Saturday, August 8, 2020

Sweet Pepper

While the yellow warbler's "sweet, sweet, sweet,  I'm so sweet"  is a sign of June and July,  the smell of the sweet pepper,  Clethra Alnifolia is the sign of August for me.  The sweet pepper is now out in force,  and the scent is my favorite Nantucket scent,  bar none.  Charlie and I took a walk at Norwood Farm today, August 8,  and reveled in the aroma.   Another treat was seeing a stand of the  white fringed Spiranthes orchid,  Ladies Tresses.  The bird highlight was a merlin being chased by a kingbird.


Been waking up early to see the sunrise and kayak at Polpis Harbor.  So many shorebirds!  Always common terns and oystercatchers, yellow legs and willets,  but short-billed dowitchers and whimbrels, too.  And the fun of discovering a wild Turk's Cap Lily on the Land Bank walk to Swainsen's Neck.


Ladies Tresses Orchid,  Spiranthes tuberosa

Pout Ponds... August water level

Checkerspot on Sickle-Leaved golden aster, Chrysopsis Falcata

Signs that fall will come



Sweet Pepper,  Clethra Alnifolia

Swamp Willow Herb at Squam Farm, August 4. Decodon Verticillatus

Wild Turk's Cap lily, Lilium Superbum at Polpis

Sea Lavender is out!  Polpis Harbor August 4.  Limonium Carolinanum



Water Pennywort, Hydrocotyle umbellata, at Pout Pond August 7


Monarch on Verbena Bonariensis in our garden, July 27

St. Andrew's Cross, Ascyrum Hypericoides,  mats all over Norwood Farm





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