Tufty things
Thanks to friends, I learned that this is a kind of clematis, also known as Virgin’s Bower, Devil’s Hair, or Traveler’s Joy. An odd mix of names!
without the leaves...
On many linden tree branches, all that remains are the bracts and the berries.
heart-shaped leaves
I'm guessing this tree is not a native tree, but one of the many trees introduced back in Colonel Wadsworth's time. Any guesses? This specimen is right down near the water of Laurel brook, visibl...
picnic table with sycamores
Before you sweep them off the table, take a whiff. I often find a hint of pleasantly spicy mustiness on the fuzzy underside of sycamore leaves.
I finally saw the burrs first...
Usually, I don't see these beggar-tick plants; I only see their clever seeds all over my clothes.
silverberry (autumn olive)
This non-native species, which tends to crowd other species out wherever it gets a foothold, produces edible fruit that is sour but packed with nutrients. Notice tiny silver dots on the berries, an...
red maple crown
Unlike sugar maple, red maple passes from green to red without much yellow or orange in between…
Turkey tail, true or false?
What I should have examined is whether I could actually see the tiny pores that characterize turkey tail. If not, this is probably stereum ostrea, false turkey tail.