Why does it all bloom at once?

They say rain showers for the rest of the week and that mean the beautiful blossoms will fall.

Just a few days away can do wonders!

As we were nearing the end of the house move and closing I got this need to get-away.
At the last minute we decided to have Thanksgiving in Key West. I'd never been there and it was perfect. Yes, there was Turkey but we didn't have to cook it and it had a Cuban flair.
We stayed at Duval House. It was wonderful! Quiet, yet right in the middle of everything. We couldn't have asked for more on a spur of the moment vacation.

Early Morning by the river.

The sun sparkled
the sky was clear and blue
the air was cool and crisp.

The beaver's dam is holding strong.
Ready for the ice and snow in the coming months.

Mist was rising off the water as the sun hit it.
Blue Jays
squirrels
woodpeckers
scold from above.
The river gurgles as it passed by with seamless ease.

Favorite little path.

This is where I enjoy a quick morning walk.
Our neighbor mows this path through his woods.

It's not too long and there are several paths to mix it up.
The birds flit about and chirp a morning welcome.

Neighbors walk their dogs here
and deer and turkeys have also visited.

I enjoy walking but really only when my feet are falling on soft earth.
I dislike paved roads, sidewalks and concrete malls.
I'll take the woods with it's bug any-day.

Out and about in NH

Tamarack with cones

Garden Whimsy

Ford panel van.

Ruby Tuesday : Black Locust Tree pods

Check out all the other reds on Mary's blog.

On our walk this morning I noticed the Black Locust had beautiful red pods .
An event I've never noticed before.
The pods are said to be toxic.
They hang on through the summer & winter months and then pop open come spring.

Weekend get-away, aka: fix-r-upper

This is where I'll be most of the weekend.
Sanding and mudding walls and ceilings and striping trim.
The guys will be wiring and insulating the attic.
Next up demo of the teeny bathroom.
Please notice the unmowed ajuga in foreground of photo. My husband thinks it's cool to have a purple lawn, so for about a month we will.
HAPPY WEEKEND!

Not a cloud in the sky...

and I think I'm feeling alright!

check out all the sky watchers

Bog Trot

STAY ON THE BOARD WALK

Pond to bog in 10,000 years.

Depth of bog 20 feet.

Bog Rosemary in the foreground, Red pitcher plants in the middle of photo, those dead looking trees are actually tamarack trees that drop their soft needles in the fall and the black spruce in the back are perhaps 60 years old.

I should have remembered my boots.
Some boards are a little under the water.
I'll have to visit the quaking bog another time.

Sugar N Time

The college on main street has this huge green with all these huge sugar maples lining the road.

They've been tapped.

Today was a good day for the sap to run.
Cold at night (frost on the windshield) and warmer during the day (30-40 degrees).

Drip, Drip, Drip in the bucket.
Sweet maple water ready to be boiled down into syrup.

Activity in the woods

The work of a Pileated Woodpecker in the hemlock.

Some creature has wondered through.

Skywatch Friday Post

Early morning sky with clouds racing across it.
Follow the link below to see what other folks have been observing.

Pine bough spray.

"Each moment of the year has its own beauty."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Small Cone waits for Spring.

small cone, originally uploaded by addvt2nh.

"Each moment of the year has its own beauty."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thankful !

Things I am thankful for:

• Time to blog & meet new folks
  
• House & home toasty warm.
  
• Amazing kids
  
• Nature
• Knowing I have a great job
• Freedom
• Upbringing on a working farm
  
• Laughter & smiles & song

Mother Nature leaves her heart in plain sight.

Do you see it there on the dark side of the tree?

In Every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.
~John Muir

ICE, ICE Baby!!!!

We are recovering from Friday's Ice Storm. The ice is terribly beautiful and mighty destructive. These ice covered trees and more farther up the hill hang over our 450 foot driveway. Luckily none of the white pines fell into the driveway, just in the woods. We have been without power since Saturday at 3am. We have a coal stove that heats the house and a brook to gather water for flushing. All the stores are currently sold out of batteries, candles and lamp oil.

White Oak Leaves come tumbling down.

White Oak leaf on Moss, originally uploaded by addvt2nh.

With a little rain and wind all the oak leaves are finally on the ground. I have raked twice already and now the lawn is no longer green but brown with a super thick covering of leaves. I hope to get lucky enough to have a great big wind gust come up and move them for me. Wishful thinking! I really do love to rake.

Top of the Acorn

Top of the Acorn, originally uploaded by addvt2nh.

Moss

Moss covered Oak Trunk, originally uploaded by addvt2nh.

Feather Moss up close, originally uploaded by addvt2nh.

Mosses have no roots, but instead have a rhizome. They do not need a substrate to grow, but absorb water and nutrients from the atmosphere. The rhizome tends to be fuzzy, this helps the moss absorb water and nutrients.

Moss relies on living in dense, compact mats to obtain enough water and nutrients. Within the moss mat, particles from the environment mix with water and create soil.

Moss is adapted to drought conditions. During the summer, its metabolism can slow down to almost zero.

Moss does not only grow on the North side of a tree. Moss will grow wherever there is an adequate amount of moisture and sunlight.

This information found at http://canopy.evergreen.edu/