Hoping the Woollly Bears Are Right

We are in the middle of an unseasonable cold snap.  I've sorted through my coats, hats and mittens and brought out the warmest.  The Farmers Almanac is predicting a bad winter.

I prefer to hope the Woolly Bears are right.  

The theory is that the brown stripes correlate to mild winter weather.  The greater the number of brown segments, the milder the winter.  

This year the Woolly Bears have a large number of brown segments, but they are shifted toward the back of the caterpillar.  I'll take colder weather now if it means warmer weather in January!

Witch Hazel

Now that monitoring is over, Ruta, Diane and I were able to enjoy a leisurely walk in the woods this morning.   

The understory was full of blooming Witch Hazel.

Witch Hazel is unique in blooming this time of year.  

Hazelnut and Serviceberry are the other common understory trees at Oak Openings.  

End of Monitoring

The last day of the season out with the plant monitors yesterday was cold and wet.  We went to the Bumpus property as well as the property at the southwest corner of Dorr and Irwin to collect seeds.  The Metroparks use them to repopulate park land that has been cleared.

Last week the frost was on the seedpods of Swamp milkweed.

This photo was taken at the corner of Dorr and Irwin back in September - when the cardinal flower was blooming.