Tulip poplar.  Liriodendron tulipifera.  Deciduous, conical shaped, great shade trees, can reach 100 feet.

Some people see them as weeds because they grow so fast!!  Not me, I love them!!  

 

So do honey bees.  They bloom in late spring, about the same time as blackberries.  Bees collect nectar from both and turn it into wildflower honey.  

 

Tiger Swallowtail butterflies use them as hosts.  They overwinter in the pupa stage, and hatch out in early spring. They are one of the first butterflies we see in spring.

 

The flowers are shaped like tulips, and are green and orange.  Even the leaves are shaped like tulips!  

 

You may know tulip poplar from the building supply department at Home Depot.  They call it yellow poplar.  It was used for masts in the process of shipbuilding, due to the straightness of the trunk before branching.  I suppose that contributes to its value in building materials:  straight grain.

 

Next time you're in the woods and you see a tall, straight, grayish trunk, look up, and you'll probably think of a ship's mast.  I hope you do.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

TODAY IS ALL ABOUT THE ECLIPSE!!!

 

I'm pretty sure this is a Red spotted purple butterfly on my marigolds.  I've seen it around a lot lately, sipping nectar from my marigolds and zinnias.  

 

I've seen a couple of Monarchs too, but they don't stick around long.  They are looking for milkweed, and I only have one plant.  Hardly enough to feed many Monarchs.

 

I try to provide a variety of nectar and host plants in my garden.  Many flowers produce nectar, but butterflies have their favorites.   Black-eyed Susan,  Joe-Pye weed,  Liatris,  Coreopsis,  Pentas,  Asters,  Butterfly weed,  Lantana, Purple coneflower,  and  Butterfly bush  are the Top Ten Nectar Plants according to the Stokes Butterfly Book.  Most butterflies will feed on these.

 

They are also very selective when it comes to where they lay their eggs.  They lay eggs on the type of plant their larvae want to eat when they hatch;  these are called "host plants."   There are only a few plants that attract three or more species of butterfly for egg laying.  Since the caterpillars eat the leaves, it's probably Nature's way for self preservation.  I've seen some serious chewage on host plants.

 

As I identify trees and plants in this blog, I'll try to remember to list which butterflies use them for host plants.  

 

So far I have talked about Persimmon (not a host plant for butterflies) and Chestnut (also not a host plant.)

Marigolds host Dainty sulphurs, and Milkweed is a host plant to Monarchs.  Dill, Parsley, Queen Anne's Lace, and Fennel all host Black swallowtails.  I keep lots of these plants in my garden.  

 

There are so many common trees and plants that host butterflies.  I'm excited to share them with you.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

Thursday was a good day for starting seeds, so I went over to Jim's, and we sowed seeds for orange and yellow Echinacea, and some special Black eyed Susies (Denver Daisies). Not sure WHAT will happen, but we can try....

 

I'm not very scientific, but I do love to experiment with seeds.  So, here we go.....we have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

 

 

This is a pillow made using a single pineapple block.  I also made a quilt using 20 of them.

 

I'd REALLY LOVE to see some of YOUR quilting projects.  

 

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!

 

Foraging is a lot of fun, but be aware, wild isn't always free.  There are rules to consider.

 

 

Always POSITIVELY identify plants;  don't just take MY word for it, and don't assume anything!!  Use field guides, picture books, internet pictures, etc. to identify plants.  When trying a new food, use caution, and only taste a little bit.  Be aware of how your body reacts.  Be positive before you proceed.

 

Foraging on your own property is best.  You know what chemicals have been used, and when you last sprayed.

 

Find out who OWNS the property on which you are considering your foraging adventure.  And always get permission from the property owner.  Trespassing is a BAD thing, and hardly worth the trouble for a few free nibbles. 

 

When foraging in public places, like parks or forests, it's good to get permission there too.  Some parks allow plant collection if you have their (written is best) permission.

 

Never forage along busy roadsides:   car exhaust or road runoff can be toxic, ruining the plants, and your experience.  Also avoid the edges of farm fields or waterways that may receive pesticide residue.

