Early Christmas Tree History In many cultures, evergreens are a symbol of eternal life and immortality. Years ago, cherry and hawthorn trees were used as Christmas trees. Evergreens were used by Romans in December to celebrate a festival called Saturnalia. One of the first Christmas tree decorating ceremonies was in Riga, the capitol of Latvia […]
Purple mushrooms are hard to find. The ones in these photos are Cortinarius violaceus (L.) Gray or Violet Webcap. Most fungi are shades of brown, orange, white, or red. I didn’t find these in Northern Virginia. They reside along the Piney Branch Trail in Shenandoah National Park. I am sure that this hardwood forest is […]
If you read my blog at all, you can tell I love trees. Big trees or small trees, they are such amazing feats of nature. I think it is amazing to a walk past a tree that could be 200 plus years old. There are actually data bases and organizations that certify, record, and list […]
No blog on trees and forests would be complete without a post on Chicken of the Woods. These are brilliant orange colored fungi that appear in spring and fall. This post is specifically about the species Laetiporus cincinnatus. Technical Species Information – Laetiporus cincinnatus Laetiporus is a genus of soft-fleshed polypores. You are probably thinking, […]
Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area in Front Royal Virginia is a great place to visit! One reward is the views at Signal Knob. However there is much more. I’ve been going there for years, and it never gets old. You can hike, backpack, camp, fish, or picnic. I usually hike or backpack. Read more to find […]
There are vines everywhere in the woods. Like everything else, there are good vines and bad vines. Poison Ivy would be considered a bad vine. If you touch it, you are likely to get a rash. Wild grape vines are common in the United States. They are pretty easy to identify. Although they are technically […]