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….

 We got .09″ this morning. It sprinkled a bit more around 11am. The sun came out this afternoon with a high of about 58.  When the fallen leaves are damp, it brings out browns. I sure would not like this picture for a jigsaw puzzle. This Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) stump pops in the damp…

There are many kinds of organisms that can be placed in the group fungi. They become noticeable when they produce their fruiting body. The puffball above is the fungus’ fruiting body. Most of time you don’t see them do their work of de-compositing of organic matter to their roles in nutrient cycling.  This fungus is causing white…

The Bagworm moth (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) likes Eastern Red Cedars. They remind me of Christmas tree ornaments. I know most people don’t want them, but with the insect population decreasing so rapidly, I am not one to kill them. The ones I see around my place have not caused any damage. And well, it is nature….

Hope y’all are feeling good and got to get out in this awesome weather. Gracie was feeeeeling good and a roll in the grass just makes it better.  Cedar Elm’s (Ulmus crassifolia) have these corky wings/ridges on some of the branches. This corky wings had galls (the pointy things) on it. Another view. Cedar Elm is…