June 20, 2011
Survey & surprise
Posted by Scott under Reptiles | Tags: Nerodia sipedon, northern water snake, patience, pennsylvania, snakes |[10] Comments
September 2, 2010
A long hello
Posted by Scott under Plants | Tags: acquaintance, flower, identity, impatiens, impatiens pallida, jewelweed, native plants, patience |Leave a Comment
Native remedy for poison ivy.
Neither well-known trait is readily apparent in early spring.
Rather, one comes to know the jewelweed along Little Crum Creek as a numerous but delicate and easily uprooted plant, bejeweling raindrops on repellant leaves of succulent chutes, and otherwise wilting worrisomely in the sunlight heat.
Its fragility, resilience, and recovery inspire a gentle watchfulness, even a tested vigilance.
Nonetheless, many a vulnerable weed succumbs to a sneaking, creeping vine’s smother and tug.
By August, we’ve cultivated quite a patient acquaintance.
But only a flower, finally, will fully reveal to me the plant’s identity.
Then, suddenly, some unassuming afternoon in the maple shade, a low breeze displaces a leaf and shows to me a flowering face:
Impatiens pallida,
pale touch-me-not,
yellow jewelweed.
Very pleased to finally meet.
May 16, 2010
Wild Violet
Posted by Scott under Plants | Tags: character, determination, patience, violet, weed, wild |[2] Comments