Finding Red in the Woods

Red Nail

Red Nail © 2008

Not the kind of red I was anticipating on my hike in the woods. Red sumac? Looking. Red maple leaves? Still looking.

No. I found red nails from the decomposing wood frame of an old farm wagon.

Red Barrel

Red Barrel © 2008

And a red barrel sitting where it ought not be sitting,

Red Screws

Red Screws © 2008

and red screws, more of the wagon frame.

It’s cool outside, my furnace has switched on the last two nights and I’m wearing sweaters in the house, but outside the leaves are still showing mostly green and my grass is in desperate need of a last cut for the year.

It’s the Berries

Red Dogwood Berries

Red Osier (Red Twigged Dogwood) Berries © 2008

A walk in the prairies show grasses are browning, flowers are setting seed, and this red osier shrub (red twigged dogwood) is ladened with bunches of heavy white berries. By the way, the berries do not turn red.

The dogwood’s name has nothing to do with dogs. The word is derived from an Old English wood dagge (dagger) and refers to the hardness of the wood. A European species was once used to make butchers’ skewers.

Fungi on the Forest Floor

Fungi on the Forest Floor

Fungi on the Forest Floor © 2008

These fungi are cool, but I tell you. I am terrible when it comes to trying to identify these things, and fungi are not things you want to mis-identify, so I won’t even try.

I do remember copying this information awhile ago – information about fungi in general that I found fascinating. This is what I saved from one who is more expert than I am:

“Recent DNA analysis indicates that fungi are closer related to animals than to plants. Fungi are so peculiar that they are regarded as neither plant nor animal, but rather their own thing. The divergence of animals and fungi has been estimated as taking place some 965 millions of years ago.”

If you’d like a general introduction to the world of fungi you can visit the fungus pages at www.backyardnature.net/2fungi.htm

Summer is Browning

Browning Leaves

Browning Leaves © 2008

Out and about this Labor Day weekend, always seems like this is the last weekend of summer, though the calendar insists otherwise. But studying the prairie signs on this morning’s hike, everything looks very fall-ish. Seeds are turning dark and scattering, the asters are beginning to show purple, berries are ripening, and the leaves are turning a soft shade of brown.

Autumn Memories

With 10 inches of snow on the ground, I chose to fore-go white today and instead added a little autumn color one last time.

After all, it is still fall for another 2 weeks. I want to know, though. When winter officially begins, is that when the REAL winter pulls out all her punches?