Published on: Apr 15, 2021
The more typical spring weather came in quickly. The cold nights and cool days, especially with the rain are really good for the wildflowers. It slows the opening and gives us a longer season with these beautiful ephemerals. The snow trillium are opening in my garden and they are so lovely and petite, a pleasure to see. The Red and Yellow Trillium and the Grandiflora are budded and ready to bloom. The Wood Poppy and Virginia Bluebells are showing their colors and will be in full bloom soon. I have a tiny Rue Anemone blooming by my pond and am so pleased. Most of the Bloodroot is done because of the warm weather a week ago. Spring Beauties wait for the sunshine and bloom beautifully among the pantaloons of the Dutchmen's Breeches. The Wild Geranium and Meadow Rue and Violets are ready to make a big splash in the next weeks. The cold grey days are very special because of my favorite woodland tree--the Serviceberry (Amelanchier). Its white blooms float above the bare stalks of the other woodland trees, like puffs of smoke. With heat they will finish blooming and disappear into all the emerging leaves, but they are so enthralling when they bloom. This is my harbinger of spring. Enjoy this time of beauty and get ready for the late spring burst of bloom that introduces summer to Michigan.
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Published on: Apr 9, 2021
It seems like only a few weeks ago we were watching the ice slowly melt, leaving Jenga style crystal structures along the walkways. Then came the record high temps followed by freezes and at last some 5 days of near record warmth. The Spring Ephemerals have responded with alacrity. In my garden, the Hepatica are beginning to bloom and several Dutchmen's Breeches and Bloodroot have bloomed already. The Spring Beauties are showing buds and the Snow Trillium are budded and ready to bloom. Solomon's Seal is up and growing daily and my Blue Cohosh are already 6 inches tall. Twin Leaf and Shooting Stars are up and forming buds and the Mayapples have popped out of the ground en masse. Wood Poppy and Virginia Bluebells have erupted and are growing by leaps each day. Their combination of Blue and Yellow flowers will make everyone take notice. Amelanchier (Serviceberry) are budded and Black Cherry is leafing out right on the heels of the Maple Bloom. Blooms on the White Birch are ready to pop and Elm and Ash and Cottonwood can't be far behind. Buds are on all the Viburnum and Dogwood as well. Heat does provide a dose of Spring all at once instead of over several weeks. It is a great time to get out on the rail trail and in the city and county parks and preserves to see Nature burst forth. The birds that were quiet for most of the winter have burst into song. I have an Eastern Phoebe that thinks my bedroom deck should be his nesting place and is he ever noisy at dawn. Yesterday, I gave a presentation of my favorite Wildflowers for gardens by season to the Chemical City Garden Club. I will put the presentation on the links section of this website for you to view. Enjoy this wonderful season and look closely for the small gem-like flowers that represent it so well. Published on: Mar 2, 2021
Deep Winter Deep winter was late this year, not coming until February. The below freezing temperature makes everything look like crystal. When it snows, the snow is so dry that it sits on the icy remnants of old snow like a dusting of icing sugar. We had wonderful sun-filled days. They almost made you feel warm outside—but not quite. Sunshine The beautiful clear blue skies and bright white clouds are so noticeable when the trees are bare. The sun rises like a tangerine behind the trees and gives a golden glow to the sky early in the morning. The sky changes from pale butter yellow to salmon to lilac as the sun rises. The angle of the light highlights the tops of the trees first, bathing them in a golden glow. The intensity of the light is magnified by the bright white snow. My spirits lift with every step into this bright world. Spring is coming March 1 marked Meteorological Spring—when the temperatures change from winter to spring averages. The trees definitely know there is more sun. The snow is melting around their bases as the sap begins to flow. Buds are swelling a little more each day. The birds are singing morning songs as I walk. It has been so quiet in the mornings during winter, I forgot how lovely the multiple voices of many bird species singing at once can be. Published on: Feb 15, 2021
