Tag: henbit

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04/04/2023 day two of Boiling Springs State Park

The world’s most cooperative Falcate Orangetip butterfly! Feeding at a dandelion here and we also saw it on henbit and speedwell.
The tree with some green is an elm and the pod tree is a catalpa!
This grass was everywhere. Mom says not coastal Bermuda, but otherwise we’re not sure.
The River Trail was full of old and fallen and standing cottonwood trees. I liked the pattern on this barkless log.
Dad spotted this well-camouflaged Buprestidae beetle! I used my macro Moment lens on the phone camera to admire its nice punctate (the dimples) elytra (the hard wing covers).
There were also quite a few Kentucky Coffee Trees with their distinctive seed pods. Mom hadn’t seen them before so we looked it up and they’re not in Texas much.
Briar dog for scale on a bridge over the small springfed creek with a big, big cottonwood tree in the background.
I liked this tree’s bark!
The Civilian Conservation Core pump house near the spring’s source. Briar hopes it has air conditioning???
We didn’t go in the pump house but continued in the visitor center area (everything here was paved and accessible) to see the very channeled spring creek.
Briar did find the cool flagstones in the shade to be acceptable. the “boiling” sand is in the fenced area. Mom will be blogging it eventually so look at her site for video coming in the next week or so!
Mom spotted our second ever Olympia Marble butterfly! It was fast and flighty. It was mostly feeding on henbit flowers in the lawn area behind the visitor center.
On our walk back we saw this beaver-gnawed tree. The park office person told us the beaver had recently moved and she didn’t know where to, so we showed her yesterday’s beaver den and she agreed that was probably it! We have been listening to a great book about beavers lately called “Eager” by Ben Goldfarb. I recommend it so far!
Briar looks out over more CCC work- the stone edged bridge.
Now this afternoon and evening we’re hunkered down in a big dust storm! Glad we walked this morning and early afternoon when the sky was still blue.
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Everything is growing!

Spring is really springing today. It’s very humid and warm too though no substantial rain yet despite forecast.

Widow sedum is growing a lot since I put seedlings here in fall.
Possibly dill seedlings.
Blackberry is leafing out.
Red lake currant is budding.
Pink champagne currant budding too. 
Native “Crandall” currant budding.  I just got it this winter.
Native field violet or “johnny jump up” (Viola bicolor I think) is blooming in front yard near non-native chickweed (white flower) and non-native henbit (between the chickweed and the violet).
Spinach is a bit chewed on.
I don’t know when the lettuce grew this size but it feels sudden.
“Rhubarb” Swiss chard (named for red stems).
New Kuroda carrot.  The other two carrot varieties are also up.  I put jars over these first few in case bunnies like them like they like the mizuna and bok choy.  Mustard greens untouched.
Radishes getting adult leaves.
Collard greens from Judy sprouting.
In the plant window, mammolo (green ones) and red rubin (red ones) basil have been up a few days now.