 

Be aware of endangered or threatened species.  If there is only a little, leave it.  If there is plenty, only take as much as you plan to use.  And remember to leave the roots unharmed, so the plants can grow more of whatever you just harvested.  

 

So important!!  Remember to be a good steward of the earth, leaving enough for the animals who depend on Nature for their food.

 

 

HAPPY FORAGING!!

 

The Chestnut trees down by the creek are Chinese Chestnut, not American Chestnut.  The American Chestnut was nearly wiped out by a blight early in the twentieth century.  I sent samples to The American Chestnut Society a few years back, just curious, and they told me that our trees are most likely Chinese Chestnut, Castaneda mollissima.

 

Apparently, they are cyclic in nature, because last year there were very few, and this year there are hundreds of prickly fruits.  They will start falling whenever the nuts are ripe.  Look for opened burrs, because otherwise, you can't get to the nuts.  

 

They are very tasty, but please remember that the animals depend on them for winter nourishment. We collect a few for a treat, but leave most of them for the critters.

 

WARNING!!!  Use heavy gloves when handling the prickly burrs.  They hurt!!!!

 

HAPPY FORAGING!!

 

 

 

 

 

When he was quite young, my friend, Reilly Lachance asked,  Miss Gerry, are there things in the woods that we can eat?  I told him that we could live in these mountains for a very long time without ever going to the store.

 

I don't know if he believed me at the time, but it's still true.  You just need to know which plants are edible. 

Plant identification is one of my best skills, but, believe me, a good field guide goes a long way.  

 

Everybody probably has one for birds.  Well I have field guides for Wildflowers,  Butterflies,  Trees,  Mushrooms, Reptiles and Amphibians,  AND  Edible Wild Plants.  They don't get used every day, but they sure are helpful when it comes to positively identifying something.

 

Back to things to eat in our woods...

 

The picture at the top is Persimmon.    Diospyros virginiana.    But, like any good fishin hole, I can't divulge its location.  Anyway, there are quite a few in our neighborhood.  Easiest to spot when the fruits turn orange.  After a good cold snap they will turn reddish purple, and THAT'S when they are delicious.  They fall to the ground, and the critters eat them.  But if you are quick enough, you might get a few.  

 

If you have NEVER eaten a persimmon, I will warn you to wait until they fall off the tree.  If you HAVE ever eaten an unripe persimmon, you know the definition of 'pucker'.  Grandmother said it turns your mouth wrong side out.   But a ripe one is as sweet as apricot jam.

 

OK....there are a few down by the Chestnut trees, (subject for another day's blog), and a few near the mailboxes (but be aware of the poison ivy there.)   There is a beautiful specimen on Moccasin Creek Rd. just before you turn right onto Moccasin Church Rd.  It's on the left, usually providing shade for the cattle.  Do notice it, just don't try to harvest any of THOSE.  Not sure the cows or deer (or the property owners) would appreciate our swiping their food.  

 

Let me know if this is of interest.  I could go on and on!!!  There are lots more edibles in our woods.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

 

 

When I serve something like pasta salad I like to make it pretty.  Herbs work well, but flowers are more fun.  So let me give you a list of edible flowers.  First though, I better give you MY definition of edible flowers.  

 

Edible flowers may (or may not) taste good, but you can eat them and they won't kill you.  I love to use them for decoration, and knowing which ones are safe is important!

 

Here is a partial list of commonly grown herbs and flowers that are edible.  

 

Basil,  Bee balm,  Borage,  Chives,  Dill,  Marjoram,  Onions,  Rosemary,  Sage,  Thyme.

 

Bachelor's button,  Calendula,  Chrysanthemum,  Cosmos,  Dahlia,  Dandelion,  Dianthus and Carnations, Hollyhocks,  Love in a Mist,  Marigolds,  Nasturtium,  Pansy,  Squash blossoms,  Sunflowers,  Zinnias.

 

Even some trees have edible flowers:  Redbud,  Black locust,  Elderberry.  

