Category Archives: hiking
Tree ID Continued: Oaks and Maples
Slowly but surely I am learning my trees. A couple weeks ago, in my post, “On Bark,” I wrote about ash, tulip, northern red oak, black locust and honey locust. Today I would like to add a couple oaks and maples to the list: Chestnut Oak, Black Oak and Sugar Maple. Quercus montana, or theContinue reading “Tree ID Continued: Oaks and Maples”
What’s growing in my yard?
Taking a break from hiking this week, to learn about three things growing in my backyard (and probably yours). Number 1: Glechoma hederacea, aka “creeping charlie,” “ground ivy,” “alehoof,” “catsfoot,” “field balm,” “Couronne de Terre,” “Run away robin” etc, etc… As its many, many names suggest, this weed has been a part of human lifeContinue reading “What’s growing in my yard?”
Late Spring, Mushrooms and More!
Morel season is in the books, but what we’ve lost in culinary thrill we’ve gained in variety. Has anyone else seen these?
How to ID a Mushroom
Ok, you’ve spotted it, growing there a couple yards off the path: now what? Well, first look up and see what’s growing around it. In this case, we’ve got a pretty mixed hardwood forest, oaks, hickories and tulips. Is it growing on wood? No, it’s terrestrial, this means we probably have a mycorrhizal mushroom (meaningContinue reading “How to ID a Mushroom”
On Bark
Tree bark is one of those things difficult to describe without metaphor. It’s also one of those things people can recognize without being able to describe (giving rise to numerous not particularly helpful youtube videos, and demonstrating, by the way, that we can think, or at least categorize, outside of language). Whereas leaves can beContinue reading “On Bark”
Garlic Mustard: it’s everywhere, why not eat it?
Eating Garlic Mustard is often urged as a way of fighting an invasive plant, but there’s another reason it’s worth a try: history. Ever come across those startling, seemingly inexplicable details when reading something older than the 20th century, such as that people used to sleep in two four hour shifts, or put eggs inContinue reading “Garlic Mustard: it’s everywhere, why not eat it?”
Nature the Bizarre
Today I’m going to show you some of the stranger things I’ve found hiking. Starting below, with some kind of coral fungus I haven’t managed to quite identify. I’ve seen this several times now, usually while poking around for signs of morels. The fungus above has become lichenized, which results in the green tint. AllContinue reading “Nature the Bizarre”
Three Spring Wildflowers
My first Indiana Spring has come and given me a chance to learn some new wildflowers. Above you see one of my favorites, cleft phlox. Below we’ll talk about three more! First up, the yellow trout lily. Called a “trout” lily because its leaves are mottled, or perhaps “dappled,” in a vaguely trout-like way. YellowContinue reading “Three Spring Wildflowers”
recycled paper clips 