Close-Ups

Spring hasn't quite sprung in our corner of the world, but a walk through the woods around our cabin yields subtle clues that it's soon to come.

 

I found these two salamanders at rest under a large piece of bark.  They didn't move at all when exposed, and I carefully resettled the layer of bark on top of them so they could remain peacefully hidden and moist.

 

 

 

Close by the salamanders, I came across a very large hornet or wasp similarly situated under some rotting bark.  He was brilliantly colored in bright gold shades and black and brick red.  I recovered him, too, and let him be.

 

 

 

The moss and lichen intermingled in this rotting tree stump looked so lush and healthy.  I've always loved the soft, velvety texture of fuzzy, emerald green mosses.

 

 

 

Our woods are predominated by tall chestnut oak trees.  The furrowed, heavy bark of these trees is really neat.  Unfortunately, these furrows provide nesting sites for gypsy moth eggs.  The larvae were responsible for decimating a large number of the trees in our area a couple years back.  The loss of chestnut oaks left gaps that new trees and shrubs are just starting to fill.

 

 

I keep tract daily of the progress of our garden perennials.  The columbines are steadily unfurling their bright green, purple veined leaves. Today, crystal beads of water droplets glistened like jewels among the leaflets ~ so pretty!