Charles

Great post. I’ll be out tomorrow with eyes open. Report later.

Until recently, it’s been dry here, but we had a lot of wildflowers. The bad news is the gypsy moth is back and hitting the oaks hard. They come around about every seven year. Last time it coincided with droubt so we lost a lot of oak trees. Hopefully, it’ll rain enough the let the tree regenerate leaves and keep them going.

Best, dwc

The hickory’s started dropping a few days ago. They seem to drop a bunch of small nuts this time of year. I guess they are the defective ones. Then later in the fall the bigger nuts come down.

Our beech trees are loaded this year too. Can’t see the acorns without some bingo’s yet.

We had about a six week dry spell. Then we got some rain. It’ll be in the 90’s this week. Hopefully we’ll get some more rain.

Cherries are looking good as are apple’s. I’ll be sure to look at the beach this weekend.

Mark.

We have had a lot of rain in most of the state of Colorado, his has translated to snow for the higher elevations where they are significantly above average. This has changed some of the migration patterns for elk nearby. While we are are nice and green the tomato plants in the ground are starting to turn yellow on the leaves from to much moisture.

UPDATE: STILL NO TREES IN THE ARCTIC LOL

Good news: Lots of winter snow and rain will mean abundant mast.

Bad News: Abundant mast means deer can be anywhere in the fall!

Good News: Find the Beech trees and you’ll find black bears (usually at higher elevations).

eidsvolling wrote: [quote=john dilts]UPDATE: STILL NO TREES IN THE ARCTIC LOL

Coming soon to a neighbo(u)rhood near you:

The Oaks Are Moving Up

Right back at ya:

http://phys.org/news/2015-04-dna-inherited-biological-traits.html

This article talks about histones which are newly discovered molecules that hitch a ride on dna and affect how characteristics are passed down. In effect, it explains how rapid chance can occur from one generation to the next.

There was a study done on Africans recently that showed traits related to surviving starvation are passed down immediately to the next generation. It took the discovery of these histones to explain it.

Maybe the Oaks have more histones than other trees…

Just to update the cherry situation, best I have ever had, those overhanging my neighbors fence are even sweeter:D

Lots of zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers…

Corn and hay growing well at Farmer Jim’s. Went for a walk with Arwen last night, we stalked (and killed ) several hay bales, had a chat with a porkey pine (“He would be cute and cuddley, without the spines.” “He’s dirty and he smells.”) and Jim had to show us all of his berries. Haven’t been to any orchards yet, and not about to climb the oak trees.

One of the skunks (one of the kids, not Mamma) visited us at the campfire last night, just to say hello, then scoot under the barn. And a hummingbird, again just to say hello.

Using vacatin days to take friday’s off this summer, and after Social Security will allow me to continue working just 4 days a week. HooooooooooWeeeeeeeee Made it here while I can still do enough to enjoy (as opposed to being next door in the nursing home, or being wheeled out of there in one of the ambulances that goes away real slooooooow).:D

Farmer Jim and I noticed the hickory nuts this morning. He said he’s never seen so many, and that a big crop of hickories means lots of snow this winter. He also made the comment that if we have another winter like last winter, a lot of people will leave. Thus, we are both hoping for a big hickory crop and lots of snow. 😀 Dixie may get crowded.

Same here for hazel nuts.

Walking home last evening with the dogs and noticed that there is a lot of fresh growth on the oaks, don’t know if this is significant of anything to come, maybe farmer Jim is right and we need to start hording.

Mark.

Not sure if Walnuts are an important sign, but our new property has 7 very old/healthy walnut tres and they have a TON on nuts!

The apple and pear trees are doing real well too! Lots of deer signs at the fruit trees already!8)

We have acorns. Don’t know what tiny little acorns in July means, but we have a few under the trees.