Things I will miss... Tree ID Walks with the Hartford Tree Board

This is one majestic White Oak! My picture does not do it justice really...

The Hartford Tree Board hosts Tree ID walks a few times a year. These are a casual walk around a specific location, stopping to have a look at each tree on that days agenda. They show us not only how to identify the trees by leaves, form, bark, branching -- I am not a fan of acronyms in general, but, this is one I remember (and like) from my college dendrology class... MAD CapHorse. It stands for Maple-Ash-Dogwood-Caprifoliacea(family)-Horsechestnut. All of these woody plants have opposite branching. So if you are standing in front of a tree you don't know, look at the branches do the leaves come out opposite each other? If they do, more than likely you are looking at one of the above named species. -- The tree board folks also share interesting historical facts and anecdotes about the species we are looking at. They prepare a little booklet for us to take notes, and take home.

My first Tree ID walk with them was way back after covid had struck and zooming had taken over my social life. It was such a joy then to be out and about 'in real life', looking at trees with other like minded human beings.

I have tried to attend every gathering since that first one - missed a few when I injured my knee - and they have all been informative and very enjoyable.

Saturday was no exception. Beautiful day. Amazing trees. Good information. Lovely people.

Thank you Hartford VT Tree Board!

I will miss you!

🍁🌳🍃🌲🍂

What does a Tree Board do?

The Tree Board is a group of people, lead by the town tree warden whose mission it is to plant and maintain public trees and advocate for community tree stewardship.

Do all towns have a Tree Board?

No, but it would be a benefit to the trees and the community if they could!

Does your town have a Tree Board? Please let me know in the comments below!

Fall is in the Air...

...and a little bit of smoke, from Canada, too.

In general I like the smell of woodsmoke but have to admit that it has made the air heavy and given me a headache. The fine particulate has wreaked havoc with more than my lungs. My 'smart' phone has decided the charging port has moisture in it and keeps notifying me of the situation in a very irratating way... if anyone knows how to fix that alarm, please let me know. I have cleared the USB cache multiple times. And, just to be clear, the phone has been nowhere near actual water.

Yet, these minor inconveniences pale in comparison to what folks in Canada and the US have endured (and lost) from the devastating wildfires currently raging.

EDIT: Here's a map of current wildfires as of Sunday 8/18/2024 at 2pm:

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/usfs/map/#t:tsd;d:today;@-85.1,45.6,4.0z

and a direct link to the website if you want to check it out for yourself.

My heart is heavy for the loss of forests, and homes and lives human and non human. And full of gratitude for those fighting the fires.

Okay. That said. It has been a very, very long time since I've posted an update, so that is what i'm mainly here to do.

When I worked at the US Forest Service one of my co-workers always said  August 12 was the beginning of fall. I have to agree with Art. I pass by this tree nearly everyday and it started its leaf senescence a couple weeks ago. I try desperately to notice the subtle changes in the fall, as I do when the flowers and leaves are emerging in the spring... I am paying attention... paying attention... paying attention... and then suddenly, one day the process is complete and I am left wondering when it happened.

Yes, fall is in the air, and that means some of my absolute favorite willow weaving and basketmaking demonstration events are coming up in the next couple months, starting with the Tunbridge Worlds Fair September 12-15, the Forest Festival in Woodstock, VT September 21, Sculptural Visions at St Gaudens in Cornish, NH September 28 and finally the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival in Tunbridge October 5-6.

So, I'm starting to think about what I'll do at these events, and, in the meantime finishing up a few WIP baskets to take along...

And, even though there is more news pending, I'll leave it at that for this moment and get on with all there is to do.

Here are a few final pictures that are a reminder that fall is just around the corner. Please get out and enjoy it!

   

love,

susie