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Higher Elevations
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) a tree that I only find further up in the higher elevations where I hike. With the exception of the ones that have been planted here in the vicinity of my cabin. They prefer the cold that the higher elevations provide. These trees can have a very long life. Two hundred…
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Crimson Leaves
I was away for several days, hoping when I returned that the autumn leaves would be just as beautiful as when I headed south. Taking the back roads seemed to be driving back through time. From autumn into green leaves. Not a sign of autumn anywhere. What a joy to return to discover the leaves…
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It Calls Its Name
A sweet bird that calls its name. Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). A bird that comes back to the nest it built the breeding season before, to use it again. That happens year after year, here at my cabin. A nest was built under the eaves of the wood shop, and continues to be used every breeding…
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Super Sassafras Shades
Dependable in its rich colors of October. Sassafras (Sassafras albidum). Turning from soft green, its fragrant leaves become multiple shades, perfect for the autumn season. Sassafras, aside from its delightful aroma, has a vast repertoire of colors it shows off as October crawls to the haunting day of Halloween. Warm delightful colors. Many shades of…
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Bejeweled
Seemingly bejeweled, the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). I don’t see nearly enough of these beauties. As adults they seek the nectar of many flowers. A short list: goldenrod, ironweed, sunflowers, mistflower, asters, coneflowers. I’ve recently added Blue Vervain to one of my gardens. I’ve read that they enjoy the nectar of those flowers as well.…
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Little White Floral Mystery
Silverrod (Solidago bicolor). An herbaceous perennial that grows in open, dry woods. It grows 1 to 3 feet tall though I have only seen plants 1 to 1.5 feet tall With white or cream colored flowers that emerge from the leaf axils. Just a 1/4 inch wide and crowded on a single vertical stem. The…
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Five Red Leaves
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) a vine in the grape family (Vitaceae). Native to eastern and central North America. A plant that knows its own mind. One that will wander into areas where you might not want it to grow. Keep an eye on it if you have it in your garden. And beware some (but not…
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No Customers
What an absolute kick it is to feed the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) that come to my feeders during the summer. Some of them have been here before and return to my feeders, whether during the summer or during their migration. But gone is the time when I put out 1/2 gallon of hummingbird syrup…
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Late Bloomer
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) blooms in October and November, providing nectar for Owlet Moths. Unique flowers that make me think of yellow straps of shredded coconut. The blooms closely spaced make it difficult to tell but each flower has four petals that curl up on cold days and unfurl on warmer days. Blooming after their…
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Red Berries Deep In The Woods
Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum racemosum), can be found in large colonies emerging from their thick rhizomes in the spring. Clusters of white flowers form at the end of their long arching stems. In the autumn you’ll find these beautiful clusters of red berries at the end of those stems. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive…