7/27/2015
Bluebirds
7/20/2015
insect picnic
In the quiet woods, along the path, a fallen log has rotted and curved to become a fine trough. Insects evidently hatch and grow there, and the birds clean them out every so often. Today the sound of soft tap-tap-taps led me to see a Pileated Woodpecker enjoying the harvest.
7/14/2015
wildflowers in the woods
False Solomon's Seal Maianthemum racemosum grows in the shady wild wild woods. Earlier this Spring, the rhizomes sent up zig-zag stems with alternate leaves, then blossomed with a cluster of tiny white star-shaped flowers at the end of the stem.
Now, berries have set and are changing through several shades of waxy brown. When ripe red, wildlife eat them.
Now, berries have set and are changing through several shades of waxy brown. When ripe red, wildlife eat them.
7/04/2015
edibles
The rabbit is so frustrated by the fence around the garden where lettuces and other attractive fare grow! Today we saw her munching on milkweed. What about that "toxic" white sap? Opinions range from "never eat any milkweed" to "edible if cooked, but only the broad-leaved variety". Evidently this rabbit found it edible.
Slender Beardtongue
Slender Beardtongue Penstemon gracilis is in bloom at the edge of the woods. Like other plants in the Penstemon family, each bloom has a fuzzy flap in the center; it is an infertile stamen among the four fertile stamens. The infertile stamen or "staminode" looks like a yellow or orange hairy "tongue", inspiring the name: beard tongue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)