Author: Flower Roberts

Older with Longer Teeth

| Flower Roberts

We checked on the Northern Tooth Fungus this morning. They are in a tree near Evergreen Island.

The two stands of it are still intact. It is turning a darker cream color. The largest  top is turning black.

Darker and dryer
Northern Tooth Fungus

It looks dryer than it did several weeks ago.

Maybe it is my imagination, but the teeth look longer to me now. I will share before and now photos.

Close-up with better camera two weeks ago.
Older with Longer Teeth

I found other stands of these in maples around the lake. These are the lowest and largest.

I have posted on these same two groups for years. One year they got destroyed by something. I think they are beautiful.

FLOW

Turkey Tails on a Log

| Flower Roberts

Mr. Flower chops firewood. He keeps big chunks of stumps near the woodpile to split wood on. These serve their purpose for many years until the fungi find them.

Layers of Turkey Tail fungus

This chunk is covered in hundreds of Turkey Tails. The proper name is Trametes versicolor. The name is due to the concentric rings of various colors. The top is velvety not smooth.

Trametes versicolor

The porous underside is white. The margin is a lighter color.

Polypore under-surface

Its lower layers are fan-shaped with the top looping around to look kidney-shaped.

Top layer of Turkey Tail

I think these Turkey Tails are beautiful.

Mama Recovers from Bites

| Flower Roberts

No, I am not referring to myself! It’s my succulent that is poisonous and was eaten anyway.

The deer demolished this entire pot of Mother-of-Thousands succulent that was on our bridge to the front door. This plant is supposed to be toxic! Daylilies are too but they eat those as well.

Kolanchoe laetivirens

I think its latin name is Kolanchoe laetirvirens. The internet tends to mix up this ‘Mexican Hat’ plant and Mother-of-Millions/’Alligator’ plant (purple spots). They do not look the alike except they both have plantlets on the margins. My plant books are at Wildwood, so this is my memory talking.

Mecican Hat plant

I moved what was left of the eaten plant onto the deck in June. It has recovered nicely. I hope the deer revovered as well. Kolanchoes thrive on neglect.

Plantlets

The plantlets along the leaf margins are perfect rows of clones. They look like tiny green roses.

I will bring in this pot in as my “stock plant” for the winter.  I also toss some of plantlets onto a fresh pot of soil to root and grow.

Even small plants form babies along their margins.

Baby with babies

If you have pets or children that taste plants, you may not want this one in your house. Especially since it drops plantlets that could be eaten, even if the pot is out of reach.

FLOW

The Losing Side

| Flower Roberts

I have officially arrived at the Losing Side. When my parents were alive, there was a point when they started losing friends and relatives at an alarming rate. I could not understand how they could stand losing so many people they loved.

They did not cry about the deaths. Mom kept a supply of sympathy cards. The church ladies would call and assign a food to make for the family. Mom boiled dozens of eggs. Dad peeled them. Funeral bulletins were kept and filed.

Every week someone else moved on to the other side of life. Siblings, Sunday school class members, neighbors, and former co-workers started falling off the conveyor belt. Their world was emptying. 

I bought a handful of non-sappy sympathy cards last week. I sat down and made lists of memories of each dearly departed. I mailed these as I left the mountain to head home for a funeral. Next week, I must get back up the mountain for another.

We went to a party last night where we discussed dear friends who are gone. Mr. Flower and I gave pointers on what to do after the loss of both parents. How best to clean out sixty plus years of life from the home place. Who to call for help with appraisals or junk removal. What to do when mistakes are made on the death certificate…

If this seems morbid to you, it is because you have not yet arrived at the Losing Side. When you get there you will know it is time for those precious folks to go. Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone.  Oh, yeah…

You will eventually not cry as the coffin goes by.

The Losing Side is just another part of this journey. When you are there, keep cards and casserole dishes at the ready. The more the better. Needing a generous supply means you have had a life full of folks you love.

Keep living and loving as long as you can.

FLOWER between funerals

Followed by Fish

| Flower Roberts

Sometimes when I walk close to the shore at Evergreen Island the fish follow me.

