The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I had the privilege to take a look around a small bit of private property in Western Indiana. Temperature was pleasant, with a light jacket very comfortable. Getting to the property we drove through fog, about as thick as you want to attempt driving through, making for a bit slower drive; but excellent for conversation.
Within an hour, the fog had cleared away, leaving just a pleasant haze in the woods.
Most leaves are now off the trees here, with the exception of a few hardwoods that stubbornly hang to their leaves till the new buds begin forming in the spring.
There were numerous Beech trees on the property; those being of the variety that do not drop their leaves in the fall. The large mature Beech trees, with their smooth bark, seem to draw people to them to carve in their initials. First pic is one taken this day....the second pic is of a tree elsewhere covered with carving.
....as I said, from a different outing...but an example of what is not uncommon to find on mature Beech trees. Do you suppose that Dean and Jackie are still together after all these years? It would be interesting to know.
Looking down a steep ravine. Notice the green patch of ferns. Those very hardy plants will stay green even with snow cover.
Typical ...what I call Shelf Mushroom..not sure of correct name. I have been told these are edible, but not very flavorful. I have never tried those so cannot verify that.
Here is a Blackberry leaf, in late season color. I find the leaves at this stage, after a freeze, and the chrlophyl is gone, make a very nice tea. I gather these, dry, crush, store in a tin tea can and use them all winter. On another outing yesterday, I was able to gather a nice supply of these.
And just a final bit of color...I believe this is a small Chokecherry sapling that still has leaves remaining.
Hope things are well with all who stop by...please stop again...and as always, I welcome any commentary or corrections to any misinformation I may have passed along.
Within an hour, the fog had cleared away, leaving just a pleasant haze in the woods.
Most leaves are now off the trees here, with the exception of a few hardwoods that stubbornly hang to their leaves till the new buds begin forming in the spring.
There were numerous Beech trees on the property; those being of the variety that do not drop their leaves in the fall. The large mature Beech trees, with their smooth bark, seem to draw people to them to carve in their initials. First pic is one taken this day....the second pic is of a tree elsewhere covered with carving.
Looking down a steep ravine. Notice the green patch of ferns. Those very hardy plants will stay green even with snow cover.
Typical ...what I call Shelf Mushroom..not sure of correct name. I have been told these are edible, but not very flavorful. I have never tried those so cannot verify that.
Here is a Blackberry leaf, in late season color. I find the leaves at this stage, after a freeze, and the chrlophyl is gone, make a very nice tea. I gather these, dry, crush, store in a tin tea can and use them all winter. On another outing yesterday, I was able to gather a nice supply of these.
And just a final bit of color...I believe this is a small Chokecherry sapling that still has leaves remaining.
Hope things are well with all who stop by...please stop again...and as always, I welcome any commentary or corrections to any misinformation I may have passed along.
As always, with the quality of the pictures and the narrative, you make the land we causally meander through come *alive*. Thanks for opening eyes to not merely look, but to really see. 'u'
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