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Sharon Whitehurst: What winter reveals in nature

Click on headline for story + 18 photos

By Sharon Whitehurst

I'm a great believer in the benefits of getting outdoors on milder winter days, getting "aired out."

By mid-winter our eyes long for the green grass and leaves of spring and the reappearance of flowers in all their lovely colors.

There is beauty of a more subtle kind in the muted shades and textures of mid-winter. Sometimes there are surprises. During the summer I wasn't aware of a bird family inhabiting the tiny nest in the shrub that grows close to the west wall of the house.

List of photos in order as they appear below:



  • Goldenrod, gone to fluffy seed
  • Red berries on spindly bushes in a corner of the garden. I can't name the shrubs, but have noted the birds are not much interested in the fruit
  • Cones littering the ground under the magnolia tree
  • Bole of a maple tree in the dooryard. Haskell Rogers told us he transplanted most of the dooryard trees from the woods when he came here in 1982
  • Bird's nest tucked into a shrub. Note the shreds of plastic incorporated into the nest
  • Dried seed pods of honeysuckle vine
  • Dead cedar on the back fence line
  • Apple tree branch, much pock-marked
  • Oak leaves, brown and leathery, with acorn caps
  • Lichen cups on a fallen branch
  • Moss at the base of an old apple tree
  • Velvety leaves of culinary sage
  • Hibiscus seed pods
  • A cluster of seed pods dangling from the trumpet vine
  • The last 4 photos are of lichens growing on the old apple trees
I believe these trees were growing here before the older house was torn down. They have a look of antiquity.

I've been hoping someone in the area might have a photo of the older house. Prior to Haskell Roger's marriage to Jerry Baker Moss, this place was known as the J. P. Moss farm.

Could anyone come forward with prior history? -Sharon Whitehurst


This story was posted on 2011-01-09 11:16:34
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What winter reveals in Goldenrod



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Goldenrod, gone to fluffy seed

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What winter reveals on spindly bushes in corner of garden



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Red berries on spindly bushes in a corner of the garden. I can't name the shrubs, but have noted the birds are not much interested in the fruit. -Sharon Whitehurst

Read More... | Comments? | Click here to share, print, or bookmark this photo.



What winter reveals under magnolias



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Cones littering the ground under the magnolia tree -Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals in maple tree in dooryard



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Bole of a maple tree in the dooryard. Haskell Rogers told us he transplanted most of the dooryard trees from the woods when he came here in 1982 -Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals: Bird's nest, heretofore hidden



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Bird's nest tucked into a shrub. Note the shreds of plastic incorporated into the nest. -Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals in honeysuckle vine



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Dried seed pods of honeysuckle vine. -Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals in dead cedar



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Dead cedar on the back fence line. -Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals in apple tree branch



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Apple tree branch, much pock-marked.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about oak leaves



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Oak leaves, brown and leathery, with acorn caps.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about lichen



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Lichen cups on a fallen branch.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about moss



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Moss at the base of an old apple tree.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about culinary sage



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Velvety leaves of culinary sage.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about Hibiscus



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Hibiscus seed pods.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about lichens on apple tree - 1



2011-01-09 . What winter reveals about lichens on apple tree - 2Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Lichen growing on the old apple tree.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about lichens on apple tree - 2



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Lichen growing on the old apple tree.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about lichens on apple tree - 3



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Lichen growing on the old apple tree.-Sharon Whitehurst

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What winter reveals about lichens on apple tree - 4



2011-01-09 . Gradyville, KY. Photo by Sharon Whitehurst
Lichen growing on the old apple tree.-Sharon Whitehurst

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