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Pokeweed
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). A poisonous, herbaceous, perennial plant with red stalks that can grow to be 3 to 10 feet tall. And under perfect conditions can reach more than 20 feet tall. It’s native to eastern North America, the Midwest, the South, through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona to the West Coast. All parts of the plant…
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Blue Jay
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata). Beautiful and exceptionally intelligent birds. They’re mimics. Included in their repertoire, are the calls of many hawks, particularly the Red-shouldered Hawk, and some owls. Predators that Blue Jays will avoid. Males and females are alike except that males are a bit larger. They are monogamous, staying together for life. Both participate…
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Sycamore Tree
Sycamore Tree (Platanus occidentalis). In fall, a speckled symphony of autumnal color. A tree seeming to have a marble trunk. A tree that enjoys a riparian life. Streams become easy to spot. Marbled trunks meandering through the woods following the stream. A bark that drops off in patches. Patches that might be perfect for writing…
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Black-throated Blue Warbler
Stopping by for a meal on the way south. A Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) enjoys the seeds of Purple Coneflowers that I’ve left for the travelers. My gardens may look untidy, but they are a way of welcoming these birds as they pass through. Birds that are migrating long distances during the dark of…
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Correction: Not Creeping Cucumber But Mexican Sour Gherkin
UPDATE: There was great surprise when these cute miniature watermelon looking things were discovered in the vegetable garden. The two of us scratching our heads. What in the world could these be? I immediately put on my detective hat and began digging through the vast world of the Internet. I thought I found the answer…
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Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). If Virginia Creeper had the ability to party, this would certainly be its time. Sunlight shining through brightly colored leaves of vermilion. Glowing way up in the tree tops. Decorating the woods. For that long list of party attendees. If Virginia Creeper had the ability to party, this would certainly be…
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Poison Ivy in Autumn
Autumn brings along surprises with native Poison Ivy. The plant’s leaves become beautiful, luminous colors. Some reach out from tree trunks disguising the fact that it is a vine and one that humans should avoid. It’s not a tree but a climbing vine. Easy to think as the vine wraps round and climbs the tree…
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Black Walnuts
Looking up from beneath a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) reveals a splendid, captivating pattern against the sky. Now that pattern has an added element, a change in color. Each leaflet of every compound leaf is changing little by little. Emerald to chartreuse green to chartreuse yellow and everything in between. Black Walnuts dropping everywhere staining…
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Pumpkin Season
Don’t blink. It won’t be here long. The leaves are just beginning to realize that things have got to change. First, from their many shades of luscious green to the warm rich colors of autumn. In no time we’ll be facing a black and white, pen and ink landscape, and frosty winter. Sparkly snow, ice…
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Dark Morph of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
The world of Nature always boggles my mind no matter what I am studying. There is always something that totally astounds me. One example is the dark morph of the female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). That’s one in the photo above. Yes, a Tiger Swallowtail. Not yellow, but black. Your location will influence how…