Tag: tree

I didn’t hear it

On By CarynIn Flora, Fungi

We had a large tree fall in the back woods sometime during the last storms. We didn’t hear it fall, but it must have made a great tearing sound as it cracked and then dragged down a considerable amount of vegetative canopy.

Photo description: tree broken leaving about a 5 foot stump

This was a favorite hiding spot for the outside cats, and once the tree was down I could see why: there was a lovely little cavern in the trunk.

Photo description: cat hiding hole in the fallen part of the tree

The hollow trunk led all the way to the top of the tree, giving an escape route to any critter resting there.

The top branches fell across one of my paths, so I’ll gave to trim that back, but I’ll wait until fall when it is cooler and the chiggers aren’t active. Other than freeing my path, I’ll leave the rest to nature, which is the beauty of the back woods.

Speaking of, this is the remains of the woodpile that the builders left some 10 years ago when they cleared land for the house.

Photo description: old wood pile

Last Thursday I posted a picture of the pile from 8 years ago when it was well above cat height. There is not much left to hide in now.

Bat house

On By CarynIn Wildlife

My bat house is finally up! I was gifted the bat house a number of years ago, but had trouble finding a place near the edge of the woods, 15 feet up with a clear drop, and southern facing. None of our out buildings fit the requirements, and I was not willing to put up a 15 foot post. My eldest learned about bat houses for a project in college and found a good place on an existing tree and installed it.

Photo description: ladder leaning against a very large Post Oak on our property, with a new bat house installed on a sturdy branch
Photo description: view from the meadow looking back into the woods with the bat house installed

Now I watch for… signs of guano?

Throwback Thursday: beaded crochet necklace

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

In May of 2008 I took a picture of a finished necklace for which I really should have tracked my hours. The main element is a beaded crochet tube that winds around wire wrapped cats-eye cabochons. I would work on the tube while my eldest was in preschool or napping, and I believe I could obtain an inch an hour at my fastest. It is very tiny work done with a very small crochet hook using silk thread and Delica seed beads, which are high quality and more uniform and also very small.

Photo description: Statement necklace with variegated blue beaded crochet rope wound around 17 glass cats-eye cabochons wire wrapped with the center cabochon featuring a wire tree

I still marvel at the amount of work that went into to that beaded rope. I strung the beads on the silk thread, then crocheted the rope, waxing the thread as I went. The finished strand feels very nice, has a nice weight and a pleasant feel, but it is truly a work of passion.