There’s a bright purple haze on the Meadows
In the neighborhood of Medford Leas, on highway shoulders and on un-manicured lawns, a swath of purple delights the eye. The predominant weed on this lawn is Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum). The common name is a bit absurd, as it combines two errors. First, it’s not a “Nettle” (they’re members of the Rose family), but instead a mint,
Memories of Special Moments
The Lumberton Social Committee invited each resident to share a photograph that they took of a Special Moment that brought joy. A panel of three residents from the Medford campus selected the best in each category, without knowing the names of the entrants. The winners:
Pi (π) Day Flowers – March 14, 2021
Yesterday, 3.14(159267…) , was a perfect day for flower photography, if only some were in bloom. Not much on the Railroad trail, other than the patch of snowdrops…. and nothing much else, until midway down Cathedral Trail, where I found a secret patch of Spotted Wintergreen. It has survived aggressive cleanup! It will not bloom until late July. A native
Christmas Bird Count
For the past few years, the Medford Leas Birders have added the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count to our winter activities, thus contributing to the largest international bird data base in existence. Fortunately, a walk on the trails with our masks and social distance is a way we can participate in the census and still follow healthy pandemic guidelines.
Arboretum on Parade
Break out the cymbals and the big bass drum — the Arboretum is On Parade. You know the music, so get ready to march. Strut along as the images shimmer and flash by. Watch as the Crepe Myrtles twirl and the Fringe Trees fly.
Look for the New Barn Owl Box
On a trail near the Medford Leas community farm is a nesting box for a family of barn owls. It was constructed by one of our expert resident woodworkers, Ed Barcus. His friend Earl Evens, an avid farmer, suggested that having barn owls nearby would be useful to keep rodents like mice and voles under control at the farm.