There’s a certain type of tree here that changes colour in the Fall but doesn’t shed its leaves.
In the right kind of light, it’s very lovely.
It might be a better image, captured from a stationary position, but so far I haven’t managed to coordinate this.
If I was self-propelled, I would just pull off to the side of the road but Grant worries about other drivers!
According to treehugger.com, this is a phenomenon called “marcescence”. It has to do with the availability of light and the level of chlorophyll.
Which explains why I had not seen this before.
It seems to have been a 2021 thing.
Apparently it is mostly seen in oak but, as is more likely here, American beech.
Nature is indeed versatile.
Very pleased to know this isn’t just something I hadn’t noticed previously.
As we passed North Hoosick Post Office, there were no cars in the lot but the closure was just for lunch.
It seems this tiny enterprise has survived cut backs and all the problems of Covid.
As a supporter of the little guy, this makes me happy. Incidentally, I’ve informed my driver that in future when we go on photographic expeditions, we are to dress in black and also drape the dashboard. I can’t be having stripes in my pictures (see above). Grant does not wear a coat ever. He dons layers, topped with the ubiquitous striped sweater. My editing skills don’t run to removing said stripes.
This being such an impromptu outing, I once again failed to clean the smeary windshield. Apologies.
Not mud. Just dust from the salt that coats all roads at this time of year.
Nasty, corrosive stuff that devours the underside of cars, never mind the special protective coating.
One could easily be put off Winter, I suppose.
If we get the predicted Nor’easter this weekend, life could become a challenge, I daresay.
But to me Summer is far more tedious, what with bugs and weeds and hot, humid weather that may well include the odd hurricane or “bomb cyclone” courtesy of global warming.
If you read any of my posts last Summer, you may be familiar with my whinge about the perishing invasive vine that I was endlessly fighting.
It seems that Mr Cooper may have got caught up with a long strand the other day.
He seemed a trifle bemused.
Affronted, even.
Until I downloaded the images, I didn’t see it.
Glad to say that he must have sorted his problem out and flew away over the bottom field, unimpeded.
Which was cause for the DD birds to celebrate!
Cardinals are back! Until this past year, we had quite a variety of birds, changing only with the passing of seasons. Then suddenly they left us, our feathered friends. *All but the sparrows and the occasional dove.
The crows carried on living at a distance, declining to befriend us no matter what we offered as a token of our good intentions.
There is a community not far off that shoots crows.
This is because they are visited annually by some 50 to 70 thousand of the birds that flock to a nearby cemetery and ancient burial ground.
Perhaps that would be a bit much. But I could never harm a bird and until I came here crows were never afraid of me.
Recently starlings have been showing up. Funny, stroppy creatures, always squabbling. They amuse me.
Hopefully, more of the others will come back.
We thought when the neighbors moved taking their murderous cat, that we would see an increase in the bird population, not the reverse.
So we can’t figure it out.
Could it be the increase in our sparrow count?
For their size, they certainly are pushy.
My bushes have bowed beneath their combined weight.
They are a little gang of reprobates.
This tree is another of their hang-outs.
You should hear the clamour.
Maybe they are rival groups, hurling insults back and forth. Though I think it’s possible they are talking about us. As soon as one of us sticks our head outside the racket ceases. Like naughty children in a school room when teacher turns up.
At breakfast today, this little head popped up.
Purple finches are back as are their golden cousins
Winter brought back the chickadees
and the bluejays…
…juncos…
…woodpeckers never left…
Maybe the DD birds haven’t completely taken over.
What a wonderful post!! Thank you!!
Joanna
What a fine collection of feathered friends you have!
I hope some of the others will return!
They will. Have faith in nature!
Lots to comment on but – long live the USPS and that wonderful post office!
Good luck with the storm. Media apocalyptic hype accelerating here too.
I like that little post office too! And wow, so many different feathered friends – you have some great pictures here Carolyn!
I like that tiny Post Office, and would definitely use it too.
We don’t have Cardinals here, but I wish we did. I love to see their bright colour.
Best wishes, Pete.