More Small Stuff: Shiso

The closest plant to gold in economic value, well maybe copper, is the shiso patch on the southern side of Cloverlea Road.  It is about halfway up the hill, just before the lane branches off to the left.  Shiso is a commercial crop in Japan producing thousands of tons per year to be used along with sushi. It is oriental origin but widely naturalized in Maryland.

Shiso is in the mint family has the square stem, opposite leaves on short stems and a herbal smell when crushed.  The leaves are thought to have omega 3's along with minerals and vitamins.  There are numerous other chemicals not fully evaluated. I am in the chewing and spitting out stage with this.  Not absolutely confident. A slightly minty taste and smell,may vary with the size of leaf.

More little stuff: Ostrich Fern

There is a wall to the north, as Rolandvue goes over a small hill on the way west toward Bellona.  Behind the wall are some clumps of Ostrich Fern.  They grow in crown-like circles with the name due to a resemblance to ostrich feathers.  The ID is based on the clumping and the semi-tapered twice cut leave.

Our guide noted the central fiddlehead was small, that it would be, at least for some, edible with cooking, but not to assume that all fiddleheads are edible.

The ostrich fern is native to the east coast of North America, as well as other temperate areas.

Some of the smaller stuff: Chocolate vine or akebia quinata

I was just intrigued by the name.  We saw it along Wagner Road across from the Lalley's driveway, growing over the old wooden fence. The quinata denotes the five leaflets on the compound leaf. The chocolate name comes from the supposed smell of the flowers although this is variable.  Flowers bloom in May, varies with hardiness zone.

There is a sausage shaped pod with an edible pulp but this is also variable.  The fruit appears in late June (Pennsylvania).  It may require more than one vine to fruit. The pulp tastes like cardboard with a sugar coating according to one source.

The vine is used for baskets in Asia.

There is controversy about its invasiveness.  Some compare it to Kudzu, others find it attractive and controllable.  If there were pods already I missed them.

Two red foxes playing on Christmas morning 2013

we have better video of these two foxes playing in the yard over Christmas,but seems to be too much to upload, one is on my facebook page.  They seemed healthy, some concern they were out late in the morning like this.  Confirms the footprints seen in previous post.
Not sure if they are 2 males ,male/female,mother/offspring?  This the start of mating season.

Gopher Turtle at the Rolandvue Annex, Marco Island ,Florida

You can get images of this fellow online, but not with the photographer lying on ant hills in his bike clothes.  They have complex and deep burrows, common here in the"hills" of Marco. The elevation gives them some protection from flooding during hurricane season.  Like our gophers the burrows have second openings, the burrows are shared with other animals.

They are territorial, the males will fight each other.  They try to get leverage underneath each other's shell.  The fight ends when one is turned on his back.  They may be able to right themselves but after waiting a few minutes I usually help the loser out: a moral dilemma. Should nature be allowed to take its course?  He should learn to balance his aggression with some eusociality. Turtles could rule the world.

The Wye Oak,Maryland state tree,close up and personal

Do you remember where you were the stormy night of June sixth,2002?  There are many foresters and park volunteers who still do.  It was the night the 450 year old Wye oak fell in a thunderstorm.  At 31 feet circumference,96 feet height and 119 feet crown it was the national champion oak for some fifty years.  Some branches had been lost, cable supports positioned and the core treated with concrete.  It was known to be top heavy despite pruning but survived until that final storm.

The tree sheltered travelers on the road from Oxford to Philadelphia and school children from the adjoining one-room school house dating from the 1700s. The park around the tree had visitors from every state. It was inducted into The Tree Hall of Fame.

The two descendants on Wagner Road are from acorns.  They would probably have half the genetics of the original Wye oak.  Oak trees tend not to self fertilize (rejecting a form of selfie). How does the female oak flower know which suitor to accept without finishing school? Her wise choice maintains genetic diversity. There are now acorns from the progeny of the Wye maintaining a lineage.  Cloning the Wye oak has also been successful.  Buds from the original tree are grafted to other root stock,keeping 100 percent of the original genes.

The Wye got little recognition until 150-200 years of age when it was known as the Russum Oak, only later to be renamed for nearby Wye Mills.  Revisit our neighborhood tree in 2150.

Making Tracks: fox or dog?

The snow was beginning to melt so the actual foot pattern was not visible.  The line of tracks in the driveway looked purposeful (fox) vs the playful (dog).   This might be a "perfect stepper", placing back foot in the track of the front foot, more the fox.  The fox does use the driveway frequently, also a line of evidence.  The tracks led across the yard into the Lalley's garden.

The deer herd had passed through the side yard.  No organization.

possible, fox tracks,?perfect steps.

tracked to garden

herd of deer through the side yard,
easily leap the fences