Monday, April 29, 2013

Weeds and Bugs and other stuff

Images I took today around the yard and beyond.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
Thats all.
 
Later

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

From the wilderness that is the yard

I attached my camera to a tripod and walked around the yard a little while ago and took these shots.
In all things there is beauty and there is perfection. There is also beauty and imperfection.


                                          Bumblebee on a henbit plant (weed?)





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                     Dandy Lion
 
 
 
Dragon (lizard)
 
 
Dragon
 
 

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaulelam)
 
 
Henbit
 
 
Violet
 
 
 
Yellow Flower
 
Smaller Yellow Flower
                                               
That's all for now. Later

Monday, April 8, 2013

On a Monday, Dandelions and Buttercups

Here are a few photos I took today.

                                                                        Buttercups


                                                                        Buttercups


                                                                      Buttercups



Dandelion Bloom
 
 
 
                                                                Dandelion Bloom

That's all

Later




Sunday, April 7, 2013

Early Spring WildFlowers

 
These are a few of the photos I took today and a few I have taken earlier this spring. The wildflowers here seem to be a little slower blooming than last year. They bloomed very early last year and this year is probably nearer normal.

 
 
 
                                              Jack in the Pulpit
 
 
 
 
 
Twisted Trillium
 
 
 
 Another Trillium
 
 
 
 White Toothwort    
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                        Trillium and a few Rue Anemone beside a stream


            
                                            

                                          White Phlox



Shooting Star
The shooting star and the white Phlox were taken on Rufner Mountain in Birmingham, Al.
I haven't seen either here. Yet.
 
 
 
 
                                          Trout Lily 
                     

                                          Blue Hepatica



                                         
                                          White Hepatica

I'll add more spring wildflower photos as I find them. I checked some Showy Orchis today and they are up but not yet blooming.

                           Later          
                                                        












Sunday, July 29, 2012

Mushrooms


I've changed my blog a little to better reflect what I basically use it for, that is, to post photos of what I discover as I wander around aimlessly in the wilderness behind the house. Right now there are mushrooms all over the woods here and that's what I have been photographing mostly. So here are what I’ve taken today and the last few days. If I identify a mushroom, it was done by comparing pictures and reading about them online. Most of my identifications are at best tentative and may be wrong. I love photographing fungi, but I do not eat wild mushrooms. Precise identification is nice, but my life does not depend on it.


I took this shot yesterday. The next one is the same mushroom today, less than twenty-fours later.


                                                             Mushrooms change quickly.

                                     






                                        



Blue mushroom



    
                                        From the bottom side. I found a few of these today.


                                           This is an Amanita Jacksonii that has just emerged. It will become larger and the cap will flatten and change colors some. See the next photo.

This is not the same mushroom,but the same type.

     Again, not the same mushroom, but the same type after the top has grown and become flat.









Thursday, March 29, 2012

Spring 2012

     Today is Thursday March, 29 2012 and it is spring time in north Alabama. Spring arrived early     this year and has hung around with not much cool weather to push it back. I have taken a lot of wildflower photos, most of which have bloomed earlier than normal. Here are a few of the photos.
I'm not an expert on wildflowers at all, but do try to identify the ones I find.



     This is an Hepatica plant, sometimes called liverleaf or liverwort. It is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers. I took this photo on the 5th of March. The blooms are always beautiful and are in stark contrast to the dead leaves and barren woods around.


     Daffodils aren't really wildflowers but these ae growing wild in the woods near the house. They are also very early to bloom.


     Trout Lily. This is one of my favorite wildflowers. I know of just one place within walking distance from the house where they are located, but there is a huge colony of them. Last year I transplanted a few of these closer to home, but still in the wilderness. They came up this spring but aren't old enough to bloom yet. These have one leaf when they are young. It seems to emerge straight from the ground. Later they have two leaves and only then do they bloom. They are pollinated by ants.


                                        Another Trout Lily.

                                          and another one.

                                    Trilliums growing in a concave part of a huge rock.


                                         Rue Anemone. The flowers are similiar to Hepatica, but there are differences. The Hepatica has fuzzy stems, the anthers of the bloom are white compared to yellow for the Rue Anemone above.



                   This is a wild hyacinth. Its leaves are grass-like. The blooms are similiar to foamflower.


                                  This is a foamflower. The differences in the leaves can be seen.


                                  Bluets. My yard is full of these.


                                       Bellwort

            A small ginseng plant. I took this photo 24 March. The earliest I have ever seen them before was about the middle of April. Looking at when the wildflowers have bloomed, I'd say we are about three weeks ahead of normal spring-wise.


                                                 Violet


                                        Wood Vetch bloom.

                                       Wood Sorrel.


                                            Wild Geranium.


                                               Blue Eyed Grass.

               That's all for now.  Later