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Carolina Wren, Preening
This is a Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), preening its feathers after taking a dip in the bird bath. Preening is an activity that all birds take part in, to keep their feathers in tip-top shape. The act of preening enables birds to eliminate dirt and parasites from their feathers. It helps in repairing splits in…
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Watermelon Radishes
Thanks to Pedro of Saint Isidore Homestead & Permaculture at the Greene Farmers Market for these incredibly beautiful Watermelon Radishes (Raphanus sativus). This morning Bill sliced them up and with lots of other ingredients created a delicious soup. We had the soup with slices of another purchase from the Greene Farmers Market. Thanks to Cedar…
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Drupes Of Maple-leaf Viburnum
Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium). Native to eastern and central North America. Growing to 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet in width. A colony forming bush. The berry-like drupe of Maple-leaf Viburnum is red when unripe. As it ripens it becomes a blackish purple. Those ripe drupes mean autumn, with leaves of…
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Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum). Native to eastern Canada and eastern United States. It is a tree that prefers the higher, and cooler, elevations here in central Virginia, further up than here where I live. We did plant a few Sugar Maple trees several years ago though, and they seem to be quite happy. It is…
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Strappy Blooms
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), is in bloom right now. Providing nectar and pollen to fruit flies, blow flies, wasps, bees, and beetles this late in the year when there is very little otherwise available to them. The flowers make me think of yellow shredded coconut. Each blossom is made up of 4 petals and 4…
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White Oak
While I was out this morning, the sun hitting these rich red leaves caught my eye. They’re White Oak (Quercus alba). A tree that is native to eastern and central North America. A tree that grows to 50-80 feet occasionally to 100 feet. And a diameter of 36-48 inches. An incredible lifespan of 350-500 years.…
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Clematis Virginiana
Clematis virginiana So many marvelous things to see up in The Park yesterday, including large puffs of white, scattered here and there. The seeds of Clematis virginiana. In this picture I’ve really zeroed in on the seeds these puffs contain, making the color seem more pale orange-tan than the white I was seeing from a…
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Up In The Park
Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Trekking in Shenandoah National Park today. A short distance from my cabin’s front door. A location that calls to me, no matter the season. Perhaps the most spectacular, autumn. Breathtaking colors. All the warm colors that exist were on display among the trees. _______________________ If you would like to receive my…
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An Excursion
Up over the mountains into the Valley. A yearly excursion to the pumpkin patch. This year, one of the good ones. So many pumpkins. So many different sizes. So many different colors. So many different patterns. So difficult to choose. But mission accomplished. Now to get on with the carving. _______________________ If you would like…
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Pincushion Moss
Pincushion Moss (Leucobryum glaucum) provides a soft landing spot for a leaf of Red Maple (Acer rubrum). This moss can be found in many spots around the globe. In North America it’s found in the eastern and northern US and further north into Canada. In Europe it’s found in the United Kingdom and Ireland to…