Snow Cycle Snow falls lazily from the overcast sky. Flakes drift lightly, occasionally twirling in a draft of air, landing lightly on all the surfaces that were clean earlier. This is the beautiful cycle of snow, hypnotically fascinating as it falls. No white outs or heavy blowing snow—just gentle wafting of flakes. The cold ensures that they do “stay on your nose and eyelashes”. Any brown or scuffed areas are covered, muffling the foot prints and road dirt and cleaning up the landscape. The cycle has been a day or two of gentle snow, then beautiful clear days, then more snow. This is the winter cycle that calms and energizes the soul alternately. Diamond Dust Crisp, cold days and slow snow have produced a covering like flakes of salt on the existing snowy landscape. Each crystal is so dry that it stands out from the others. When the sun rises and catches the crystals, it paves the landscape in diamond dust. Each crystal catches and reflects a prism of light and the sparkle travels with you as you walk, twinkling and flashing on the pure white base. Second Snow Some snows give you a double impact—once when the snow finishes and again when wind and sun move the accumulated flakes from their tree perches. I love the way the snow looks on the individual branches and needles of evergreens, but also love that it is ephemeral and I have to enjoy it while I can because it will fall and the branches will be bare again. Published on: Feb 9, 2021
Deep Freeze The air is so cold that the snow is like sugar sand and you can’t take a deep breath without a muffler to warm the air. When you look out across the fields, it looks like stiff meringue is spread over everything. It is such a bright white in the sunlight. Even the dusting of snow on the drive squeaks beneath my boots. Oh, Deer! The dog and I were the only footprints in the new snow this morning, until I got to the previously cleared sidewalk. Three deer had taken advantage of the shallower snow and walked down the sidewalk to cross the street. The play of light and shadow Even though the weather is very cold, it is closer to spring and there is more light than a month ago. The sun is still low on the horizon and making only a 100-degree arc during the day. It will be bright daylight and there are impossibly long shadows from the trees covering the drive and house. Even at midday, the shadows are long and they don’t switch from side to side. The sun is low enough to always be in your eyes at some point in a walk or drive. Squirrel love It must be spring, the squirrels are out chasing one another even in the coldest weather. There is a small hole high up in my big White Oak and there must be 6 squirrels iiving in it. It’s like watching clowns get out of a mini car when they decide to emerge. Cold Sunrise The sky is overcast but there is some blue sky showing in the east. As the sun rises, the clouds and sky paint an abstract collage of powder blue and gold behind the bare trees. The dull overcast turns pink and then silver. The day will be cold and crisp and again the sun will shine, beckoning us out to test the frosty air against the bright light. Published on: Feb 1, 2021
Icy Mornings The clouds cleared overnight and the sickle moon is still hanging in the southern sky. The absolute transparency of the sky is punctuated by the palest yellow of the rising sun in the east. To the south is a line of salmon color, starkly brilliant against the dark tree shapes. As far as you can see is snow, only a few inches, but crystal hard and white. To the north a faint sheen of the palest lilac shows that daylight is coming. Sun, Moon and Shadow Occasionally we have a bright sunny day when there is snow on the ground. I love marveling at the contrast of the trees and plants to the snow cover. The unusual bright light really accentuates the shadows cast with the sun so low on the horizon. They can be stark black on the snow and they show all the twists and curves of the branches like a very detailed pen and ink drawing. The full moon on a clear night offers a softer version of the shadows—still very distinct, but a grayer shade. The bright reflection of the moon makes it seem like daylight. Walking in the Cold Air When the weather is brisk but not frigid, the air is so clean and pure that a walk is required to enjoy it. The birds and animals are busy searching for nuts, seeds, and insects or just communing with each other. The stream behind the house has some flow and some ice, varying when the temperature dips and creating undulations in the ice formation—from clear to white. The deer have walked along the stream, leaving the incredible hoof prints that get larger as the snow compacts and melts. Squirrels chase each other barber-pole like around trees. Woodpeckers sound out new tree sites. Tracks cross and re-cross in the softer snow. Is that a rabbit track—or is that one a possum or raccoon? Has a cat visited the house and bird feeders? Cold days When the temperature dips below 20 Fahrenheit for a few