Fall is in the air

 I have been out in nature the past 10 days observing the signs of fall.  I am using my senses when out in nature to be more observant and aware of my surroundings.  I feel more presence in my life when I am observing and being a part of the nature around me.

I saw the light change in the past week or two from summer light to fall light?   Have you noticed it?

I saw the change in the light.  The light is lower in the sky, getting light later in the morning and getting  dark earlier in the evening.  The light comes through the trees lower and with a richer golden color.

I saw a few leaves change, like the red maple tree picture in this post as well as the blush of the dogwood starting.  This is just the start of fall color change that usually does begin this time of year.

I saw acorns on the ground and walnuts falling out of walnut trees.

I saw fall wildflowers in full bloom with bees working the flowers for their honey.

I saw sunsets that made me tear up with joy over the blue mountains of the Appalachian range.

I heard the sound of leaves falling in the wind and the sound of falling walnuts and acorns.

I smelled, the rich balsam smell of fir trees in the forest as walked.  I smelled the earthy smell of the deep soil of the forest floor covered in moss and lichens and ferns and mushrooms and fallen trees from many years past.

I felt the cold chill of early autumn air.  And I felt the wind on my face, and the sun on my skin.  I felt the soft floor of the forest floor, softened by many years of leaves and moss.

I tasted the air as I breathed it in.  Amazing, clean, pure air.  It tasted whole and like how air is meant to taste.

I was in Greyson Highlands State Park in Virginia and Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee.  I hiked on the AT in Virginia and Tennessee.  A most beautiful fall is starting.

For those of you reading this, get outside and be present with nature observing with all of your senses. As you do, perhaps you can write down what you experienced.  

If you would like to share, please share with me or a friend or family member.  

I will make a point to write more frequently here.  I will be outside daily making my phenology observations and sharing when I can.

Look back here for more info on my phenology project and what exactly is phenology.  I will share where I record my observations and my phenology trail at Priddy Woods.  

Here is a very interesting and education link to the USA National Phenology Network.

Phenology Network

Until next time,

Becky Priddy 

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Carolina Hemlock - Tsuga caroliniana

Pinaceae - Pine Family
"A Year With the Trees" - Tree Number 76
Carolina Hemlock Tree
Tsuga caroliniana

Spring

The Carolina Hemlock

This tree lives at the Asheville Botanical Gardens.  https://ashevillebotanicalgardens.org/
The Carolina Hemlock splays her needles all around the twig; this is the way to distinguish it from the Eastern Hemlock, which lays his needles flat on top, like a blanket.

Summer

Carolina Hemlock that has the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid living on it.

New spring growth on another Carolina Hemlock that does not have the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid living in it's branches.  

The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is living on this Carolina Hemlock.  The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is native to Asia and came to the Southern Appalachians in the 1950's.  This adelgid lives and breeds unchecked as this species has no predator in this part of the world.  The adelgid is sucking the sap out of the hemlock trees and causing them to die.  You can tell when a Hemlock has an infestation of the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid for it has white patches of a wooly substance which is actually what the Adelgid wraps their eggs in.

There is research going on in how to stop this infestation.  There are different methods being used and studied.  You can read more at https://savehemlocksnc.org/

Fall 

The Carolina Hemlock

This Carolina Hemlock lives at the Asheville Botanical Gardens. ashevillebotanicalgardens.org.

The location of this Carolina Hemlock is interesting for it is very close to a Tsuga Canadensis. Because they are so close it is easy to see the difference in the two species. The biggest difference I could see was in the size of the needles, cones, and twigs. In comparing these two trees, the Carolina Hemlock had the largest needles and cones; although there was not a great deal of difference, it was noticeable. The Eastern Hemlock twigs were slightly thicker and the sprays of needles appear to be flatter on the Eastern Hemlock and more all around the twig on the Carolina Hemlock.

Winter

This tree only lives in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. I visited this tree at the Asheville Botanical Gardens.  www.ashevillebotanicalgardens.org

The Champion Carolina Hemlock Tree

The American Forest National Champion Carolina Hemlock Tree lives in Buncombe County, North Carolina.  It is 74 feet tall and has a circumference of 128 inches.
http://www.americanforests.org/big-trees/carolina-hemlock-tsuga-caroliniana-2/

I hope to find this tree and photograph and draw it.  Check back for that soon.

My favorite Carolina Hemlock Tree

My favorite Carolina Hemlock lives at the Botanical Gardens of Asheville.

For the love of the trees,
Becky

from my journal....