A Deadly Embrace

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Without a doubt this is the most impressive example of a Bittersweet Vine that I have ever seen and right here in New Ipswich.

A mass of vegetation

 

The Tree didn’t stand a chance

 

Interwoven

 

The vine killed the tree and fungi is cleaning up the body

 

 

Wildlife Pond

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Good morning,

Another view of the wildlife pond at Beaver Brook Association in Hollis, NH.

Beaver Brook Association is comprised of 2,187 acres of forest, fields, and wetlands in Hollis, Brookline, and Milford, New Hampshire. The land lies where the southern transitional forest meets the northern hardwood forest, creating a diverse landscape of interest to the naturalist and the hiker alike. With 35 miles of trails, the area provides a quiet and contemplative setting for daytime excursions. Forest and wildlife management is practiced throughout the property for the purposes of demonstrating sustainable forestry practices and wildlife habitat techniques to protect and encourage a diverse array of native species. BBA also protects significant portions of two watersheds and has designated natural areas that will be left unmanaged in perpetuity. We encourage the public to visit our forest, which is open from dawn to dusk seven days a week, and rediscover the natural world.

 

Lull Farm

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Twenty two days until Spring.  It won’t be long before these apple trees will be in bloom. Photo taken at Lull Farm in Hollis, NH.

February Shadows

 

Pruned

 

A light in the forest

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The ice storm of 2008 decimated many of the white pine trees in New Ipswich, NH. I noticed all these fallen trees at the flood control dam site 35 on my daily walk.

 

Somero Maple Farm

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The Stearns-Burton Lecture Fund hosted a lecture by Peter and Reuben Somero about Maple Sugaring here in New Ipswich. They even provided maple treats for the audience. They explained how the sap is collected, processed and stored. Their farm is located on Poor Farm Road in New Ipswich – Plan to visit during sugaring season (603)878-2025

Sugaring season in February 2010

 

Sweet treats provided at the lecture by Somero Maple Farm

 

Model of an evaporator

 

Many of the Somero family members attended the lecture

 

A succession of tree taps The Somero’s prefer the stainless steel ones for their operation

 

Made in the USA China tried to get into this but the Asian Longhorn Beetle was not going to let that happen Sadly it does exist in our country since 1996, probably hitching a ride on infested wood

 

One is a red maple and one is a sugar maple Still not sure which has smoother edges

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