A closer look at decay

Take a close look at a Gordonia leaf and see how the natural processes move slowly and seemingly randomly to create an interesting pattern of decay, color change and phytophagy.

The details of nature can be endlessly fascinating. All we have to is to take a little time, bend down and look for it.

What lurks on the Liatris?

I stopped by today to finish a roll of film. Liatris tennufolia is about the only thing blooming. Shot Ceraunus Blue on it as well as Bee Fly, which I had never seen alight that I can recall. I'll post photos later.

The Balduinia flowerheads (minus petals) are interesting up close.

I also caught a shot of a pair of walking sticks. I've been seeing a lot of them lately.

Last gasp of summer

I was out over the weekend and noticed a few blooms left on a couple of the Scrub Blazing Star, but they've pretty much gone to seed. So have the other Liatris in the scrub. However, the Liatris tennufolia in the sandhill sections are just beginning to bloom. The same goes for the Carphephorus and a few other wildflowers.

I was pleased to see Dalea pinnata in the western side of the preserve. I've never seen it there before, only on the eastern corner near the Clitoria fragrans sandhill area. Very interesting.

Farther down the trail

Today I nearly reached the point where the new trail begins. Amid the Natal grass and other indignities, I noticed one Scrub Blazing Star was blooming in mid-October. What a sight. The rest have gone to seed.

Weeding down the line

As long as daylight savings time holds out, I've been spending evenings after work gradually removing Natal grass and other weeds from the main north-south path.

I notice the contractors have been in, but the only evidence of work I've seen has been the herbiciding of plants OUTSIDE the fence. It's helpful, but I don't get it.

I've also launched a search for trash along that section of fence to clean things up a bit, since the neighbors (some of them anyway) continue to dump there. A lot of it's paleotrash, such as the steel soft drink cans.

There are several tires, too. I'm not sure what to do about them except pile them in the right of way.

Reclearing the paths

It has been pretty quiet lately. I have started to clear the paths that have been neglected over the past year or so. Quite a few weeds, mostly Natal grass and sansspurs and some dog fennel have grown into them. I need to keep them clear for future projects.

Instead of bagging everything, which is impractical given the volume, I have decided to simply start a few weed dumps in areas where the weeds have already taken over anyway so there will be no further harm done.

I have heard nothing further on plans to burn the remaining piles or to run fire through the preserve afterward. I suspect that may have something to do with budgetary constraints, but I don't know.