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Merry Christmas From A Thicket
December 25, 2025 Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) seek out tangles of vines, dense shrubs, and thickets. These environments provide protection from predators and the weather. This guy settled in here, in a perfect spot to say, “Hello!”, and to wish you a very Merry Christmas! _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts…
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Christmas Eve Tradition
December 24, 2025 For many many years, having enchiladas has been the tradition here on Christmas Eve. When we moved back to the East Coast, from New Mexico, the only tortillas that could be found were in a can! But the tradition carried on. I started making my own tortillas and things got better. Now…
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Mimic Catbird
December 23, 2025 It is grouped together in a family of songbirds known as mimics, the Mimidae family, along with our familiar Mockingbirds, and Thrashers. This is the Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis). These clever birds have a repertoire that includes calls and songs known to be of the Catbird, but also imitations of other songbirds,…
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A Junco In The Garden
December 22, 2025 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) sitting on a plant cage in the garden posing for the camera. A winter resident here at the cabin, though at higher elevations, just a few miles away such as in Shenandoah National Park, they are year round residents. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily…
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Shortest Day Of The Year
The seedhead of a Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma), wearing its snow white winter cap. Just waiting for a hungry bird to come along for a meal. And Happy Winter! Yes, today is the first day of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The shortest day and the longest night of the year. _______________________ If you…
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Poison Ivy Drupes
December 20, 2025 These are drupes of Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). A drupe is a succulent fruit surrounded with a very thin outer skin. Within that succulent fruit is a hard pit that contains a single seed. Other examples of drupes are: Peaches, Plums, Cherries, Apricots, Olives, also Avocados. And surprising to realize, Coconuts, Almonds,…
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One Of Many Favorite Birds
December 18, 2025 Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus), chittery chattery noisemakers. The female doesn’t sing the beautiful songs that you will hear from the male. The female makes chattery calls, and raspy trills. Joining in occasionally with the male. A duet with her life long mate. They are non-migratory. Such a treasure to have year-round. _______________________…
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Why I Love Winter Captured In A Photo
December 17, 2025 One day in February, some years back, this happened. The forest, and this cone of a Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana) covered in magic. This is why I love winter. _______________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
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Drupes Waiting
December 16, 2025 Blackhaw drupes (Viburnum prunifolium) waiting for a hungry bird or two to come along to gobble them up, to disperse those seeds to a new spot far from the parent shrub. Blackhaw drupes don’t get eaten up quickly but later in the winter after the first frost. Aging and frost helps them become…