A New Discovery and Additional Surprises

Today turned into quite a day of discovery after Becky e-mailed me a photo of a pitcher plant.  She was in an area of the farm which I rarely wander because it is close to neighbors and I try to keep our dogs from straying onto other properties.  Our farm is 180 acres.  Our dogs should be well satisfied with what our acreage has to offer them.

So, I was quite excited to go out and see these ‘new’ plants. In all my years of living at Mountain Glen, I had never seen these particular pitcher plants.

 

look carefully to see the 'pitcher'

 

the pitcher plants are hiding, in plain view, in this meadow of green

These pitcher plants are on the short side, I am guessing under 12”, and the flower itself is green just like their leaves and just like the foliage of surrounding plants.  Quite frankly, you have to be downright looking for these plants.  And, since I did not know they existed, I was never looking.

After the amazing plant discovery, I decided to walk a section of fence line home.  This particular fence line separates pasture from mature woods.  I am hoping to see and photograph a wood thrush.  I hear plenty of their high pitch notes coming from deep inside the woods, but I want to see them.  This is a goal of mine for this season. 

cedar shrub in fence  line

Unfortunately, I did not catch sight of the wood thrush, but fortunately I did scare up a Northern Cardinal couple from only a foot away from me.  Those two did not fly off. They only flew up into nearby tree branches. I wondered if they had a nest in that cedar shrub I was standing next to.  Sure enough. On closer examination I saw a little brown nest with two what looked to be day-old birds cuddled and sleeping. An unhatched egg also resided in the nest.  Imagine…seeing a cardinal nest with newborns. This is a FIRST for me! I was one lucky person.

As I left the nest area, I continued to follow the fence for a few feet and quickly stopped.  I saw a black and white fuzzy animal and it was not Buddy as he was at my side.  The fuzzy animal raised its head.  No denying, I was feet away from a skunk.  I hate skunks.  If you ever smelled one, you would hate them, too.  The odor is the worst of any I have ever encountered.  I was easing myself backwards when that skunk scurried into a hole under an old, decaying log.  Great.  That skunk has a home only feet from where I pass during my walk daily.  Makes me feel comfortable…not.

Upon reaching home, I caught sight of an indigo bunting perched in the top of one of our ornamental pear trees. He was just sitting there for my enjoyment.   

This day just could not get any better.  It does not need to.  I was happy enough with the discovery of the pitcher plant! The other stuff, as they say, is icing on the cake, the cherry on top…you get the idea. 

Discovery is grand!  

 

I invite all to go and make a discovery of your own. Go on…give it a try. Your psyche will thank you.   

P.S. I forgot to mention that Glenn spied a gobbler in the far pasture this morning – strutting his fan of feathers – impressive, don’t you think?