Climbing Bittersweet

Celastrus scandens Climbing Bittersweet

AKA:  American Bittersweet, Bittersweet.  Well-drained soils and woodlands, it is a sturdy perennial vine  It sometimes kills saplings by restricting further growth.  It helps create a colorful table centerpiece.   

Celastrus scandens Climbing Bittersweet

Colorful orange fruits are the size of a pea and poisonous to humans when ingested.  It is native to central and Eastern North America.

Celastrus scandens Climbing Bittersweet

This time of year, the fruit starts to ripen and split open.

Celastrus scandens Climbing Bittersweet

 Inside, you can see the seeds.

Thanks to Gorman Nature Center for the opportunity to capture these images.  Thanks to Wikipedia for the information provided. 

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Common Milkweed

Common Milkweed With Large Milkweed Bug Nymphs

I planted the seed of the milkweed I brought home last year?  Not last year, I think it may have been 10 to 15 years ago.  I planted it out behind the garage and watched hopefully for it to emerge.  It finally did after 3 to 4 years but it did not bloom.  Each year I noticed that it was a little bit larger but no blooms.  Last year it had some puny blooms and puny seed pods but nothing to note.  I foregot to look at it this year until recently and this is what I found.  I'm sure it had beautiful blooms!  Sorry I did not see them.  

Large Milkweed Bug Nymphs in 9 of 2005

The shot of the bloom below is from GNC in July of 2005.

Common Milkweed Bloom with Honey Bee

I recently learned that they hatch and congregate on the milkweed pod because the nymphs must eat the milkweed seed to grow. 

Common Milkweed

I have to tell you that I am extremely excited about these shots.  Having been gone from GNC for several years, I am glad to look into my view finder and the mikweed.

Common Milkweed

The grass provided me the best backdrop I have ever had for Milkweed.  

The image below is perhaps the only exception.

Milkweed Seed Pod

Thanks to Gorman Nature Center for the opportunity to capture these images.

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Chabazite

Chabazite

Chabazite is a tectosilicate mineral  (Ca,Na2,K2,Mg)Al2Si4O12·6H2O  It was named chabasie in 1792 by Bosc d'Antic and later changed to the current spelling.  Chabazite is found in India, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland, Bohemia, Italy, Germany, along the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Oregon, Arizona, and New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  This sample is from John Dyer's quarry, Gickerville, PA

I consider this the best of all my shots of Chabazite.  I not only used my image stacking technique but my High Dynamic Range technique obtain this one image.

I believe the light yellow crystals are Chabazite as well as the clear/opaque crystals with the internal patterns.

Thanks to Wikipedia and Mindat.org for the information provided.  

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