Trees

I had plans to make a day trip today to see the tundra swans in southern Minnesota. Sick kid = equals cancelled plans. Oh well, we're having some pretty heavy thunderstorms right now which makes for a nice day to snuggle up with coffee and a book (and a laptop!). It also gives me a chance to fuss over sick kid a little bit. We all need to be fussed over from time to time. I'm really surprised that I'm not more disappointed about cancelling my plans. It seems the older I get, the more I'm able to take things in stride. Or maybe I'm just too tired to give a rip...

I'm hoping to drive up to Hasty Brook this week end. We haven't been up there since the middle of October when we brought the camper home. I saw several woodpecker species on that visit. There are many dead trees, mostly missing tops that support woodpeckers. There are pileated woodpecker cavities everywhere and I was lucky to see one this day. The birch snag on the right has a flicker cavity that was busy all summer.

Sapsuckers make this characteristic pattern around tree trunks. These trees seemed healthy, but I wonder if the drilling causes any damage. Hairy and downy woodpeckers are common in the woods at Hasty. They seem fearless and often follow me on my walks.
On an earlier post I mentioned that I thought I had found wild hops growing along the creek. Here I found them dried, twined through the branches of a little tree. I need to do some more research- I'm not sure if we have wild hops here.
There are many large tree stumps throughout the woods. I assume they are left from the last time the land was logged. I love this fuzzy one, covered with life, taking it back down into the earth. I looks like a heart to me.


I just heard a weather report. We're on the edge of a cold front and it seems the rain is turning to snow in southeastern Minnesota. I'm glad I'm home with sick kid. The tundra swans can wait.