Thistle Quill

Friday, June 27, 2008

Clematis

Not native but quite beautiful after this evenings rain!

Monday, June 23, 2008

We stopped by the prairie tonight and WOW there were Elk not far from the main road. I had heard that they were re-introducing Elk to the prairie but to actually see one - well Virginia they are not a figment of the DNR's imagination!!! They REALLY do EXIST!

The shots are really grainy my digital camera has 10x zoom, the package just didn't state what the quality was hrrrumph.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Poison Hemlock

Poison Hemlock or Conium maculatum as the name implies it is quite poisonous and has caused many a death of the careless forager! Here is one of the better photos I've ever seen of the leaves, taken by Rick Hamilton Nebraska. Rick runs Beaver Creek Knap-In every year. This years knap-in will be BCVIII will be September 19,20,21 near Stuart, NE.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Bellflower

I know it's a native plant, I believe it is bellflower.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Stink Horn Revisited

It's amazing how this Stink Horn has changed in the space of 10 hours!

Stink Horn

John found this beauty, or lil stinker, in the front lawn this morning.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Dead Man's Fingers

Today's visual update, the tops of the fruiting bodies had less white spores on them this afternoon.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Dead Man's Fingers

I was finally able to find out the name of the fungi, with the help of a list mate - thank you Deb~! - the cluster of fungi is called Dead Man's Fingers and you can get more information about them here http://www.mushroomexpert.com/xylaria_polymorpha.html

Unknown Fungus

Found this cluster of fungi growing in my front lawn in a pile of dog poop of all things!

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Summer's Here!

It was so warm here today that the squirrels, which are normally tearing through our trees chasing each other around, were just laying on the branches napping instead.

I wasn't able to get a shot of the squirrels stretched out on the branches but here's a pic from a year or so ago of our resident squirrel fattening up for winter. She's sitting in our Norway Maple in our backyard with a black walnut in her mouth.

Friday, May 30, 2008

A River Runs Through It

Here we were going over the bridge which was closed less than 15 minutes after we went over it, again this IS in Ames - Squaw Creek.

The water is very close to the road here, we were becoming nervous while sitting in traffic, we could see the water rising while we waited for the light.

I won't be gettng out of town today due to the flooding, which is as bad or worse than 1993 they are now saying. Ames has literally become an island again. This is a local park here in Ames, the river is back about 300 to 400 yards and down about 15 feet, or so, when it's within it's banks.