Archive for the ‘Interesting’ Category
Trapeze artist
Posted in Fauna, Interesting on August 27, 2015 | Leave a Comment »
Frost Fish Creek Trail in Chatham
Posted in Fauna, Flora, Guest blogger, Interesting, Invasive, Rants & Raves on December 31, 2014 | 1 Comment »
On the day after Christmas we decided to explore a new trail, this time in Chatham. Our plan was to drive to the trail, hike it for an hour or so, and then grab lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in town. I had Googled “hiking trails in Chatham” and picked the “Frost Fish […]
Fall Walks on Cape Cod: Pilgrim Heights in Truro
Posted in Fauna, Flora, Guest blogger, Interesting on November 29, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
On the day after Thanksgiving we treated ourselves to some travel to the Outer Cape. It was an interesting way to see how radically the weather differs from one end of Cape Cod to the other in the space of an hour or two, as Truro had thick snow and icy roads while Yarmouth and […]
Impressions
Posted in Guest blogger, Interesting on September 22, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
I wanted to write a little about our Cape Cod summer and document yet another season gone by. I did not know in May how cool this summer would be; in many ways I did not mind being spared from oppressively hot days. It was so cool that we barely used fans, forget air conditioning […]
Refueling station
Posted in Fauna, Interesting on August 27, 2014 | 1 Comment »
A female rubythroated hummingbird is enjoying the nectar from a pink variety Monarda didyma (scarlet beebalm). Several hummingbirds, mostly females, have been visiting the beebalm colony. They are very territorial and don’t like to share their food source. I’ve seen several skirmishes and chases this summer – they seem to occur almost daily. I have […]
Hanging with the harvestman
Posted in Fauna, Interesting on August 26, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Although an order of the Arachnids, harvestmen (or Opiliones) are NOT spiders. harvestmen are scavengers. Spiders are predators harvestmen have no venom. Spiders do harvestmen don’t build webs. Many spiders do harvestmen have one pair of eyes (although a few species have none). Spiders have 3 or 4 pairs. (Better to hunt with) harvestmen have […]
Summer memories
Posted in Flora, Interesting on August 26, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Hate to say it, but the summer is fleeting by quickly. Wetter than usual, and shorter than usual – that’s how I’ll remember it. It is not too soon to capture and post the moment. Before too long we’ll be reminiscing by the fire after shoveling out the driveway… Tall coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata), swamp milkweed […]
Wool Sower Gall
Posted in Fauna, Flora, Interesting on July 1, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
This particular gall – the wool sower gall, is produced by a tiny wasp called Callirhytis seminator. There are many different types of galls but essentially they are all growths on various parts of plants, such as leaves, twigs, stems, roots, etc. They can be caused by flies, mites, moths, and gall wasps, but sometimes […]
Swing on by!
Posted in Interesting, Rants & Raves on June 26, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
We’re part of our very first garden tour organized by the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History! I did a short presentation on our woodland garden a few weeks ago and now we are one of 6 gardens on the trip. Call 508 896 3867 ext. 733. The date is tomorrow, June 27. The starting […]
Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit)
Posted in Flora, Interesting, Plant bio on June 3, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
“triphyllum” is the defining feature of this member of the Arum family, as all you initially see is the tripartite leaves, of which there are only two. Last year one plant emerged with just a single leaf and I did not bother trying to identify what I was dealing with. Now I have three plants […]