days, everything changes. The stream freezes up, the ground freezes and the air dries out. When snow comes it is drier and doesn’t compact well for snowballs or snowmen. Flakes come in battalions and pile up on every surface. It is easy to push with a shovel or blow away. Where the snow is piled up, boots squeak like sneakers on a gym floor. The snow doesn’t compact into ice on the walks—just compresses into squeaky trails. Fields in the snow January produces cold days and inches of snow (usually). The snow on the farm fields coats them like fondant on a fancy cake. Trees and bushes are the decorations and the warm chocolate earth below waits patiently for warmer days. White nights I feel less light deprived in January and February as the sun progresses back up on the horizon. At night, the snow cover reflects light everywhere and it seems like evening all night. When it snows, the whole world is white and all reflecting light. Even though it is cold, it feels cozier. A great time for a hot chocolate or tea and just watching the snow. Birds I love hearing the woodpeckers trill to each other in the early morning. They are up early to hunt for insects and sound out likely trees. The smaller birds sing joyously as the sun rises. I watch the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers on the suet feeders and occasionally get a glimpse of the Red Bellied and Pileated as they bomb in for their share. The Titmice, Cardinals and Chickadees take turns drinking from the heated birdbath and police the eaves for insects. Sometimes the Mourning Doves congregate at the birdbath, treating it like a spa for cold birds. The noisy Blue Jays dive through checking out the suet and calling to one another. A group of Crows lands in the trees, discusses plans and then separates in all directions to check out food sources. They return to report and discuss and then all fly off in the same direction. The Fox We kept hearing that there was a fox in the neighborhood. He lives in the natural park across the street. Finally we look out in the morning and a beautiful male is running along the berm in the back—protected from the eyes of the large dogs across the stream. He has a mission and is gone quickly. We suspect he has a family, since there have been kits in the neighborhood in past years. Cold mornings Walking in the early morning snow, sharp pellets hit my face. The sun rises like a snowball, slowly piercing the white sky. The creek is newly white with a fine dusting of snow on the multipaned ice below. There will be no warm sun today. After the storm It snowed steadily but not heavily all morning. As the sky cleared, some color came back into the world. The many greys and browns of the trees were sharper, the contrast of birds and squirrels against the snow was stark, but they had no problem getting on with the day. Definition returned to the walks and driveways. A hint of blue appeared in the sky—but the sun was still a cold and distant white specter. Moon glow The moon is waning now but high in the clear sky in the morning. It has a pale, incandescent glow that is reflected in the light clouds of ice circling its visage. All the rest of the sky is blue-grey. Tree buds As we go into winter, the tree branches look shut down, just having lost their leaf glory. After a few weeks of cool-to-cold days and nights, a miracle occurs. Tiny buds appear on each branch and as the days lengthen, even in the coldest weather, they swell and grow to support the nascent leaves that will burst out in a few months. Even the oaks, the weather doubters, have swelling buds. Birch, Maple and Ash are near to bursting. The promise of spring is here. Published on: Jan 4, 2021
Ice fog When I was young in West Texas, the occasional ice fog occurred when just the right temperature and atmospheric conditions coincided. For us on the airport, it meant the ubiquitous and relentless wind ceased for a short time and airport activity ground to a halt as no one could land or take off. We would make popcorn and hot chocolate and sit around telling stories. The silence of no wind was eerie and wonderful. When we lived on the gulf coast of Texas, the winter fogs were less ice fogs than temperature inversions—but they lasted much longer and gave a magical look to the bayous and flats. You could imagine dragons and unicorns cavorting in the ever-shifting fingers of the fog. Here in Michigan, it takes a series of cold nights and warming days to create the conditions for the early morning ice fog. It softens the landscape and city outlines into a scene from a Victorian picture book. Traffic sounds are dampened and you can study the outlines of trees and shrubs and reimagine them leafed out in spring. It creates a sense of peace in an otherwise