Native Trees of McLean
Many of us want to plant native trees for their beauty and the benefits they offer for humans, wildlife, and the ecosystem. But how do we...
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- Nov 7, 2023
- 4 min
Streambank Restoration
This is a streambank erosion story with a happy ending, at least so far. Many years ago, the stream that runs through the bottom of my...
- Mar 20, 2023
- 3 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Spring Equinox 2023
It is the beginning...the very beginning of spring. Today, night and day are equal, and days will get progressively longer until June's...
- Dec 21, 2022
- 3 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Winter Solstice 2022
Today is winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year, and the time when the sun is at its lowest elevation in the...
- Nov 28, 2022
- 4 min
Native Tea Blends!
We focus so much on the benefits of native plants for pollinators and wildlife but tend to neglect how humans can enjoy and benefit from...
- Sep 22, 2022
- 2 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Fall Equinox 2022
The Fall Equinox is upon us, bringing with it shorter days, longer nights, and cooler air. It's one of two times in a year when day and...
- Jun 27, 2022
- 3 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Summer Solstice 2022
June brings the longest days, the hot sun, and the true arrival of summer. In the Pimmit Run Stream Valley, June expresses itself with an...
- May 18, 2022
- 5 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: The Newness of May (2022 Revisited)
May is an amazing month in the forest. Over the course of a few weeks, the forest floor becomes completely transformed by new growth....
- May 15, 2022
- 3 min
Foraging Along Pimmit Run: Craving Cleavers
This time of year, when life is bursting from the ground with such abundance and gusto, one may wonder how to take it all in. The...
- Apr 16, 2022
- 5 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: The Natural Plant Communities - Revisited
(The original version of this blog, posted in late winter 2021, has been updated with some historical background due to increased...
- Apr 11, 2022
- 3 min
Foraging Along Pimmit Run: Fiddleheads!
Matteuccia struthiopteris, our native Ostrich Fern, is a fantastic addition to the natural or cultivated garden and, for a brief time...
- Apr 4, 2022
- 3 min
Foraging along Pimmit Run: Virtuous Violets
“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows” - From Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act...
- Feb 7, 2022
- 3 min
Foraging Along Pimmit Run: Harvesting Witch Hazel
Our native Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a fabulous small native tree that is not just pretty to look at! In addition to its...
- Dec 24, 2021
- 2 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: The Silence of Winter
Its been almost a full year since this nature journey along Pimmit Run Stream Valley Trail began, and now the cycle of life is about to...
- Nov 22, 2021
- 3 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: The Colors of Fall
Following almost a year of looking down at the forest floor, in November, the place to look is up. Leaves are now the stars of the stream...
- Oct 21, 2021
- 4 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Turning Leaves
It's mid-October. Not quite peak foliage season yet, but cooler weather has arrived and the leaves have begun to turn. There is not a lot...
- Sep 20, 2021
- 5 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Falling into Fall
It's mid-September, and, while still pretty hot, we are in the midst of an unmistakable change in the seasons. There are fewer...
- Aug 12, 2021
- 4 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Late Summer
August brings subtle signs of the approaching fall, along with noteworthy gems that brighten up the forest. Signs of fall include spider...
- Jul 21, 2021
- 4 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Midsummer Part II
Mid-July brings many jewels and curiosities to the forest floor. including Selfheal and Ghost Pipe, to name a few. And with so many...
- Jul 3, 2021
- 4 min
A Year in the Life of Pimmit Run: Midsummer, Part I
It is now early July, forbs are flowering, and the forest floor is full. There is more going on than can be captured in a single summer...
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