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Black Walnuts
Looking up from beneath a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) reveals a splendid, captivating pattern against the sky. Now that pattern has an added element, a change in color. Each leaflet of every compound leaf is changing little by little. Emerald to chartreuse green to chartreuse yellow and everything in between. Black Walnuts dropping everywhere staining…
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Pumpkin Season
Don’t blink. It won’t be here long. The leaves are just beginning to realize that things have got to change. First, from their many shades of luscious green to the warm rich colors of autumn. In no time we’ll be facing a black and white, pen and ink landscape, and frosty winter. Sparkly snow, ice…
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Dark Morph of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
The world of Nature always boggles my mind no matter what I am studying. There is always something that totally astounds me. One example is the dark morph of the female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). That’s one in the photo above. Yes, a Tiger Swallowtail. Not yellow, but black. Your location will influence how…
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Tiger Swallowtail
Sitting in the spotlight. Sipping nectar from a puff of powdery pink thistle. Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus).
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White Wood Aster
White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata), is an herbaceous perennial plant native to eastern North America. It’s encountered mainly in the Appalachian Mountains but can be found scattered in other places in the east. Stems that are not perfectly straight, take on a reddish/purplish hue as the season wears on. Heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges. Plants…
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Creeping Cucumber
Creeping Cucumber (Melothria pendula). Perfect for a dollhouse if you need a tiny watermelon of dollhouse scale. If only they would last. It is native to southeastern North America. With flowers of yellow, just 1/4 inch across. Though it is native it will be treated as a weed here. A weed, after all is a…
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Fowler’s Toad
Toads like the vegetable garden that is adjacent to the pond here at the frog farm. Not a real frog farm. Just a place where the welcome mat is put out. A place to enjoy the frogs. This one a Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri). All toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. What??…
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Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration
Still coming through from points further north. Each one I see I tell to say, “Hello!” to my Mom or my sister. It depends on its plan. Will it be going through Louisiana or through Florida? Some cross the Gulf of Mexico, others go around it, and go south through Texas. Mom and my sister…
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And Now Autumn
Gone are the days of carefree summer. Oh but the things to come. Color. The color of Virginia Creeper with it’s crimson leaves. Brilliant color. All the leaves that had been cool greens now becoming warm colors. Rich colors become ubiquitous. Red Maples turning red or orange or yellow. Another Red Maple. This one scarlet…
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Marbled Orb Weaver
They seem to arrive every year at this time. Just when I’m thinking about the grand holiday. Halloween. It’s as if they know I want my porches decorated for the big day. Dressed in an appropriate outfit for the season. Bright yellow and black coveralls complimented with long striped stockings of orange, black and white.…