chaotic world. First Snow The first real snow of the season seems to come in more gently. Large, lazy drifting flakes dancing together in the light of houses and streets. The snow is coating, not clumping and resting on just the grass and beds—leaving the well-defined street and sidewalk and stone paths to contrast with the soft white. Leaves and plants can be seen below the covering and when you look up at the white sky, the dark branches of the trees are defined by the light touch of snow emphasizing their shape and number. The snow on the roofs is light—shingles still show-- but the effect is perfect winter. Daylight will come and the ephemeral snow will melt. The next wave may be similar or be the heavy, wet deluge that we all despair of moving. But there is only one 1st snow and it shows the magic of winter. Midwinter Sunrise It stays so dark as the days shorten to winter solstice that when there is light, you want to wander. The cold, crisp air and palest blue sky beckon. Pale yellow like fresh butter, the sun rises through the trees slowly, almost reluctantly. Its gentle beauty radiates through the dark trees and punctuates the pale sky. Snow crunch and rims of ice I love walking on the snow when there is just a light coating on the leaves and grass and the temperature has been in the 20’s. The crunch of the ice breaking through to the leaves and grass is so crisp and satisfying. The stream is still flowing but there is a rim of ice around the edge where the water meets the bank. It seems odd to me that when the temperature doesn’t get above 30, there is still evaporation—so the rim of ice is a few inches above the actual water line. Snow crystals in early morning It snowed last night, with light, fluffy dancing snowflakes feathering out on the ground. No compression into ice sludge, the dry snowflakes were still stacked at all angles and made the trace of snow look like a half inch. On flat surfaces, it stood out in individual flakes. Before dawn, with just the lights from the porch and garage, the individual flakes on the drive and walks caught light and shone like a pavement of diamond dust. Each snowflake at a different angle, catching the light and reflecting both the colors and the white light in a flash as I walked slowly past. Like tiny flashbulbs from every direction, it was the best light show I have seen. Sunset near winter solstice The day before the winter solstice, the sky cleared and there was a beautiful sunset. Not like the hot, vibrant sunsets of summer, but a pastel version as befits the lower angle of the sun. The pale yellow of the sun was complemented by the palest aqua swath of color. Then, surprisingly, a small stripe of hot pink, and another large swath of a pale lilac. The entire show lasted only a few minutes, but was breathtaking. Wet snow It rained off and on during the day and then turned cold enough to snow. These were no shrinking violet snowflakes. They were large and wet and made chains in the air as they met. Some of the strings were almost like silly putty they were so long. They danced in the light on the porch and just kept getting thicker. There was so much snow in the air that it was surprising how little actually accumulated on the ground. White Christmas This year we had the best white Christmas. The snowflakes were large and floated down lazily all day. Occasionally they would be caught in an air draft and would swirl and dance in the pale light of the winter day. They sifted down so gently that they looked like sand grains between grass blades. The covering on the walks and street was so light that it blew away in places and barely registered the foot prints of dogs and people enjoying the calm day. The cold, crisp day kept the snow fluffy and pretty on all the landscape. Snow day We had two days filled with snowflakes drifting down. There was no wind and light fluffy flakes danced down slowly and then more quickly. The 4 to 5 inches softened every angle and covered every imperfection. The hemlock, pine and spruce tree limbs were covered in snow and bending to the ground. The sun and wind will clear them off later, but they look the perfect winter trees like this. Each limb and branch of the oaks, birches, maples and elms is outlined in snow—always a slight angle to each branch that allows the still snow to cling and cover. The clear sight-line back to the edge of the property and the houses beyond is filled with white, crossing branches—making the house and yard a snow globe just for us. Walking in the pre-dawn stillness on the fresh snow is quiet and peaceful—the moon is out and everything shines like daylight—but softer, with no glare. Published on: Jul 30, 2020
