Hi River Roaders,

The photos I post to the blog are usually taken the month before the blog is published. This month is an exception. I took these photos in late December/early January, right before the snow storm we had on January 4. This month we’ll take a look at fruits, seeds, and other life that remains into the winter.

Fruits on our red chokeberry located along our front path. The berries are a good winter food source for birds.

A semi-evergreen sedge in Springsview Garden.

The hawthorn/crab apple in Springsview Garden was covered with fruits in early January, but they were all gone the day after the big snow we had, presumably eaten by birds.

Some of our native wildflowers have basal rosettes, such as this cardinal flower in Springsview Garden. These close to the ground leaf structures continue to gather energy through the winter.

The seeds of our many wingstem plants are a favorite food for goldfinch.

Winter jasmine in bloom on the retaining wall by the Fellowship Hall. These are typically the first (maybe last?) plants to bloom in our garden.

Oyster mushrooms like the many decaying tulip tree logs on our property.

The seeds from the American beech in the center of the circle in the Memorial Garden.

Whitetail deer are very common on our grounds, although I’m seeing fewer than in the last two years.

If you get outside this month, you should see signs of spring everywhere.

Joe