Wooly Pussytoes (Antennaria lanata).
Ha! That has to be the funniest name for a wildflower
that I've ever come across.
In case you are wondering what this is all about
with the Wooly Pussytoes, my Audubon Field Guide
to the Pacific Northwest arrived in the mail
yesterday. It took so long to get to me that it
actually came as a surprise to get it — I ordered
it through Barnes & Nobel but in their used section,
so the book actually came through a small independent
bookstore. Which was why it took so long. The book
was described as "New" — meaning "Like New" really,
and is in excellent shape. I got it for $10.
The Audubon field guide is packed with all sorts
of information about the environment of the Pac
Northwest. You can find stuff on geology, handy
star charts, information about parks and nature
preserves, and all sorts of flora and fauna common
to the region. And then there is the heart and
soul of any Audubon guide — the birds. I was
glad to find descriptions of the bird's song for
each entry. And it is amazing that in most cases
that I can approximate the sound of the bird by
following their written transcription without having
actually heard it. For example, the sound of the
Hermit Warbler is described as "3 high and 2 low
sweety-sweety-sweety-chup-chup." Try it yourself.
Easy, yeah? I think it takes both a very musical ear
and a talent for language to transcribe something
like that.
Summer is finally here in Spokane, kinda sorta,
and in spite of my devout prayers to the Weather
Goddess that it remain Winter all year long. But
the warmer weather does allow me to carry my
messenger bag again, which is kind of a pain to
carry over a Winter coat. The field guide will
fit in it perfectly. So I'm hoping to go exploring
a bit, inasmuch as I am able. Somewhere, that is,
besides the grocery store and doctor. In fact
having the Field Guide in hand will keep me quite
busy even walking down my local streets.
"Learn of the green world what can be thy place."
— Ezra Pound, Canto LXXXI
Clockwise, l-r: Pacific Blood Star, Cooper's Hawk,
Sockeye Salmon, Tall Oregon Grape.
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This Insubstantial Pageant Faded 
Wooly Pussytoes… do you have Cottony Pussytoes too? :whistle:
A lot of Pussytoes around :whistle:
:lol:For some reason I'm now thinking about Julianne Moore.Time to get my mind back to actual flora!
😆
Evidently not in this region. :p :lol:They do have different varieties of Antennaria around the U.S., though, though only the lanata variety is evidently found in my own region. One from elsewhere is called the Rose Pussytoes. 😀
Have a great time, Edward, exploring with your new book. It's always a lot of fun to discover new things right next to you. There's a bush in my yard that I can't identify, and it's starting to become an obsession to do so. I've narrowed it down to Amaryllis Belladonna and the Twelve Apostles Plant. Just can't find any really good photos of either of those two plants, yet. But I'll figure it out eventually, even if it kills me.:lol:
Don't know what you mean by ordering from B&N, but that's okay. It was a good purchase — you can hardly do anything anymore for $10. We won't talk about "Wooly mammoth". :p
it seems like a very interesting book eddie!Good to know that the package can have a name that might not be familiar.I order from B&N too many times I refuse a package that does not look familiar!$ 10.00 is a great price! enjoy your very interesting book! :up:
@ Star"Even if it kills me"Spoken like a true researcher! :lol:You know a long time ago I did a post on the "peachy woo-woo" bird that I used to hear. After looking into it I concluded that it MIGHT be a hummingbird that is not common to this area. But after getting the book I'm not so sure. So it looks like it's back to square one on that. Sure would help if I had someone who could help. Maybe somebody at the Spokane branch of the Audubon Society could help. As soon as my membership card arrives I'll look into it.
@ Star againHave you done a Google image search for the two plants? Maybe that would give you the answer.
:lol::lol::lol:Might be better to just call the biology departments of the two universities in town and have them send out somebody to take a look.Don't know why I haven't already thought of that. :doh: 😀
Well they do have an Audubon Field Guide which includes Arkansas. Probably wouldn't be any better as far as the photos, though. I know, call the Parks Dept. and tell them you have a giant venus flytrap in the backyard and it just ate your neighbor's cat and that you need some help. Well, better not. :p :p :p
Yeah, I have, but I can only get closeups of the blossoms. Haven't been able to find any blossoms of either of the two types of plants that look like mine, so I need photos of the full-size plants to see if mine is a variation of one or the other. It's a gorgeous bush, between 3 and 4 feet tall, with these clusters of about 12 flowers that bloom on stalks that are huge. The leaves of the bush are actually about 5 or 6 feet tall, but they all fold over, almost like a coconut palm, but right from the ground–just a very short, thick stem from which grows all these bright green, long slender leaves. And then suddenly, some of them bloom with these clusters of dark pink flowers with thin pale stripes. It's a really beautiful plant, but if it's the Amaryllis Belladonna, it's poisonous, and I need to know that so I can keep my grandkids away from it when they visit.:grrrrrrrr::lol:
:lol:I know. But I'm gettin' desperate. :insane: 😀
I don't know Star. Seeking information at a university? Sounds kinda radical. 😆
Good for you. I have a link for you in case you want to hear what each of those birds sound like. This is a link my friend Calvin emailed to me a couple years ago. It's an interesting site and has sounds for just about everything on the planet. Check it out. I had fun with it, and you can save those files and use them for—whatever you want. Go here I have a three-volume set of Audubon Nature Encyclopedia. I picked them up at Doctor's Book Sale put on twice a year The rest of the volumes were unavailable but I wanted these. Copyright was 1965 by National Audubon Society. It has wonderful photos, lithographs and prints of original paintings of birds, trees, wildflowers and all sorts of good stuff.Sounds similar to what you have, maybe not as old. I'm going to try to read up on some of these things. I hope you do get to explore. It's great to keep your brain stimulated. Staves off Alzheimer's don't ya know?
:up: love the Pound quote !!!… may you explore the unknown round the corner and beneath your feet 😀
@ Dirk.I went out last night down to the park in fact. But went too late and got tired and had to come back. I'm going to try it again tomorrow — with photos.@ Linda.You know Linda I got curious as to the areas where some of the Opera bloggers live and looked to see if there was an Audubon Guide for the area. Unfortunately, none for Texas. And none for Richard in Midwest and North Central States. Odd, huh? Maybe they are working on those volumes. So anyway, hang on to those encyclopedias!As for my brain, I always try to keep my brain stimulated…:p(I did that in 9th grade, actually. 😆 )
:lol:I just spotted a Booby!*is automatically misinterpreted*Looking through the book I noticed a bird called a Bufflehead. Sounds vaguely insulting! :p
😆
And of course we shouldn't forget the Wild Bubblehead.(That's not very nice. I should be ashamed of myself. :p )
That's really a funny name for a plant. Kinda like Blue Footed Booby I came across once. I thought, no way there could be a bird with that name. There is….a rather large, homely shorebird with big blue feet.
Also planting butterfly and wildlife gardens.
I like the birds called Coots. Wonder if that's where the expression, an "Old Coot" came from. If so, why? Are old bird coots cranky or something? Love the hairdo on that kid. I wish I had pictures of some of the hairdos that walked in the door where I worked. Oh, my….it would have made a really funny post.I just happen to have a book called A Field Guide to the Birds of Texas and Adjacent States; also a book entitledFamiliar Garden Birds of America Shame on me that I've never read any of them. Just skimmed through them. I have a lot of books on natural Texas. Using native Texas plants in the landscape was one of my special interests in horticulture.
Hope to read about the new projects. :yes: