Some Yard Clean Up and Chores

Yesterday was finally warm enough for me to break hibernation, get outside and do some yard work.

I discovered a mantis egg right on the Alternate-leaf Dogwood.

My honeybee hives were active and buzzing around. This one was drowning so I saved it and thought the colors and hairs looked great. There aren't to many bright colors to photograph at this time of year.

I was near the hives putting sugar water on them when I realized the moss on our shed has grown out of control. I'm not sure if that's bad or not but I think I could probably transplant some of it elsewhere.

As much as I dislike Rudbeckia plants, I actually think their seed pods are a highlight out in the meadow garden. They're a nice easy filler plant with a good burst of color, but I roll my eyes at the lack of pollinators they get. Maybe that will change as they spread, and I look forward to them spreading, but right now I just think of them as being only pretty and not good for anything else.

Blooming Moss

Mother Nature's own version of the red carpet seems to be rolling out as assorted mosses send up their flowering shoots.

While exploring the woods earlier this week I came across large clumps of bricks still cemented together. I think someone had dumped an old fire pit back there. The moss was absolutely clinging to it!

 

I don't know enough about mosses to identify but clearly there are multiple species growing here. 

This makes me wonder how easy they are to grow from seed. Though I hear an easier method is to ground up whole clumps with a can of old beer and a table spoon of milk (sugar?), or some recipe to that extent.

My Bluet Phase

Filling in the forest background.

Added the forest floor as well as some dogwood trees in the background.

Bluets, Hedyotis caerulea, bloom in mass to create a wonderful snow-like effect.

Assorted types of moss take over the ground.

Completion of the first Trillium grandiflorum, my favorite spring wildflower.

The other Trilliums are done. I only painted three as I'm not skilled enough to make the original cluster look correct.

Original Picture taken at the Mt. Cuba Center.