Stalked along shore

When I stop to look at them, they stop and look at me.

It makes me think they were raised at a fishfarm and expect me to throw food at them.

I wonder if they stalk fishermen, too?

I mean really. Look at that face!

Feed me

Habituated to humans.

FLOW

Daddy’s Apples Feed All

| Flower Roberts

I silently sit in the swing at dusk and wait for the foragers. There are always a few when the apples are ripe.

Daddy’s three apple trees.

Sometimes a lone deer comes to feast. Once, I saw an apple plop down and almost hit her below. There was a crow silently snacking above.

Deer below crow.

Groups of crows fly in to eat together. They hop up the leaning trunk and walk out the branches. They are noisy, but they do share the apples by busting them apart on the pavement.

Two crows and a rabbit.

Our rabbit from the thicket comes out to eat the scraps left by the larger animals.

The twin fawns are old enough to eat bits of apple now. They stayed quite a while one evening this weekend and then bedded down under our porch for the night.

Mama doe and twins.

This scene plays out over and over in August under my Daddy’s apple trees.


The visitor last night was not as considerate. There were scratches along the tree trunk and broken limbs hanging down and lying around on the ground.

Claw marks up the trunk

The offended limbs were bare of their apples.

Ripped off limb with no apples.

One of our bears has been back. It is not careful. It does not share with its neighbors. It hurts the tree that feeds it.

This is the cute one.

It breaks and scratches instead of hopping and picking.

Broken bare limbs.

I hope it has had its fill of apples for a bit. Our poor tree needs some TLC.

FLOWER

This Trail I Know

| Flower Roberts

The trailhead is guarded by two tall wildflowers. To the left is Joe Pye weed with heads of flowers so big it bends low under their weight. Its flowers are covered in bees.

Joe Pye Weed

The sentinel to the right is Ironweed which grows high with purple blooms making a landing pad for butterflies.

IRONWEED

Under the bridge I know where to look for the Ghost pipes to see if they have set seed. Their bent necks have straitened. Their faces are up with dark pods in the center. The pipes are now gray and withering.

Ghost pipes with pods

I look for the broken tree full of holes in the bend. This would be the perfect place to spot a busy woodpecker, a resting owl or a mama raccoon.

Holey but alive.

I know where to peek through the leaves to see my neighbors’ houses on the cliffs across the gorge. They are white, tan,  brown and round.

Stone wall standing over the gorge.

I look for the crooked tree that has twisted limbs twirling toward the sky. It is one of the lucky ones not taken down or dead from Helene.

Slithering branches

I know where the ferns dance in the breeze under the leaning tree. The deer like it here as well.

Fern glade

Sometimes I meet horses here. I always step aside to greet them. This one’s name is Scout. He is sweet and beautiful. She made us guess his age. He is 26!

Scout and his loving mama from Temnessee.

I know this trail. I know it well. It makes my heart sing.

FLOW

Silver Under Glass

| Flower Roberts

I took off the silver brooches from the pin collage display I made for my mom. They tarnished over time. (See link below)

Three sets and a turtle pin.

I did not want to just stick these in a drawer, so I purchased a display cabinet and put all the Native American pieces in it. That way we can wear them and return them easily.

One display and out of the way.

Our Aunt Ethel was known for her interesting jewelry. I am glad that the family collection is where it can be seen.

Several of these pieces are signed. Most are just lovely and timeless.

Safe in Gran’s china cabinet.

FLOWER

Mama’s Pin Collage

Bass Beds Near Shore

| Flower Roberts

Bass spawn later at higher elevations because of cooler water in spring. I took these photos in July.

Light circles near shore are two bass beds

 The female visits a bed to lay several thousand eggs and then she leaves.
The male guards the eggs and fans them to keep them clean and oxygenated.

Bass bed guarded by male

After the eggs hatch, the male protects the fry for another week or two.

Male bass still on duty

I look for these in my favorite lake every summer. Bass beds are a good sign.

Bass Lake

FLOW