Bishop’s weed or Aegopodium podagraria is a native of Eurasia, also known as ground elder, herb gerard, goutweed, gout wort, and snow-in-the-mountain. Like its cousin, Queen Anne’s Lace, another Eurasian import, (Daucus carota) Bishop’s weed is a perennial and member of the carrot family. Bishop’s Weed was brought to the U.S. as an ornamental ground cover in the late 1800s. It is still very common in Europe and has spread to most of the U.S.

Bishop’s weed has been classed as an invasive weed in a number of states because it is aggressive and pervasive. It has long rhizomes that propagate even if they are ripped out of the ground, as well as numerous small seeds from the flowers. It grows rapidly to height in early spring and summer and stops shorter (native) plants that grow close to the ground from receiving adequate exposure to sunlight, causing them to die. I’e been helping a friend weed a local garden with flowerbeds. A few years ago some donated bulbs came with an extra payload of Bishop’s weed, and it flourished and spread despite aggressive attempts to remove it. Some of these plants are over five feet from rhizome to top.

The post Bishop’s Weed appeared first on Something Downeast.

The Forsythia was stunning this year, but the weather for taking pictures of the Forsythia was less stunning. It was a strange winter, and so far, a strange spring. Lots of rain, lots of over cast skies, and the spring migration of birds was a little behind the usual schedule. That said, the Ruby-throated hummingbirds were back the first week of May, and they seem ravenous and populous.

Though I missed pictures of the Forsythia, here are some magnolias.

Tulip Magnolia

Tulip Magnolia

Star Magnolia

Star Magnolia

The post Spring Blossoms appeared first on Something Downeast.

The fog here is beautiful, and not the same as the Cheshire County N.H. fogs and mists, or the fog from home—though we do get some very dramatic fogs in Puget Sound, especially in late fall and early winter.

At home they call this ground fog. It’s especially common in early evening, when you can see it roll in to cover the ground.

When the fog is thick like this, it lingers for hours, coating windows and flat surfaces with drops of water when the fog leaves

You can get lost in the fog at home, especially on low-lying boggy
areas

I’ve been trying to take pictures of the Maine fog in the early morning and evening, as it winds through the trees. The fog looks like someone has wound gauze ribbon in and out and around the trunks and branches of the trees. I’ve mostly failed to capture the way the fog looks. The fog looks tangible, as if you could reach out and tug on it to move a ribbon.

My friend Heather has done much better in these Bailey Island Lands End photos.

The post Fog appeared first on Something Downeast.

At home, we don’t see icicles that often; frost is more common. It’s often a thick, deep frost that is clearly crystalline in nature, coating solid objects, leaves, and even blades of grass.

Image credit: Mel Sherman

Image credit: Mel Sherman

I’ve been trying to take pictures of icicles in Maine and the way they reflect the light, often displaying an almost iridescent shimmer that I have completely failed to capture. The icicles have been impressive every winter, but this year was particularly remarkable for the extent and frequency of ice coating the bushes and leaves.

The post Icicles appeared first on Something Downeast.

The Portland Press Herald article is pretty clear:

No way around it: Winter storm on track for Sunday will be huge

Most of the snow will be early on Sunday. The prediction is for “10-18 inches of snow at the coast and up to 2 feet inland.” And then c. noon, the snow turns to “wintery mix” otherwise known as snow, sleet and rain. It’s ugly for bird, beast, and Mainer. The icy coating (and cold temps) make foraging difficult, and driving impossible.

I have filled the feeders, and put out fresh suet. And I purchased a 4.5 quart bean pot at Reny’s. I have yet to obtain any beans, but I am working on it.

Today is high is 22F. I still have one more suet cage to fill, and am understandably reluctant to do it. So far the grey squirrels, who are obese and numerous, are less than fond of the Capsaicin-laced suet and hot-sauce coated black-oil Sunflower seeds.

The post Winter Storm appeared first on Something Downeast.