Kissing under mistletoe is a weird tradition. There are several types, European mistletoe (Viscum album) is the type that is most known for kissing. This is the traditional plant of literature and Christmas celebrations. Kissing under the mistletoe is referenced from as far back as 16thcentury England to Christian literature 300 years AD. The Celts wrote […]
The Four Seasons We all know that there are four seasons; spring, summer, fall, and winter. They are specific time frames characterized by weather patterns, light, and temperature. Usually in winter there is the least amount of light and the coldest temperatures. The closer we are to the north or south pole, the colder it […]
The American Aspen tree, Populus Tremuloides, is native to cooler areas of North America such as western states and Canada. The photos in this post were all taken in Colorado. It has a lot of different common names, one of which is Trembling or Quaking Aspen. General Description American Aspen are deciduous trees that can […]
There are all sorts of pests in the environment that do damage to trees. Most of these pests rarely attack healthy trees. They usually affect trees that are in decline or under some sort of stress. Droughts, excessive heat, too much water, and damaged limbs cause stress to trees and can make them susceptible to […]
Hiking in Alaska is a game changer. The scenery is magnificent, and there is something really special about the open untouched wild spaces. We hiked an out and back to Kesugi Ridge, which provided spectacular views of the valley and wash between the Ridge and Denali Park. As an added bonus, we got some pretty […]
Asimina triloba or better known as the Paw Paw tree is native to the eastern United States. It’s very abundant in the parks around the Potomac River. It usually grows between 15 – 30 feet tall. In forests with lots of large old mature trees, it can occupy a considerable amount of the understory, and […]