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Salamanders Tuesday, Apr 12 2016
Uncategorized 20:49
In the pond, that is. Now which ones? I haven’t a clue. Something in the aquatic about to transform stage. Along with the tadpoles and the eggs and the little water bugs. I saw six salamanders all at once, something of a record.
All happily, if skittishly, swimming about and blending in with the leaves.
It goes without saying that the water is crystal clear. Is there some algae clinging to a stick here and there? Of course. Is there a lot of duckweed? Absolutely! But there is no floating algae, sediment, or other ‘muck’ in the pond itself. Just the water, clear and cold, glinting in the sun.
Two Hawks Courting Sunday, Apr 10 2016
Uncategorized 19:51
There was something almost surreal about the pair. I was watching them while pruning the Wolf River apple tree today, so a great sweeping vista to the west and south. The two red tails came up low out of the east and spiraled up, almost to the vanishing point, heading west. Doubling back and circling, ever higher. They they turned and dove, heading back from where they started. When they were almost overhead, they began their spiral once more. Only, this time, it was directly into the sun (just west of overhead). Which was neat enough, but what made it surreal? The thin, thin high cloud….and the subsequent complete rainbow halo around the sun at that point in time.
I think they headed east again, but very high and I lost them against the sun and the trees.
Frozen daffodils Saturday, Apr 9 2016
Uncategorized gardening 17:09
I am intrigued by the daffodils, which have been solidly frozen this last week. They are very limp out in the garden and, if they opened before this cold spell, they are essentially done: rapidly heading towards that translucent stage which speaks of their age. However, if mostly closed, they can be brought inside; there, in a matter of hours, they will open quite nicely. They will also, I suspect, last as long as any other cut daffodil. I suppose that this is the same mechanism which permits the florist to have a cooler of unopened buds and time them perfectly for the event in question. Interesting to see it in action in nature!
The question is, how long can they last in this dormant stage outside?
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When the wind walks Friday, Apr 8 2016
Uncategorized 07:13
When the wind is walking in the trees and the clouds are breaking in the evening light, stormy weather is the weather I love for all trouble that it brings.
But for all I love it, trouble it does bring. No trees down here this week, though some elsewhere. (Including a rather funny one landing on a security camera…..so much for that camera, made for a good video….if a bit short.) Still, the wind on the water yesterday put me in mind of this song. The trees of the sea love the wind, but the price is high.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmyRDiomcb0&nohtml5=False
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Polar vortex gardening Thursday, Apr 7 2016
Well, I think the daffodil bank is unlikely to recover its full glory. It was just starting into bloom when the cold and snow came. Because those daffodils (genuine King Alfreds) are long stemmed, many of them got broken by the weight of the snow. But we will see, I’ll collect the broken ones this evening once I know for sure.
On the other hand, we will likely have the only Star Magnolia to bloom this year. Ours is always two weeks behind, even our neighbors, and had not yet even thought about budding out. Unlike everyone else’s.
Hard to say on the peaches and the apples, they hadn’t begun to bud out though, so maybe. Not that I need more apples, still plenty in the freezer!
The snow was a good thing though, as long as it didn’t break things, it protected them.
Now what is forecast for tomorrow….
Just wow Tuesday, Apr 5 2016
Uncategorized 16:14
Where to next? Monday, Apr 4 2016
Uncategorized 19:54
It is interesting, gratifying, mystifying? to see this place through a new set of eyes….
I took a logger/forester/person in charge of the day-to-day ‘keep it running without a budget’ operations that 30,000 acres of watershed entails around the place the other day.* A tour of some of my favorite trees so to speak. He is the first person not to be bored by the tree tour. Being dragged off into tick country to look at a gorgeous example of an ash tree, why not!**
I’ve grown up here. My sense of what a big tree is…warped, badly. My sense of the diversity of trees one might have on a typical property….warped, badly. Who doesn’t have Multiple trees listed in the top twenty for size in the state, who doesn’t have dozens of different species? But when someone whose job experience includes looking at thousands of acres of trees, ranging from urban parks to forest is captivated by the place….that is not to be taken lightly. Whether it is the oldest of the Norway Spruces, the big lone hemlock, the Norway maples (invasive nightmares but usually not that big), the old Sugar Maples, the Cucumber Magnolia, or the Black Locusts; there are a lot of gorgeous trees here.
What does that mean? I don’t know, except validation for the growing conviction that this place has a value beyond the personal. What that means….?
*Technically he isn’t, but union shops are interesting.
**yes, yes, of course the fact that it was me giving the tour may have helped….
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Continuing the theme Saturday, Apr 2 2016
gardening and Modern Photos crocus, gardening, photography 13:20
from the other day:
I am going to figure out how to make crocus work in a naturalistic fashion, someday! These are a species crocus with a fairly good, saturated color planted in a tall grass section of the lawn. The deeper color is more effective against the light background of the dead grass than the paler pastels. (pure white also works) Now, if I can get past the vole issue….
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Actual content Thursday, Mar 31 2016
Modern Photos photography 14:23
from Esperanza, and current too! Just a photograph, but still.
Spring is just about to get going, holding off another week or two I think (no bad thing, considering the forecast) but definitely coming along. I am always impressed by how much the various bees like the species tulips and crocus, this one (part of a group) was no exception.
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Acair Fearann 