Monthly Archives: August 2013

Spud in the mud

Posted on August 31, 2013 by parkpathwalker

Not sure I’ve seen this plant before, but I think it’s Apios americana, also called Groundnut — or better still — Potato bean. Apparently it produces both edible pods and tubers. This vine was growing in a damp area by … Continue reading →

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Floral stranglehold

Posted on August 30, 2013 by parkpathwalker

The orange parasitic pasta vine first noticed at the beginning of the month is now in bloom. In what could be seen as a Dada-esque move, it adorns its host plant with incongruously sweet little flowers while continuing to draw … Continue reading →

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Soggy Bottom Boy (or Girl)

Posted on August 29, 2013 by parkpathwalker

I may have startled this little guy into the water, since I heard a frog-sized splash not long before taking this. Looks like a northern green frog (Rana clamitans melanota). I like its big ball-bearing eyes and trendy leopard-skin tights.

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Dayflower power

Posted on August 28, 2013 by parkpathwalker

One person’s invasive weed is another’s beautiful blue wildflower, an Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis) in this case. A ubiquitous and annoying annual to some, it can be transformed into something more majestic by just focusing on one bloom at a … Continue reading →

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Geodesic fruit

Posted on August 27, 2013 by parkpathwalker

A spiky red fruit, which I think is of a Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa), is war and peace in micro. From a passive point of view, it might resemble a soft geodesic sphere (or even a crunchberry). From a more … Continue reading →

Posted in Berries, Nuts, Seeds, Pods, & Other Fruits, Flora, Joe Palaia Park, Trees & Shrubs | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Veiled threat

Posted on August 25, 2013 by parkpathwalker

Just happened to be looking in the right place at the right time to notice this stealth individual. Well hidden among the leaves, it registers as both creepy and elegant while seeking its breakfast of other bugs. It may be … Continue reading →

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Striking gold

Posted on August 24, 2013 by parkpathwalker

Couldn’t help but think of Carl Sagan’s “billions and billions of stars” when taking a closer look at this goldenrod (Solidago), which was growing not far from the cattails. Its yellow rays blazed even brighter against the backdrop of a … Continue reading →

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Park Ness Monster

Posted on August 22, 2013 by parkpathwalker

This small tree limb was in one of the grassy areas in the middle of the park, looking for all the world like a dragon-headed serpent — something like Manda — sliding through a grassgreen sea.

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Polychromatic planetoids

Posted on August 20, 2013 by parkpathwalker

This Porcelain berry vine (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) creates a multicolored microgalaxy all its own, with shiny tinted orbs suspended in space. These were growing along the marshy area of the park.

Posted in Berries, Nuts, Seeds, Pods, & Other Fruits, Flora, Joe Palaia Park, Vines, Grasses, & Weeds | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Imitation of Life

Posted on August 18, 2013 by parkpathwalker

Perhaps not quite up to the ‘grand impersonator’ level of the Lyrebird (see video link below), the Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is still a very talented imitator of life. This one had nice stage presence near the top of a … Continue reading →

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