Nemophilist

~One who haunts the woods. A love or fondness for forests and woods.~

Forests promote human well being. Yep, there is an abstract worth reading if you can get through the gobbilty gook by the National Institute of Health. There are tons of studies on humans and being able to just get outside and how a simple walk in the woods or on a wooded path enhances your health.

Well a lesson regarding human health was not my intention. But if I can walk along our fencelines and walk through the woods every day, I can get a sense of things that are happening in the forest.

Late Sunday, I walked with Charlie in the light rain fall and was happy to note that the pair of Barred Owls were talking where I expected they would be. I've noticed for a few years that they like to hang out in one particular section of the woods . I have never found their nest, but do love to listen to them call to each other while I am slowly wandering.

I realize that I am using all of my senses when I am in the forest. Smelling the plants and air around me. Listening for birds, deer whistles, turkey clucks, chipmunks, hawks, ...squirrels scolding us, water running over rocks, the wind sighing above us...

Oh and a skeeter buzzing my ears.

All at the same time I am peering at moss, lichen, rocks, plants, and looking for neat insects or fungi or anything that is interesting and curious.

Centipede in a false morel...

A slug party that I was not invited to.

Slugs are cool in a way but not in your garden of course. Do you know that the slime trail they leave is so they can find their way back? I didn't. 

A very wee bee visiting a Virginia Waterleaf flower. It took me many tries to get one clear shot of it.

Who can resist looking for fungi and slime in damp, humid, rainy weather?

Coral Slime aka Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa. I like the Coral Slime mold name much better. It was super small but the tiny bit of white caught my eye as I was searching for insects.

This is my new favorite slime mold.

Shotgun Fungi or Canon Slime found on horse manure. Yep.

I stopped in the woods to bend down close and look at a pile of horse/mule poop to see why it was fuzzy looking and yellow colored.

My husband was not as excited as I was when I told him about it. He wrinkled his nose and gave me a look.

"The people in the white coats are coming to take you away," he quipped.

"That's okay honey, I can't help it. I'm a Nemophile or if you wish a Xylophile."

Pardon me while I have some fun with words. 

I think I'll go back out to the woods now....so much to see...