Which Witch Hazels are These?
I had long regarded the Witch Hazel to be a treat of late winter, the first trees to bloom when the Spring Crocus poke their blossoms above the snow. We have fine examples on the terrace outside the Willow Room, in Rushmore and in the courts. Perhaps that is why I may not have noticed during my four years here, that on
Beware of Ticks
Ticks are a fact of life in New Jersey if you are a gardener, hiker, birdwatcher, or just like to walk your dog. But there is much that most people don’t know about ticks, the diseases they carry, and how to cope with them.
The Cardinal Flower and the Ruby-throated Hummingbird
I would find them in isolation along the bank of Sharp’s Run on Y13, where their requirement for always-damp soil could be met. That made it all the more surprising to see in September, in the undergrowth of the rain catchment across the street from us, a swath of red flowers that turned out on inspection to be Cardinal flowers. There is no established explanation for their appearance there, for the first time and in such abundance.
A Farewell to our American Ash Trees
The tallest trees on the Medford Leas entrance driveway reach leafless to the sky. A dozen of them, adorned only with yellow barricade tape, await removal. These trees have succumbed, simultaneously, to the Emerald Ash-tree Borer (EAB), as has almost every Ash tree you will encounter this year on our county roads.
New Writers
The June issue of Leas Lit has four new writers. Visit mlra.org/literary-journal to see the list of authors.
Lumberton Meadow Walk, July 25, 2021
On a hot but breezy evening, ten residents showed up for our July meadow walk. We were treated to 22 species of wildflowers in bloom from the midpoint to the end toward Creek Road.