Possum haw

Leaves shape varries narrow to egg shapped. Leaf edges wavy. Leaves don't match my field guides exactly but branch pattern seems obvious.


The twigs are stiff and the buds are pointed.


I found a Possum haw.
Ilex decidua

Also called Deciduous Holly


Here are the photos I had in the winter. I went back and ID'ed the tree with my Tree guide.

It is fun finding trees in the winter, then going back in other seasons and finding them again. It is interesting to see the changes.

Intoxicated birds may be observed after eating the fermented fruit.

The tree or sometimes shrub is also called Deciduous holly.

The tree is easy for me to identify by the branching characteristics.

The tree can withstand some flooding in the formative first few years. It is a good tree for fruit production. Most trees will have some fruit. The fruit will stay on the tree into the winter.

Hollies have only one bundle scar in the leaf scar!

Nature on Youtube

Cyote youtube video

Peregrine Falcon Tribute


Osprey call and video

Turkey Vultures one the Gasconade

Red Tailed Hawk Hunting at Fresh Pond Reservation

Missouri River After High Flood water

Here, some grass is growing where flood waters killed the vegetation earlier in the summer. Cottonwood trees are in the background. They can withstand saturated soil at times.

This photo shows the cracking of the dry soil of the river bed. This area is lower than the first photo.

As always, you can click on the photo for a larger view.

Box Elder Understory

These small stems are box elder maple. The canopy being so dense that no leaves could live below. The large tree in the background is a Cottonwood.

Holly Hocks

Different hollyhocks. We planted hollyhocks in our back yard years ago. For many years they came up as volunteers. These photos were taken in a park near my work.

Deer Browsing

American Sycamore

I twisted the camera to get this picture of this twisted sycamore. An unusual tree looking for light.

Goldenrain Tree

Goldenrain tree
Koelreuteria paniculata

It is as beautiful as the photo above show. The tree was introduced in the US in the 1700's Thomas Jefferson started a tree from seed he received from France on his Monticello estate.

It is native to China, Japan and Korea.

This tree is planted for ornamental in urban areas. It may escape cultavation.

The trunk may easily branch, though this one has not done so.

Fawn Spotted off Trail

Hiking for lunch I spotted this fawn. It was a treat to see it and she wasn't in a hurry to leave.

Flowers

Blackberry Season

Blackberry season is still in front of us. Cool weather and abundance of rain seem to have forestalled the ripening of the blackberries.

Many things may have been hindering our spiritual fruit from coming to maturity. But if you keep at it you will see it come to maturity. So don't give up hope. Keep seeking the Lord and steadfast in the work God has for you.

Hackberry Water Bowl

Here was an unusual growth at the base of a Hackberry.

Pond and Willow

Found this pond along a trail and sure enough there is willow below where the water goes when the pond drains.

Bitternut Hickory Leaves

I see this tree all the time in the off season. The orange/yellow buds are obvious. Here is a low lying example of the leaves.

Moly, my dog, passes underneath.

Flowers

Ohio Buckeye

The flowers, which are tubular attract ruby-throated humming birds.

There is a possibility that this is a Sweet Buckeye and not an Ohio. I am going back to recheck this tree tomorrow to see the difference between the end buds. Sweet has smooth end buds while Ohio has ridged. Sweet Buckeye is not supposed to grow in Missouri.

I checked the end bud and it is stiff making it an Ohio Buckeye.

Weed Flowers:?

Storm Front

7:08 AM May 6th 2007

Missouri River May 9th 2007 Near Flood

Free Ride Down the River

My Friend the Goose

I was taking a lunch break along the Missouri river. I had brought a book along to read and my camera. As I was reading my book I saw this goose out of the corner of my eye. He was swimming along the edge of the river against the stream When I got my camera out to take a picture, he quit paddling and drifted down river to get away.

I went back to my reading. Again the goose proceeded to swim along the edge of the river up stream. I was sitting about 5 feet away from the edge of the river. I saw the goose coming close to me again and I decided not to move till it got right in front of me. By the time I turned the camera on the goose had stopped swimming up stream and floated away from me.

I didn't realize it until I looked at the photos that night, to see a cave swallow flying into the picture. I have in vain tried to take pictures of these birds as they scoot along the edge of the river scooping up bugs. They move too fast for me to get a decent photo. But today by chance I got one.

But I don't believe in chance. It was a gift from God to catch this Cliff swallow along with my friend the goose. Thank you Jesus for giving what I can't achieve on my own.

God is like that. We try in vain to do things to please Him. We are not able to. God gives us the ability, as we cry out to Him. Pray to God for help.

As I left to go back to work my friend the goose was waiting down river from me at the river's edge. I told him, "he was free to swim up the river because I was leaving." And sure enough he did.

Why was the goose acting like that? Was he injured, or was he looking for a lost mate?

Devotion Site

I was riding back from Weston Bend State Park on my bicycle and took an access road from the highway to this field. I stoped and read the Bible and prayed. To the left of the trees is a railroad track and highway.

This farm field is on the Missouri river bottoms. The hills in the background are loess hills.