Mouse-Eared Chickweed: Furry Ears
An unlikely habitat for plants, this metal guardrail stuck into concrete embedded in blacktop. But where there’s a crack, there’s a leaf. Hm. Small, dainty leaves, arranged opposite each other in pairs. Looks like Chickweed. But which one? There are dozens of types of Chickweed. Further research reveals it to be Mouse-Eared Chickweed. An apt name—the furry little leaves look exactly like mouse ears. And like a resourceful mouse, it can find a hole or a crack anywhere, and exploit it to its own advantage. When the plant flowers, it has tiny white heart-shaped...
Read MoreStarry Night: Guest Photographer Wells Horton
Thanks to Wells Horton for this amazing shot. It summarizes why I love the season of Halloween so much: the beauty of the dying year, the darkness that flows out from under the trees. Too often, Halloween is a time of chainsaw massacre movies and fake blood. I like Halloween to be a little scary, sure. But not so frightening that people (kids) are terrified to go out at night lest a ghoul in a hockey mask eat them. “I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” –Sarah Williams Check out more of Wells Horton’s photos on http://wells-horton.smugmug.com/ and...
Read MoreNew England Aster: Energy Drink
Running on empty! Pull into Stewart’s Quik-Stop—gotta refuel. Gas up, and go inside for a fast coffee and doughnut or candy bar—anything sweet. Energy for the long trip. Got a lot of miles to go. At least I don’t have to make it all the way to Mexico. We’ve all heard the story of the Incredible Journey—the migration of the monarch butterflies, more than 2,000 miles to their overwintering spot in Mexico. It’s easy to say—2,000 miles—but when you’re talking about a wingspan of about four inches, it’s just really unbelievable. How many wing-flaps is it to Mexico? And of course what fuels all...
Read MoreNorway Spruce: The Melancholy Trees
The road to the Chuctanunda Rural Cemetery, in the town of Florida, NY. It’s a lovely country road, and is—I’m sorry but it’s true—a dead end. There’s something about old graveyards that I love, especially around Halloween. The tilted tombstones, the autumn light, the quiet rustle of the leaves behind you…it’s all pleasantly spooky without being terrifying. But most of all I love the trees. Trees in graveyards have personality, I find. Planted singly, they don’t have to compete with other trees for sunlight, so they can spread out their arms, grow wide and impressive. This cemetery is one of...
Read MoreDandelions: A Number of Reasons to Love Them
Parking lots are fertile fields for the weed-loving botanist. You wouldn’t think that anything could grow without soil, without water, in a big pile of rocks–in fact, the reason the rocks were put there was so that weeds wouldn’t move in. But once again, the wily dandelions have outsmarted the humans. Reason #23896 that I love dandelions: they can grow just about anywhere. I never cease to be amazed at the spots where they can thrive. Reason #23897 that I love dandelions: their diversity. Dandelions are like snowflakes: no two alike. Look at these plants, all dandelions, and the...
Read MoreVirginia Creeper: Stop Sign
It’s the very first sign of fall. A sudden spatter of bright red leaves, red as a stop sign. A red warning, mingled with the green leaves. Pulls me up short every time. It’s the Virginia creeper. A slightly ominous sounding name, like an old folktale—beware the Virginia creeper, my son. The plant does have a bad reputation, because many people confuse it with poison ivy, which often grows in the same places. But Virginia creeper is harmless. Well, almost. The leaves are certainly harmless—they have five leaflets, not three, and aren’t related in any way to PI. Virginia creeper’s a...
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