NATURE SHORTS
This page is designed for me to upload short but interesting moments.
Hidden in Plain Sight
I passed under that tree all summer and never saw what was going on above me.
Milkweed and More!
We struggle to find the right balance with nature. Sometimes the unexpected happens.
Plants Can Fight Back
We expect animals to defend themselves. We are surprised to discover that plants are not defenseless.
Swaths of Blue
Hillsides and lawns are covered with low-growing blue and white flowers. Welcome to a beautiful spring ephemeral!
The Squirrel Chronicles
Those adorable furry bundles of energy can cause problems for gardeners and birders.
Inwood Surprise
Picking up random seeds yields many interesting moments from seed identification to seed germination to growing tree seedlings.
Plants Have Relatives Also
Just looking at plant features can suggest a relationship with other plants.
Unexpected Opportunity during Strange Weather
Outdoor gardening in NYC in January. Who ever heard of such a thing.
Strange Doings Under the Waves
We view fish in aquaria. We fish for food and sport. How much do we understand about the world under the water??
Heavenly Scented Flower
There are many flowers that are scented. For reasons that elude me, a large number of them have a honey undertone. In addition to today’s flower, honey dominates the scent of alyssum and the yellow fall chrysamthemums.
New Bird Visitor
I spend a lot of time at the sink in my kitchen. Fortunately, there is a window there facing onto my garden where I can observe local animals and birds coming and going.
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
I have always thought that the idea for stained glass windows evolved from watching butterflies flaunt their dazzling colors and patterns.
Cute but Destructive – Rabbits Moving In
Many wild animals are very cute. Sometimes we are drawn to them because of fairy tales. That does not make them benign.
New Garden Visitor
A flash of lavender! A lucky photo leads the identification of a new visitor to my garden.
Dancing Monarchs
I can certainly understand why a group of butterflies is called a kaleidoscope.
We were walking home Shabbos morning(9-11-21) at 11:30am and passed Independence Avenue & W. 236th St. On that corner (property of PS24), there was a white-flowered buddleia attracting tens of Monarch butterflies. We went back today, Sunday morning (9-12-21), and took pictures and videos. Buddleia flowers tend to bloom and die back quickly and, I believe that there were fewer butterflies today than yesterday. But, in any case, enjoy!
Clethra alnifolia