bringing joy to my heart with its color. In spring, a tree with blooms that attract so many pollinators that the tree itself seems to buzz with activity. But in…
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Fasciation
Fasciation is something that is not really understood by scientists. But it creates cool things to happen with plants. It makes a plant’s growth go berserk in unpredictable ways, growing in a manner that would not normally happen. It is thought that fasciation happens because of a hormonal imbalance in the plant. What causes that…
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Perfect Landing
Shorter days. Cooler temperatures. Leaves slowly losing their chlorophyll. Little by little my mountain is beginning to take on an autumnal demeanor. At a snail’s pace, summer is weakening its green grasp. A crisp day encourages a maple leaf to fall. Crimson falling to its opposite on the color wheel. Emerald green perfectly surrounds and…
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A Mystery
Many of you might know that I love a mystery. Some native, something. A plant, an insect, something without a name. Figure out what it is. THIS was my mystery today. If I had not thumbed through a plethora of nature books since childhood, I would not have even known that this is a caterpillar.…
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Hemiparasitic
Downy False Foxglove (Aureolaria virginica) is a plant that is hemiparasitic. This means it has chlorophyll and performs photosynthesis but also depends upon another plant for some of its water and/or nutrients. In the case of Downy False Foxglove, the plant that it choses to depend upon is the White Oak (Quercus alba). A plant…
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First Night Of Autumn
All day long people have been saying, “Happy first day of autumn!” Technically though, that would be tomorrow. Here in Virginia, the autumnal equinox arrives at 9:04 p.m. So, no autumn during the day today. But I’ve been celebrating autumn since September 1, since that’s the beginning of meteorological autumn which is based on temperatures.…
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Autumn Flower
As spring turns to summer, early in the year, I always look forward to Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) beginning to bloom. I have to wait a while since these are late blooming flowers. Late enough that they are here for the Hummingbirds traveling through. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that are on their way south to their winter…
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Spotted Orb Weaver
Adult Spotted Orb Weaver (Neoscona crucifera) spiders show up in late summer, early autumn. Just in time to help decorate for Halloween. These good sized (female bodies are about 3/4 inch long, male bodies are slightly smaller) spiders fit the part, showing up in brown/orange bodies with striped legs of cream, brown and orange colors.…