Painting ferns..

is sort of a meditation. I drew this one first in pencil, then carefully added the watercolor. Most of my work is much looser than this so it was a good exercise in patience and observation for me. I love ferns, especially in the heat of summer when they seem cool and refreshing in the shadows.

I look forward to doing more of these...after I tackle a few Queen Anne's lace blossoms....

by Mary Richmond, Cape Cod Art and Nature

Leafroller Moth - Pam Johnson Brickell

I had to search back in my journals to see if I could shed some light on Kate's question of what type of insect will roll/fold leaves in here previous post here?

In the low country of South Carolina, I came across a Marsh Fern whose top leaves were rolled into a ball like shape.  I remember asking a naturalist friend of mine what insect would do this.  His reply... "A Leafroller Moth" - I remember thinking how funny. With all the huge scientific and hard to pronounce Latin names out there... how quaint to call a moth by what it does!  Ha Ha!

My insect book, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, says leafrollers are in the family Tortricidae and that there are over 1,100 species in North America!

So, perhaps this is what you found, Kate?

January Low Country Day - Pam Johnson Brickell

It has been such an unusually long, cold winter in the low country that I've not done any plein air journaling in several weeks.  In my semi-frustration with the weather (can't get too frustrated when I see what the rest of the country is experiencing) I decided the bleak winter landscaped must offer something that would spark my interest.  The camera was put into my pocket


We drove the golf cart (sides down of course - the dogs hate the cold) up to the golf course.  Rob headed to the practice green, the dogs and I made our way down to the boardwalk trail.  The swamp is so dismal this time of year.  I beefed up the colors :)

Song birds were flitting about in the wooded area before the swamp.  Titmouse, Carolina Wrens, Cardinals, and very quick Warblers.  I 'pished' for a bit to see if any birds would come in closer but, as good as the dogs were, my feathered friends decided to ignore me.

A little farther down the boardwalk I happened to catch site of a wee bird landing on top of a nearby dead tree.  It climbed around to the back side and as I made my way along the boardwalk I was able to see it quickly duck into a hole.  I never did see the entire bird again.  It was busy making room in its new nest.  I'm thinking it's a Brown-headed Nuthatch but I'll need to visit the trail again to confirm.

I usually see Resurrection Ferns growing on Live Oak branches, but lately I've noticed they will grow in the most amazing places.  Today I saw them on a dead tree that still had some bark left on it.  The bark was moss laden and the fern was starting to dry up.  If I went back today, I'd see it 'resurrected' in full glory.  We've had lots of rain... just what it requires to come back to life.

Maiden

A beauty in my own front yard! blogged at Sandy's MyFiddlestix.blogspot.com