The Cleanest Line – Patagonia Blog

If you like the outdoor gear gurus at Patagonia as much as I do, you’re going to dig their new blog.

Check out “The Cleanest Line,” which, according to their front page, is a ‘Weblog for the employees, friends and customers of the outdoor clothing company Patagonia.’

At The Cleanest Line you’ll find news and information about current environmental issues, products and gear, and outdoor activities across the rainbow. Check it out, and let us know what you think!

PS - Just had to give you another picture of that beautiful Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) in bloom!

PPS - I'm updating some of last spring's posts with tags (labels), so those of you that use readers will see some of those push through - I hope you don't mind.

And for those of you who noticed that pesky Garlic mustard (Xris), I'll be sharing more later in the season about some of the invasive species that positively love my yard.

Le Printemps est Arrivé!

Spring has definitely arrived, but I smell snow in the air this morning!

Star Magnolia Tree

Another beauty here at the farm is a young star magnolia tree, Magnolia stellata. I’ve never seen one before now, but I am already in love! It smells so sweet and heavenly, and I love its surprise – I thought this was some strange sort of pussy willow when the buds first began to swell. Today it is in full bloom, and most certainly a magnolia!

I first fell in love with magnolias as KAD’s birth tree is the saucer magnolia. Artist Gil Rondan has recently posted a beautiful image of a saucer magnolia in full bloom at his photography blog Native Eye. With all the warm weather around here, there are many more tree blossoms in our near future!

New information has come to light

Today’s new moon and solar eclipse have already turned things on their head around my home. Expect the unexpected, for along with these two events, today also sends Pluto retrograde until September. For those interested in astrology, this means it’s time for reflection and introspection

When we look back on the past with fresh information from the present, things often look different. While chatting with my landlady the other day, I learned that many of the large, beautiful trees around the farm with which I have been smitten are Black Walnuts. Those nuts I’ve been wondering about are walnuts covered in a spongy husk.

According to my landlady, these Black Walnuts are as toxic as they are beautiful. She has learned that when a Black Walnut springs up, other trees around it have a tendency to die. This phenomenon is referred to as allelopathy, and is easily visible around the farm: most of these trees stand in a stately and solitary fashion.

While Black Walnut might not play well with other plants, it does offer a food source for squirrels, deer, and other creatures, and a habitat for many birds and rodents (including the screech owl). It’s a gorgeous tree, one of my first new loves of Pennsylvania. Below is a list looking back over the last couple months at some of the pictures I’ve shared with you that include the Black Walnut.

Thursday, January 19, 2006 Exploring [first image foreground]

Thursday, January 26, 2006 New Friends

Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Chasing the Sunrise [second image]

Monday, March 06, 2006 Perspective

Tuesday, March 07, 2006 Half full [second image]

Friday, March 24, 2006 Curves and Curls [fifth image]

In addition to all this new information, I have something else which will aid in our exploration of the Pennsylvania flora: The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region; Elbert L. Little.

Now you want to hear the REALLY cool part?

This book was a gift from one of PAL’s colleagues, who happened to come upon it while cleaning out a garage with his father. He remembered that PAL and I happen to like all that crazy outdoors stuff.

But the SUPER cool part has to do with this blog entry:

Saturday, March 18, 2006 Trees I have loved.

I came upon this blog entry quite by accident just a few days ago. I was using the blogger search tool to see how my tree blog ranks in some simple searches, and this entry came up. I don’t know anything else about her blog besides this entry, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

If you choose to read it you will find that roughly midway through her post, she mentions her “Field Guide to North American Trees (Eastern Region)…. the brown tree guide is copyrighted 1985.” When I read this, I thought to myself, “Wow, I wish I had that book!! That would be perfect for Arboreality!”

Lo, and behold: the brown tree guide.

Armed with this new information, we shall go forth and give names to trees, common and scientific alike. As to the giver of this treasure: “these buds are for you!”...

PS – For those who recognize this tree from my Happy Vernal Equinox post, as it turns out it is NOT a pussy willow – it’s a magnolia, and those blossoms smell deliciously delicate and sweet.

Happy Vernal Equinox!

Greetings everyone, and a happy spring to you! This morning I have snow flurries falling outside my window... but with the daffodils continuing to bloom, I know that springtime has truly arrived. Have a wonderful day!

PS - For all my southern-hemisphere Arborealists, a Happy Autumnal Equinox to you! Autumn is my favorite season, and I hope that you all enjoy yours! Whatever the season, today marks a great celestial turning point.