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Beardy Guy Musings

Experimenting with ways to live a low impact life in a tiny house in the woods. Graphic and web design at Beardy Guy Creative . I often write about the Climate Emergency, Apple and the iPad. Living on the traditional territory of: O-ga-xpa Ma-zhoⁿ (O-ga-xpa) (Quapaw), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Kaskaskia, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo)

Nature

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    The plump seed heads of a grass meadow and a dew covered daisy were bathed in sunlight along my walk today. Soundtrack provided by Wood Thrush, Yellow-throated Vireo, Northern Paula, White-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird and some bull frogs!

    A close-up image of seed heads of grass, likely foxtail. Behind the grass is a mix of plants in a meadow lit by morning sun. The sun is in the top center of the image with blue sky in the background
    A close-up image morning dew drops on a white daisy with yellow center. Grass can be seen in the background.
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    The sights and sounds of a morning walk. Birds songs identified as: Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Cardinal, Yellow-breasted Chat and Acadian Flycatcher.

    A close-up image of seed heads of grass, likely foxtail. Behind the grass is a mix of plants in a meadow lit by morning sun. The sun is in the top right corner of the image and the longest ray of light seems to bend as it crosses over the top of the seed head. Trees and a hint of blue sky are in the background of the meadow
    Morning sunlight streams through the branches of trees falling on a gravel road in the near distance. The rays of light contrast against a dark green background of trees that form most of the background of the image.
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    A beautiful yellow slime mold! I love the details of the little ruffles and the threads attaching to the leaves.

    Yellow slime mold growing on fallen brown leaves. The yellow mold viewed close up is ruffled and where it is growing onto the leaves it creates a network of threads.
    Yellow slime mold growing on fallen brown leaves. The yellow mold viewed close up is ruffled and where it is growing onto the leaves it creates a network of threads.
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    Nature’s Oldest Mandolin: The Poetic Science of How Cicadas Sing – The Marginalian

    “The use of music,” Richard Powers wrote, “is to remind us how short a time we have a body” — a truth nowhere more bittersweet than in the creature whose body is the oldest unchanged musical instrument on Earth: a tiny mandolin silent for most of its existence, then sonorous with a fleeting symphony of life before the final silence.

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    Cicadas 2024: Brood XIX and XIII will impact our ecosystems for years to come - Vox

    While the insect explosion will be brief, it will shape forests for years to come. The binge-fest that birds enjoy during these periods supersize their families and, in turn, shift the eating and hunting patterns of many other species. These effects send ripples throughout the ecosystem. As one recent study put it, pulses of periodical cicadas can “rewire” entire forest food webs.

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    The scene around my tiny house in the woods yesterday was one of flowers sparkling in raindrops.

    An iris flower covered in morning rain drops. The flower has dark purple lower petals and pale purple upper petals. Centered in the dark purple petals are yellow portions that are feather like. A small cabin surrounded by trees is blurred in the background.
    Green foliage surrounds a tiny green house in the woods. In the foreground are a mix of tall flowers and grasses. The green cabin is set back and is surrounded by a mix of tall mature trees.
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    Soft light and morning raindrops

    An iris flower covered in morning rain drops. The flower has dark purple lower petals and pale purple upper petals. Centered in the dark purple petals are yellow portions that are feather like. Two yellow iris flowers covered in morning rain drops. They are a nearly solid, bright yellow with barely noticeable darker yellow lines at the center of the lower petals and stretching to the end of those petals

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    A speckled king snake cozied up in a rotting log in a hugelculture bed in my garden.

    A black snake with very small pale yellow to white speckles. The snake is nestled in a small open space in a log.
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    It has begun! I found this year's cicadas in my garden this morning. Magicicada septendecim, sometimes called the Pharaoh cicada or the 17-year locust, is native to Canada and the United States and is the largest and most northern species of periodical cicada with a 17-year lifecycle.

    A black bodied insect with bright orange eyes and clear wings folded straight back covering part of the body.
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    Salt Marsh Caterpillar found in my garden this morning.

    A dark brown caterpillar that is covered in brown spikes. The spikes connect to the caterpillar in groups of 8 - 12 with an orangish bump.
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    I never noticed that when magnified some of the Calyptra (oval ends of sporophytes) look a little bit like long sharp teeth!

    A new-to-me moss, Plagiomnium cuspidatum. Very pretty with smooth, thin leaves.

