On the Path -- February 28th, 2012

I've decided to take my point & shoot on my walks on the path every time now, even if I don't see anything to shoot. It's so small, I don't feel the weight of it at all.

Today was interesting in that I didn't shoot anything until the last 200 yards on the way back. Some grass caught my eye and then one thing led to another, as I find it often does in nature. Nothing exciting but I enjoy the ordinary too.

This shot is from yesterday. There was almost no snow left today.

This was the grass that caught my eye. It was all lumpy & bumpy for about 50 yards. It loses a lot of the effect in an image when you can only capture a small part of it. It's Tussock Sedge... Thanks John.

Fallen Asters... Thanks John.

My "Mini-Pearl" plant. There's a lot more of it than I was able to find when all the growth was surrounding it all. These are Asters too. Thanks for the ID John. I've wondered for a long time what these were. I never would've guessed Asters.

Tar Spot as it looks this time of year.

Black Locusts across the street. 1000s of seed pods are still on the trees but 1000s are on the ground too.

I looked up Black Locust on the Web, which led to some interesting stuff.

 

Black Locust...   A less frequently used common name is False Acacia… the bark and leaves are toxic. Flavonoids in the heartwood allow the wood to last over 100 years in soil. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_locust

Black Locust is a major honey plant in eastern USA, and, having been taken and planted in France, is the source of the renowned Acacia Monofloral Honey from France.

With its specific delicate aroma, flavor and very slow crystallizing, Acacia Honey is one of the most preferred. Acacia Honey is recommended for insomnia, gastro - intestinal, biliary problems and in all cases where you want to eat honey.  http://www.troyamed.bg/en/acacia_honey.html

More about the honey...  http://www.honeytraveler.com/single-flower-honey/black-locust-acacia-honey/

I have to find some of that honey to try it! ...Then I found a couple interesting comments from people that knew of Black Locust first hand.

“I am a wood flooring contractor and have installed a couple Black Locust floors. Not only is it tough (second only to Osage Orange as the toughest native wood) and resistant to moisture (much better than White Oak) and rot (way better than Cedar), it is gorgeous! If you haven't seen it, picture the grain of Oak and color it with gold and add a glow that shifts in the light. 

 http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Black_locust_uses.html

"Black Locust can last well in excess of 70 years in the ground without painting or chemical treatment. It looks great, in part due to its fluorescent grain.

I was wandering in the back room of a wood supplier and found a piece that glowed with a golden magic I've only seen in lightly flamed bamboo. The small grains are light and the meat is a brassy golden color. It was Black Locust. I bought enough to do an experiment. Wow - you should see it in the sunlight."

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Black_locust_uses.html 

I find ice patterns intriguing... the shapes & delicate edges. When I put this one up on the screen I saw an alligator, a person, Woody Woodpecker and a bird's head... none of which I noticed when I took the picture... kinda like "Find Waldo".

 

And in this one I saw a Jurassic (Triassic?) dinosaur chasing some other creature and a Scotty dog. I didn't notice these when I took the picture either.

Each stone or pine needle that can catch the sun, warms enough to melt its own little "nest".

I think this bud is on an escapee from a neighbor's garden that is at the start of the path. Sure looks strong & healthy. It's a Horse Chestnut... Thanks John.

If you follow my blog you know I like fungi... these are just across the street where I start my walk.

Turkey Tail... Thanks John.

 Spring is in the air...

- fini -