Where the Wild Things Are

If you've read any children's literature in the past three decades, you may have thought this post is about Maurice Sendak's excellent book, Where the Wild Things Are. But that was just my hook to lure you in. I actually want to give you a glimpse of the interesting wild inhabitants on the land surrounding our home.

Eighteen months ago, we had our pine timber cut. This land had not been harvested in the 30+ years we have lived here, but amid the tangle of vines and smaller deciduous trees, many tall pines had arisen from a clear-cut at least 50 years ago.

We had our timbermen leave selected areas undisturbed to preserve some of the natural beauty. I also knew that native plants would quickly begin to reclaim their territory, the natural process that scientists call "succession."

The pictures below provide just a sampling of the little miracles we have observed around and about. Both plants and animals are thriving, but the landscape has certainly changed.

The patch of bracken fern below is no longer shaded by scrub oaks. The ferns now dominate a once barren knoll.
A variety of wildflowers, most of which I cannot identify, are tucked here and there.

A new growth of fast-growing trees such as poplar (below) and maple is already being established.

Sharing the knoll with the ferns is a wide swath of alder which extends down to our stream.

The alder attracted a wide variety of "Nature's Pollination Squad." Can you spot the bumblebee on this alder flower?

It will be harder to spot the black wasp in the center of this oak.

There is a butterfly in the center of this photo, but the image is not clear. Sadly, but understandably, most of my subjects didn't care if I got a good picture or not. Publicity is not their game.

This green dragonfly is one of the few who cooperated by moving onto a contrasting background (and remaining motionless briefly). It is thus deserving of its 15 seconds of fame.

I am convinced that, left unchecked, winged sumac is the plant that would take over the cleared terrain. It is as efficient as kudzu (which I do not have). Fortunately, it is easily uprooted, so I could keep my "logging road" for firewood reasonably cleared by going over it every few weeks.

The next two pictures demonstrate how sumac spreads through an irrepressible network of shallow roots.

These sumacs will be beautifully colorful in a few short weeks and I can't wait to survey the landscape. An old Camp Cherokee friend told me how scouts made a weak homemade lemonade from the berries of winged sumac. Haven't tried it myself, but we have no shortage of the main ingredient.

Other wildflowers have proliferated, and we expect to see different ones in the coming weeks.

I hope a lot more of this one appears!

Only the tiny red fruit helps you spot this hog-apple bush.

This picture is not about the grapevines. Can you find our little friend?

Here he (or she) is. Shy. An Eastern Box Turtle.

We found the turtle near our century-old pear trees, which are heavily loaded for the second straight year. You can see the silhouettes of a few here. Judy picks them twice each day to keep the deer from getting them all. But they take a bite out of every one they see. Just one bite.

As you can see, we find a wide variety of plants and animals. The deer tracks tell us they are frequent visitors, though only occasionally seen. As summer segues into fall, we're eager to see what new plants, animals-and friends- appear! One thing I know: Judy's pecan-pear muffins, pear cobblers, and other fall delights attract friends.