    A mound of various species of vibrant green mosses. Thirty to forty orange sporophytes grow from the center. These are thin tendrils with hollow, oval shaped ends that disperse seeds.
    A mound of various species of vibrant green mosses. Orange sporophytes grow from the center. Close up these are thin tendrils with hollow, oval shaped ends that have a perforated end that has the appearance of sharp teeth..
    A close-up photo of vibrant green moss with tiny, thin, semi-translucent leaves.
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    Seen on the trail today, a zebra swallowtail! Saw a red spot purple on the walk yesterday. And the small flowers are starting to pop up above the leaves.

    Rue anemone A light pink flower grows near a leaf on the forest floor and is sunlit from the back

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    A perfect afternoon visiting the bees as they collected pollen from a flowering plum tree.

    A honeybee collecting pollen from a white flower. in the background a branch of blurred flowers is on the right side of the image and a bright blue sky behind the bee and flower.
    A honeybee is collecting pollen from white plum flowers.
    A honeybee is collecting pollen from white plum flowers. A bright blue sky is visible in the background.

    #nature #bees #spring #flowers

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    A variety of bees, flys and butterflies were busy pollinating the plum trees today - the western honey bees especially!

    A closeup of two honeybees, one is flying above white flowers, the other is resting on a flower as it collects pollen
    A honey bee gathering pollen from white flowers set against a blue sky
    A macro image of a furry honeybee collecting pollen from white flowers
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    With the recent rain the moss and lichen are looking very lush.

    A close-up image of green moss that consists of cedar-like tendrils with an orange tint.
    A mix of various species of moss in a very close-up photo. At least 3 different species are visible.
    Cups of brownish green are set against a larger mass of pale green lichen on a branch.

    #moss #mosstodon #lichen #lichensubscribe

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    An interesting patch of moss and lichen near the trail on my morning walk. The lichen appears to be taking over the moss.

    A patch of moss and lichen. A small purplish leaved plant is growing in the bottom right corner.
    A patch of moss and lichen, the lichen seems to be covering the moss, growing over it
    A patch of moss and lichen, the lichen seems to be covering the moss, growing over it
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    A gall induced by Atrusca quercuscentricola, Spotted oak apple gall wasp. An egg is laid and after hatching the larvae signals the tree which produces a protective gall which contains a nutritious food source. At maturity in late November to early December it cut's a tiny hole and exits the gall.

    A small, light orange sphere with many dark red circles sits on a brown leaf in a forest. It is made by a gall wasp. The sphere has a small hole in the top right that reveals that the sphere is a very thin material.
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    Seen on my morning trail walk. From top to bottom: The gall of a Atrusca quercuscentricola Spotted oak apple gall wasp.

    Cladonia portentosa Lichen

    A small, light orange sphere with many dark red circles sits on a brown leaf in a forest. It is made by a gall wasp. The sphere has a small hole in the top right that reveals that the sphere is a very thin material.
    pale green lichen with many very tiny branches that looks like a kind of sponge. The lichen grows atop a darker green patch of lush moss on the forest floor with a background of winter woodland
    pale green lichen with many very tiny branches that looks like a kind of sponge. The lichen grows atop a darker green patch of lush moss on the forest floor with a background of winter woodland
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    Broom Forkmoss, Dicranum scoparium with a little cedar berry appearance. A macro photo of a mound of lush green moss. Each cluster of hairs

    Thuidium delicatulum, delicate fern moss or common fern moss. A macro photo of lush green moss that resembles a small forest of fern leaves

    A macro photo of lush green moss that resembles a small forest of fern leaves

    ID uncertain, possibly Entondon cladorrhizans flattened entondon moss Long tendrils of cedar like moss grow along a tree branch

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    I almost missed this fallen branch covered in Luminescent Panelus, Panellus stipticus. Such a fascinating world if we take the time to see it.

    A macro side view of cluster of Orangish cream colored mushrooms grow from a fallen tree. In the background green moss and more mushrooms are visible.
    A Top down view of a cluster of Orangish cream colored mushrooms growing from a fallen tree. The mushrooms are in the shape of a Half circle and are irregular in texture and variations of color. In the background green moss, lichen and more mushrooms are visible.
    A bottom up view of a cluster of Orangish cream colored mushrooms growing from a fallen tree. The mushrooms are in the shape of a Half circle and are irregular in texture and variations of color. As the photo is taken from below the underside of the mushrooms with gills or ridges are visible. In the background green moss, lichen and more mushrooms a
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