Recap, News & Blogs

NatureServe is an environmental web site whose mission is: " to provide the scientific basis for effective conservation action." The is the first Environmental organizations I have added to my list at the bottom of my blog for a while.

Environment has an article on the cost of losing diversity in the environment.

This blog was mentioned in "The Festival of Trees" hosted by Via Negativa. I submitted my posts on Black oak. There are also interesting photos of Bald cypress. My Bald cypress photos were taken outside of its range, but these old growth trees are amazing.

Osage+Orange blog had a nice article on Osage orange.

Creek Along Katy Trail

Creek along the Missouri Katy Trail provided a rest stop for me while riding. One of the reasons I ride a bike is to rest mentally while I exercise physically. Physical activity in nature have a way of putting problems more in perspective. Just as reading and letting God's word bring peace to my soul causes me to relax in Him.

Smooth Sumac in the Fall

Here is some sumac photo taken on 20 Oct 2008

Below is sumac from the same area in the Nov 2007





There was a lot more color last year. Why? It looks like the mowers had cut into the stand of Sumac.


Exodus 15:11
"Who is like You among the gods. O Lord?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?"

Moring Sun on Winding Road

Riding down this road the early morning sun could be seen intermitenly as it struck some trees but misted most. This road was on a north aspect of a hill resulting in a lot of shade.


This view catches the sun just shinning on the yellow tops.


Here I am coming up on some sun.

Shade degrades the beauty of the woods, but it is still there. You just don't get to see it until the conditions change. The clouds above show the pormise of a sunny day.




Jeremiah 31:35
"This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD Almighty is his name:"

Lofty Trees

Today is the election in America. We have been a lofty country. Will we be able to continue to lead the free world?

Isaiah 2:12
"For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning
Against everyone who is proud and lofty
And against everyone who is lifted up,
That he may be abased."

Maple Trees Around the City

Fall Bald Cypress

Bald cypress turning brown in late October. I am going to keep up with these trees to show them losing their leaves.

Katy Trail Tunnel

Metal Tunnel along Katy Trail NE of Clifton. There is not much romance in this tunnel. It reminds me more of a culvert. But it serves its purpose of getting the path under a road. Most of the trail was great but this reminds me that man is directly involved in my enjoyment of nature.

Man's attempts attempts to reach God at times is not nice either. We try our own way and endeavor to please Him with our own rules. God is not looking for people to keep rules but to humblely come to Him and repent.

Luke 5:32
"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

Shag Bark Hickory Fall Color

Deuteronomy 18:10
“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,"

White Mulberry

I went back to the Mulberry to ID it. It was not easy for me to find. I found it on the third attempt. I enjoy walking through these woods but it was interesting to see how hard it was to find this tree.

This leaf might causes me to think this tree is a red Mulberry.


My thinking was this was a Red Mulberry. But it turns out to be a White Mulberry. Why?

Red Mulberry White Mulberry
Leaf hairy beneath Leaf- not harry beneath
even base uneven bases
buds greenish brown dark borders Buds red brown
Bark red brown smooth ridges Bark Yellow brown bark


The uneven base of this leaf might cause me to think this is a Red Mulberry.


Psalm 5:3
"In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch."

River Bottom Woods

Hiking along a stretch of woods by the Missouri river I came across this multi stem Mulberry. I was not sure what kind of Mulberry it was. I later went back looking for the tree and could not find it. I will try again from the same direction I did the first time.


Later on my hike I came across these Silver maples. I do not remember seeing any of these along this stretch of river. There are plenty of Box elder maple to be seen, I was surprised to see these.


Looking down at the river there is a patch of Black willow. This is the only tree sized willow that grows around here. Willow is the only tree growing along this stretch of river. It can withstand more flooding than most trees.

Ezekiel 17:5
" 'He took some of the seed of your land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water,

Urban Fall Color Maples

Tall Paw Paw in Fall Color

Driving on a back road I saw these Paw paw in Fall color. I don't usually see Paw paw this tall. They usually grow under other trees.

Recap, News and Blogs

Body Soul and Spirit blog had a good article on Simplicity. She added quotes and they were great.

Here is an interesting group of ideas on solitude.

Katy Trail and Solitude

I was told about this old rock quarry east of Clifton City. I enjoyed walking around this area. I would like to return.



I ride a bicycle for many reasons. Solitude is one of them.

A man prayed, and at first he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more quiet until in the end he realized that prayer is listening.

Soren Kierkegaard

In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds.

Richard J. Foster

Loneliness is inner emptiness. Solitude is inner fulfillment.

Richard J. Foster


"In the early morning, while it was still dark Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there." Mark 1:35
"But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray." Luke 5:16

Fall Ash Tree

I noticed this tree driving by in the morning at work. The morning sun was on the tree and the color was extra brilliant.

Psalm 72:17
"May his name endure forever;May his name increase as long as the sun shines;And let men bless themselves by him; Let all nations call him blessed."

Fall Colors

Honey Locust Fall Color

Fall Color of Ash Trees

Fall Color of Sugar Maples

I took these photos of Sugar Maples. The small tree on the right I took a close up of the leaves in the photo below.


Again here is a photo above of maple and the leaves of that tree below.