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Yesterday afternoon, Gracie and I went over to Unit 55/Rucker’s Pond. It was a so pretty out. Here is some of what we saw. Woodsia fern (Woodsia obtusa) The fruticose lichen that is shrubby-like is Ramalina celastri. The other lichens are foliose lichens. There was this cool Post Oak limb that made for the perfect bench. Mosses shone…

  Underside of a blackberry leaf. Love that red midrib and veins. Blackjack leaf also had red veins but it showed better on the top of the leaf. Chittamwood (Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. oblongifolium) red veins on the underside of the leaf. This my first shot with just the phone tonight. I’m wondering now if the little…

 In case you have not heard, on Dec 21th the great conjunction of 2020 will take place. Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer to one another and brighter than they have in 800 years in the night sky. This occurrence is called the Christmas kiss. You are supposed to look for it about hour after…

 In case you missed it this morning. I had to take Gracie out for her business earlier than usual and was treated to this sunrise. I can’t resist taking a photo when it is this pretty. This sap on the Common Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) was so black and shiny. We had trimmed the tree in the…

Gracie see something! Looking up. Looking straight at it. It is more visible now but still behind the tree. I hoping she stays put. I told her too. This was a Honey Locust tree with BIG thorns. Gracie gets closer and the squirrel finally goes up the tree. No harm for either.     This…

Bird poop on the Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). This one is about 6 mm (1/4″). So it is pretty small and sorta look like a caterpillar don’t you think?  This bird poop is about 15mm (1/2″). It has a bit more color. The Giant Swallowtail caterpillar is one that mimics bird droppings. Adult moths…

  From a distance the majority of trees’ bark appear more gray to black like this willow or oak trees than brown in my opinion. Yes, I can see some browns in them too, but the overall appearance to me is grayish. So why do most kids color them brown? I have a theory that…

 Cupule is what the cap of the acorn is called. It is the modified hardened bracts. More than you wanted to know maybe. But when I started out on my walk today, I decided to see if I could see any big differences between the different species. One was hairier; some bracts were longer; some were…

  As Gracie and I were out walking the back fence this afternoon it started to sleet. I noticed because I could see it on Gracie’s fur. Also had a little bit of slushy snow flurries mixed with rain while I sat in the truck in town late this afternoon. The Ladies-tresses (Spiranthes cernua) still…

Harvestman or Daddy Longlegs (Leiobunum vittatum) was eating a millipede (Aniulus). It was cold when I found it this morning which may explain why its legs were so weirdly positioned. I went back later and checked.  Daddy was still nearby but the head was all that Daddy wanted to eat.  View of a thistle (Cirsium) leaf….