Columbine

Columbine, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. With my macro and my new 90-degree
viewer.

Fringed Polygala

Fringed Polygala, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Also known as "gaywings."
These are not common wildflowers in most places I have been, but were
fairly abundant at the Pinery in Ontario this weekend.

3 irises

These are not great photos, unfortunately, but interesting. Notice anything strange about them? LOL! (Not Photoshopped, as found in "nature" if you call a garden nature.)

Phenology: Bloodroot

This is the first day bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) has opened up
on the Black River near Sarnia, Michigan. I can tell that because
there is a sepal visible in the picture, and the sepals are deciduous
and fall off after the first day.

Budburst, first report (Phenology)

I made my first budburst report of the season--common dandelion.
First one opened yesterday, second today. We'd seen them elsewhere,
but not within a half mile of our registered site.

Phenology: Shadbush!

"The earliest flowering native shrub" is in flower now as of 4/23/08.
Baldduck Park, Detroit.

Phenology: Dutchman's breeches

Phenology: Dutchman's breeches, 4/23/08

And this within a half mile of my house, so I *could* report it to
Budburst if I ever have time.

Phenology: toothort's first day at Belle Isle, Detroit, Monday April 21, 2008

Phenology: Periwinkle

Periwinkle is in full flower at Belle Isle, In Detroit Michigan, along
Nashua Creek.

Phenology, Spicebush

Spicebush is fully open on Belle Isle, Detroit. YAY!

Fractal Friday: Fern

I made this "fern" with a free fractal program I found on Andree's page. I was astounded at how much it looked like a fern! Fractals are certainly a part of nature!

Singing wood frog

Along with a chorus of chorus frog and spring peepers, the wood frogs
were also singing--quite the din!

Spring Peeper Underwater

The spring peepers are out and peeping! YAY! This one is completely
underwater, and therefor, at this point, not peeping!

Mallard in early spring

Mallard in early spring, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Straight shot with
300 zoom lens. No effects. Nashua Creek, Belle Isle, Detroit, MI.

Spicebush

YAY! Spicebush is opening in the woods at Belle Isle! Spring is
springing! Wahoo!

Phenology: spicebush 1st budburst 4-5-08 Belle Isle, Detroit
Michigan. Along Nashua Creek.

Anyone recognize this?

Haven't figured it out yet.

Local Earth Hour Report

At our home in Detroit, Michigan, at 7:45 PM last night, there was a mad scramble to get the computers down and the lights off and locate candles, oil lamps and matches.  I was afraid we wouldn't make it, but we did!  YAY!  We could see three other houses from  our front windows that were dark, so we decided to walk around the block and count dark and light houses.  On our immediate block, there were 111 electrically lit houses and only 17 that were dark, and some of those were abandoned (empty, for sale) and I am sure on a Saturday night, some people were just out partying.  There was a row of six houses all dark on the next block over, but we had agreed only to count our block.  BB thinks maybe 5% of the people complied.  He thinks most people didn't even know about it.  I was really disappointed.

PB complained bitterly the whole time and kept wanting to turn the light on and if I used the indiglo on my watch to let him know how long he had to wait, he called me a hypocrite.  He refused to do anything but sit there and complain for a full hour.  BB told PB we were "doing it for Mama."  Not for the earth or the environment, but for me.  In other words, they wouldn't have bothered if I hadn't insisted.  Very sad.  I am sad, hope your report is better.

EARTH HOUR TONIGHT!

REMEMBER!  Turn off your lights tonight from 8-9, and all unessential power users.  Computer.  TV.  Help save the earth and raise awareness.

Read what BerryBird has to say here and here.  Visit the official site!  AND TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS!  8-9 PM.

Project Budburst

I have just joined Project Budbust, A National Phenology Field Campaign for Citizen Scientists after reading about it over at Lake Loop. I've been keeping phenological data for over 40 years, so was thrilled to see this. I have only signed up for the dandelion and the lilac so far, but intend to sign up for more locations and more flowers, hopefully. Phenology is the study of when natural events occur such as flowering and fruiting times, egg laying, births, hibernation etc. Project Budbust concentrates on easily identifiable plants.

T is for Tree

T is for Tree, by Mary Stebbins Taitt for ABC Wednesdays

Click image to view larger.

Click here to see T is for Toe (another kind of nature!)