My Woods

Yup, even though I don't own a foot of it, I'm beginning to think of the woods behind my house as "my" woods. If you had told me, a few months ago, that my big retirement project would be trying to document the flora, and fauna if I see any, in the woods behind my house, I would have told you that you were crazy. Now, I find that I can't wait to get back in there, at least once a week, to see what I can find.

Yesterday, I took 74 pictures. Oh, a lot of them were duplicates and just plain poor shots, but, even after I sorted them out, I still had a whole bunch of shots that I wanted to share with you all. So, I'm going to spread the telling of this tale into two parts. Today, I'll share with you the plants that I saw today, including a new mystery plant. Tomorrow, I'll tell you about my experiences back at the old homestead in the woods.

The choke cherries are in bloom. At least, that's what we have always called them. But, when researching them, I found out that these trees don't fit the description of a choke cherry at all. At one time, this land was partially planted in orchards. I think, now that these cherry trees are domestic cherries, gone wild. Whatever they are, they are pretty.



I took the new trail I had tried last week. I wanted to see how some of the plants had developed. Last week's mystery plant, still unidentified, had changed in shape. The flower stalks were now must more upright.



The trillium had flowered.



And, while last week, that had been the only trillium I had found, this week I found lots more plants growing. That made me so happy, because I had been worried that trilliums were disappearing from the woods. I remember drifts of them, when I was a kid. Turns out, I was just a little early.



I even found a red trillium



The Mayapples were further along, and the branched ones were showing tight flower buds, right in the middle of the plant.



More early saxifrage, further along in bloom. It's such a pretty, delicate flower.




Columbine, not ready to flower yet.



Sweet Woodruff. The plants I have in the garden are showing buds. This is a little further behind.



Ferns




And, the mystery plant for this week, which just fascinates me. It looks like the flower head is coming up completely separate from the leaf. I can't wait to get back there next weekend, and see how it has developed.



I wanted to see if I could identify some tree fungus, and I had pretty good luck.

Artist's Bracket



Lumpy Bracket



Smokey Bracket



Last for today, and not flora at all, I found this boulder. It's a glacial drop, probably, but, what fascinated me is that it's cracked. Can you imagine the force it would have taken to have cracked something that is as big as a large microwave oven?



Last week, the trail that I took lead me to a point above the homestead that is back there. I took that same trail yesterday, but, this time, I descended down the ridge to the house itself. But, more about that tomorrow.

Out of My Rear Window 4/18/10

The weatherman had predicted a cloudy morning, with spits of rain, but, look what we have! I hope to be able to get my walk in the woods in, after all.

Mystery Flower

Oh, I know it's a daffodil, or, probably more correctly, a jonquil. The mystery is how it got where it is, smack in the middle of my back yard (or mowed weed field, if you prefer.) I didn't plant it there, and it is not like any of the daffys that I have in my gardens. It wasn't there last year, so how did it get there?

Well, no matter. After its leave have browned, it is going to get dug up and planted in my garden, where every good daffy belongs.

Hungry Much?

Yesh! The colder weather that arrived today must have stimulated the appetites of the feeder creatures around here. I took these pictures in approximately two minutes time.

Redbellied Woodpecker



English Sparrows and Squirrels



Cardinal


Goldfinches and either a Purple Finch or a House Finch



Of course, I can't say too much, as I have had the munchies all day long, myself. Cadbury Mini Eggs and Granola Nut Clusters -- mmmmmmmm.

Just an Ordinary Day

Nothing much going on. Just a lazy day at home. Earlier this morning, Rachael and Leon were being disgustingly lovey dovey, not all that unusual.



The turkey ladies came up for a snack. I notice that they're not coming around in their huge winter flocks any more, but, rather, in ones or twos. I assume that some of the hens have gone broody, and are somewhere back in the woods sitting on eggs. I hope this cold snap that is coming doesn't ruin the eggs.




Rachael has abandoned Leon, and joined Gina on the porch for a snooze in the sun.



And, outside, the daffys are in full bloom and the peonies are growing like wildfire. I have GOT to get that butterfly bush trimmed, and the birdbath filled.



Since the weekend is supposed to be so miserable, I was thinking about taking my weekly walk in the woods today. But, I'm feeling kind of lazy, and might not get around to it. Oh well, we'll see.

Gina!

Gina is the sweetest, most gentle of cats. She's sitting on my lap right now, purring her quiet purr. But, sometimes, the essence of cat comes through. It could be a case of the cat crazies. She a master of running around the house, stopping suddenly, turning quickly, all the while yowling. And, then, there is this.



The evil stare. Should I be scared?

Off to a New Home

One nice thing about having friends who also garden is that you get to trade perennials. This year, I have some beautiful double orange day lilies that I can pass along.


They're all packed up, and ready to be delivered today and tomorrow.



So far, I've had two different plants gifted to me this year. This is a blue geranium that I am very anxious to see in bloom. I'm not quite sure that this is where it will stay, but it can settle in there this year, while I decide if there might be a better place for it next year.



And, another friend gave me some hostas that I had a perfect place for in my shade garden.



Being able to do more gardening was one of the things that I was really looking forward to when I retired. So far, I've managed to get quite a bit done. But, I have lots more to go. I have quite a few perennials on order, that will deliver at the end of April. And, I also have the "garden from hell" to clean out. No pictures of that, because I'm too ashamed of it. I got busy last year and couldn't do much gardening at all, and, unfortunately, this one garden really, really suffered for it. I'll show you after pictures.