Well, we went up to the rail trail in Sanford today--just past the bridge on M30--lots of the usual flowers. Bouncing Bet, Flowering Spurge, Bee Balm, Black-eyed Susan, Evening Primrose, Wild Parsnip and Queen Annes Lace were prolific. Along the sides of the trail, still unmowed since the flood, were the homes that washed away in the dam break. The sides of the trail are very steep there, behind the Dollar Store and before the bridge. Whole houses, parts of houses, even the walk-in ice chests from filling stations were piled in with the huge logs of downed trees. Paths were plowed in the foliage on the sides of the trail and tables, fences, decks were piled on top of them. Debris was still in the trees at way above head height on the rail trail. Very sad. I won't be going to the area behind downtown Sanford any time soon. I have been wandering through the Cook School Park with the dog on a daily basis. I have come to appreciate the diversity of plants in lawns that don't get irrigated and artificially mono-cultured. English and Common Plantain, Heal-all, Black Medic, White and Red Clover, White Sweet Clover, Creeping Charlie, Crabgrass and many other plants make themselves at home and grow well. They keep the area green even in the heat that would kill lawn grass and are cool underfoot. They don't need much mowing as the water shortage keeps them short. In the shade of the trees across from the park, the wild area is home to many native grasses that get to about 2 ft and then bloom. The deer have been nesting in these at night. There are occasional bursts of color with the now deep purple curly dock and the occasional Oxeye Daisy or Black-eyed Susan. The birds and small animals seem perfectly content with the mix. Maybe that should be a metaphor for all of us. Perhaps we can learn from the plants that grow without out help and that feed and shelter our wild friends Stay safe and look to nature for beauty every day. Published on: Jun 30, 2020
We went for a drive on Sunday and couldn't believe how many Oxeye Daisies, Yarrow, Fleabane and clover flowers we saw. There was also a lot of yellow Hawkweed and St John's Wort as well. The Liatris and Lupine give a blue note to some areas. Lots of Crown Vetch and other colorful clovers are everywhere. All the grasses are blooming--so the sneezing can begin again. I have been admiring the Elderberry blooming everywhere. The last of the Grey and Silky Dogwoods are blooming. I walked through the old Cook schoolyard and saw the new Catalpa trees blooming--what gorgeous clusters of orchid-like flowers. You never see them on the old trees--because they are so high in the trees, and it just looks like a cluster of white flowers. Lots of Buckthorn berries ripening. Seems the flooding was good for some things. I found that the invasive Honeysuckle and Japanese Butterbur in my backyard were killed by the flood--amazing. It sounds like you can drive to Pine Haven again--there should be great flowering there. I have not tried from Meridian to 7 mile because of the road closures. If you are biking, please let us know what is blooming. Published on: Jun 24, 2020
I have enjoyed the Spiderwort (Tradescantia) in many colors in my yard. It looks really nice with the many Canada Anemone and the Sundrops (Evening Primrose). The Coral Bells are waving nice stems of bells and the Wild Geranium is still blooming in spots. My Liatris (Blazing Star) are up and ready to bloom and the Foxglove Penstemon are blooming to the delight of the bees. Some Wild Phlox are still blooming and the Golden Alexander is starting it's sprint to bloom. Goat's Beard has bloomed and the deer appear to have eaten it. The lacy foliage and pale pink of the wild Bleeding Heart is lovely. My Gold Seal is already making it's star shaped seed. Trillium are going dormant. I lost all my Cardinal Flower to the flood, but it should be beautiful where it was up out of the muck. Look for Lobelia and Wild Lupine to be blooming now as well. The various Sedges I got at Chippewa Nature Center and Ostrich Fern are going strong and some of the Virginia Waterleaf is blooming. Michigan Lilies have buds (those that escaped the marauding deer). My Mayapples are prostrate now, too much shade and they too are going dormant. Lots of Lady Fern, Wood Fern, Royal Fern, and Maidenhair Fern are proudly waving their fronds. In the out-lawns, you can see lots of White Clover, Heal-all, Creeping Charlie, Violets and other interesting weeds. Some of the school property has so much white clover that it is cloud like --very fluffy and pretty. The White Avens, Wild Lettuce, Oxalis, Black Medic and Red Clovers are also beginning to bloom. I have come to admire the diversity in these unirrigated grassy/weedy areas. Soon the Coneflowers and Sunflowers will be blooming. Keep your eyes on the meadows and roadsides. |