A Velvet Carpet

Mimosa Vine


A hairy woodpecker has taken to hammering away at the eave of the cabin. I’m surrounded by shade trees in every direction, but this black and white woodpecker prefers the cabin. I have shooed her away repeatedly, but she keeps coming back, several times a day. You would be surprised at the noise this 9” bird can make. It sounds like construction has started on the “someday” screened porch.

I haven’t seen Goldie, the box turtle anymore. But I spotted a different one on the path to LaMama’s (Mama and stepdad, Lamar) the other day. This one was a male, and he was in the middle of the path, eating a mushroom. I stopped when I spied him, but Melvin plowed ahead and walked right over him, none the wiser. The turtle held his ground, pulling his head back inside his shell. After Melvin passed, he poked his head back out and watched me, as I watched him. His red eyes told me he was a male. His shell was duller than Goldie’s and lacked her elaborate markings. I think this is more typical.

Yesterday I noticed a beautiful patch of emerald green moss that had completely covered the stump and surrounding area of a long-ago fallen tree, like a velvet carpet tossed on the ground. The moss was studded at random with several gorgeous mushrooms of varying shades of a luscious, velvety gray-brown. One appeared to be embossed; it was an absolutely stunning designer’s display, right there in the woods. I reached for my camera, but didn’t have it with me. I returned to photograph it this morning, but all the mushrooms were gone. I guess Goldie or one of the other box turtles got to it first.

I recently discovered the neat little wildflower pictured above. I didn't know what it was, but my sister, Myra identified it as mimosa vine (Mimosa nuttalli), also known as catclaw brier and sensitive brier. It's a herbaceous perennial legume, and is thought to be very nutritious for wildlife. 

The mimosa trees are blooming. I haven’t seen any on my property, but there are several out on the main road. I remember these trees blooming in our backyard when I was a girl. I have a pleasant memory of sitting beneath one, holding my younger sister when she was just a baby. Maybe I’ll write about that in a future post.

That's the latest from my country life. Wishing you well.
~Pat

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