August 2, 2013

The Camphorweed now is popping into bloom all across #3 Pasture. It is a plant of the most formal architecture, pleasing to the eye if somewhat revolting to the touch, sticky and clammy as it is. It makes a pretty and long display, but only in that pasture. There are also many large ant circles there, and this seems beneficial to the native grasses: the outer foot or so, just beyond where the ants have cleared everything to bareness, is a wreath of vigorous Threeawn, some species of Aristida. The ants have weeded out every bit of bermudagrass that could’ve been there (and indeed does still grow deeply all around), and left the Threeawn to thrive and drop seeds from there.

Black Phoebes seem to be multiplying lately, they perch and hawk from one end of Mason’s to the other, especially around the ponds and places that’ve caught water.