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Blizzard Of ’66
January 28, 2026 Oh, the memories! The bizarre weather that we are having right now makes me think of The Blizzard of ’66, January 1966. It brought us a total of 29 inches of snow in Seabrook/Lanham, Maryland. That’s me sitting on our driveway surrounded by tons of snow from the storm. The result? No…
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Fluffed Against The Cold
January 27, 2026 Like most mornings recently it was mighty cold this morning. Actually it was 10° when I took this picture. This tan striped White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) was fluffed up to keep warm while getting its breakfast of hulled sunflower seeds. By fluffing up their feathers, birds are creating trapped body heat against…
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Design In The Snow
January 26, 2026 The storm has been interesting. Lots of snow. Then lots of sleet, creating a strange surface. One that looks like a nice accumulation of snow, but I’m able to walk across it staying on top. No sinking in. No foot prints. This image, a design left by the snow and sleet. _______________________…
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A Day for Staying Inside
January 25, 2026 An amazing winter storm coming through. Snow, sleet, freezing rain. A day to stay inside. A day for flannel lined jeans, a warm sweater, and some orchids to enjoy. Many thanks to Anne, a yoga buddy, for the orchid a couple years ago. It’s still doing great. _______________________ If you would like…
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Another Native Orchid In The Wintery Woods
Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) is a plant that looks very delicate, though it is an evergreen. This is what it looks like in the middle of the winter. And it occasionally lives on rock surfaces rather than in soil. A mighty tough plant. It’s one of the 64 species of Orchid that are native…
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On The Back Porch
January 23, 2026 Looking forward to snow coming down Saturday evening into Sunday. The talk is, several inches. We’ll see what actually happens. I’m hoping! This, the back porch with tracks of little feet. January 2017. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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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…