 

CAUTION:  Do NOT consider storebought or florist shop flowers edible.  They are often treated with inedible and dangerous pesticides.  Best to eat only flowers you grow yourself, or at least know their origin.  

 

Just because flowers can be eaten, does not mean to make a meal of them.  It's always a good idea to use any new food sparingly at first.   But do give edible flowers a try, using them in a decorative way.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

 

I am asked quite often what the video cameras are that I use here in Five Forks. The system that I use is the Arlo camera system. You can go here to learn more about them http://www.arlo.com

 

There are a lot of video camera system choices out there and many are quite good. You end up choosing the one for you based on a number of factors. First you need to decide about how they are powered and how the video signal gets back to the internet. You can get higher resolution (that is picture quality) and no need for batteries using a system that needs wires. If you are willing to run cables around these systems can work very well and end up being cheaper to operate.  The second factor is if you want to use them outside or only inside the house.  With many systems you need a special camera that will work outside and will still need power and a cable to get the video back. That’s not very practical if you want a camera down on the deer trail to catch critters wandering by or out by your storage shed.

 

I found that the best combination of features and simple operation is the Arlo for my needs. These cameras are completely wireless, being battery driven, and wireless connection back to the internet. Any of the cameras can be used outside or in the house. No special camera is needed in this system. They will cost a little more to buy initially and you will have the cost of batteries to keep them running, but I have found that to be reasonable to deal with. You can stick these up anywhere because they have a magnet that grabs a mount on a tree, on the house wall, or inside the garage.  My one deer camera is around 200 feet from the house and it connects to the internet base station just fine. 

 

This is what they look like. Note the base station in the picture. This does connect to your internet box and can sit right next to it.

Are they hard to setup? No not at all! You plug in the base station and hit the button on each camera and it does all the rest of the work! They reconnect themselves should the base station loose power or the internet goes down as soon as they can. The most significant thing you have to worries about is keeping them in batteries. These use 4 camera style batteries called CR123. Don’t ever buy these at Walmart because they will want $6 for two. I buy them online on Amazon and get 10-12 for $18-20. So how many do they use? That’s depends naturally. They are pretty well designed to not use up battery power unless they are capturing video or transmitting back the images they see. Even with this usage the ones in my house get replaced around every 6 months. I only activate the inside ones when we are not around for security which helps battery life. The most active cameras, like the one the bear tries to eat, gets changed every 2-3 months. The cameras are smart too. They tell me when they need fresh batteries and if they have any problems connecting. Here is a picture of the batteries I get from Amazon.

 

OK, I have to touch on proper usage around where you point these things. I am able to know when people come around my house but I am careful to aim them so I am not capturing my neighbors activity or every car going down the road. There are even laws in Georgia on Lake Lanier where cameras cant be used because of sensitivity around this. However, even close to your house cameras can sometimes induce great silliness from your neighbor friends. I was once treated to a deer dance by a couple friends who hid their identity behind a handmade deer mask.  OK, I appreciated that comedy and it was in good taste.

 

They talk to me all the time! I can turn them on and see what is happening anytime I want using a browser on any computer. I can bring up the video on my iPhone or my Android-based tablet. There are many settings to tell it what to do. It can be setup to automatically tun on and record video and then send you an email and/or a text message. The video is recorded and held on an Arlo server so you can get it when ever you want. The sensitivity for how big and how close the object is to start the video can be set. The length of time for how long the video runs can be set.  You can tell one camera to turn on other cameras when it is triggered. This is what the iPhone app looks like to see your cameras and control them.

 

One other thing people worry about is that the videos are stored on a server some where in the cloud. They are secure but, as a technology person, I know they live outside of my control. For that reason, I would always keep in mind that video of you getting out of the shower is not a good idea to capture and leave in the cloud. The nice thing about this is that up to 5 cameras can capture and hold video in the Arlo cloud for no cost! They will hold the video for a rolling month and then delete what is there.  You can download to you PC or iPad any of them you want to keep. You can pay to keep them out there by why would you do that?

 

There are other really nice alternatives to video camera systems and I will talk about them in another blog. These other systems have advantages over the Arlos that are worth considering depending on what you want to do.