Rain is still in short supply here, though this morning I am surrounded by thick fog and mist. I’m starting to see some more signs of greenery around the cabin. Even on the forest floor, many of the seedlings are now developing their second set of leaves. That pretty much leaves them still unidentifiable, though given where the tiny plants are located, I’m thinking that many of them are likely mayapples.I have reached something of a milestone at the cabin. The pine siskins are still around, which makes this the first time I’ve seen them here in April. In fact, this is the first year they’ve been regular feeder visitors throughout a winter. I’ve had them show up before here and there, for a day or so at a time. However, this winter they moved in during January and have appeared every day since then.
My photo today shows moss on one of the boulders in my front forest. The moss has gotten quite green over the last week and seems to be growing nicely.
This year I, like many people, am planning to grow more vegetables than I usually attempt. Here in the woods, I don’t get much sunlight, so my attempts at growing things are not always successful. Last year my neighbor, who gets a little more sun than I do, had nice success with her tomatoes and that has spurred me to attempt some, too.
I will grow the veggies on my back deck, where I should avoid deer and rabbit issues, though will still likely have to deal with the raccoons and opossums. At this point the little plantlings are safe and under a plastic dome on my kitchen table. They will remain there for several weeks yet but I will keep you apprised of my progress (or lack thereof) as time goes by.
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8 comments:
Good luck on the gardening.
Here in MN I haven't seen many Pine Siskins lately, but We still have lots of Redpolls. I wonder how long they'll stay. I sure wil miss them when they're gone.
Lynne: I'll miss the siskins when they go, too. I've never had them stay so long, and I've really enjoyed them. Plus, I know it may be years (and years) before they return again here.
Carolyn H.
Hi Carolyn,
The moss looks healthy and velvety against the rock. It continues to snow here in CO, so I look forward to your forest greening!
We had a night of spectacular lightning and thunder, though not so much rain. More rain than we've seen lately, however. The river is up a couple of inches this morning, discolored a bit, and may continue rising, depending on what happened upstream.
Everything may really green up a lot more, now, and a lot of wildflowers should start to pop.
I like the rock-and-moss photo. Not many big rocks around here, except in the river, and the occasional glacial erratic in fields.
If those seedlings were Mayapple, there'd be no doubt. They push up from the ground like furled umbrellas, their leaves folded tight to the stalk. They look like no other plants.
Here in upstate NY we also had hordes of siskins this winter, a bird I'd not seen in over 40 years of feeding birds. All the bird blogs have reported on this irruption (that's a new word for me, as well as a new bird!). Since they pretty much pushed out our goldfinches, i won't be very sorry to see them go north.
Nice image. Do you suppose that moss spells out any messages?
Hi Carolyn, greetings from the Isle of Wight, UK. I just discovered your blog and love it. I read the last week's worth - will be back to read further. Your abode reminds me of my former home in the hills north of Adelaide.
Griz: No thunder here, but a decent rainwstorm.
Woodswalker: I know the stalks of mayapple, but what do they look like before they get that size? These tiny plants are just two opposite leaves, each about the size of a pencil eraser. Tiny little things that look like every other little seedling in the forest.
Pablo: no moss messages here that I can see.
Ramblin' Rob: Thanks for stopping by. Hmm, from Adelaide to the Isle of Wight--there must be a story there.
Carolyn H.
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