[Magdalen] The Grackles are back, the Grackles are back...

[Grace Cangialosi]

They grow wild here, too. And they get to be HUGE! Funny story about mine--which fall into that category: I was underneath one of them, looking up, when I noticed something strange Waaaaayy up in the top. I got the binoculars and discovered it was a white toilet seat!!  It was around the main upright branch, so it obviously was put there when the tree was small. I don't know if it was part of some kind of tether arrangement when the tree was planted, but it should make for some interesting conversation if/when the tree ever comes down! I'm guessing it's probably been there for at least 50 years.

> On Feb 26, 2017, at 5:25 PM, "Charles Wohlers" <charles.wohlers at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> Holly trees grow wild in SE Mass., so I would think they'd grow where you are.
> 
> Chad Wohlers
> Woodbury, VT USA
> chadwohl at satucket.com
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Cantor03--- via Magdalen
> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2017 10:16 AM
> To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
> Cc: Cantor03 at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [Magdalen] The Grackles are back, the Grackles are back...
> 
> 
> 
> In a message dated 2/26/2017 9:21:59 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> gracecan at gmail.com writes:
> 
> There's  a single Great Blue Heron that lives on the pond next door. A few
> weeks ago he  landed in one of my holly trees! By the time I got my camera,
> he was  gone.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> 
> 
> Though some of the Asian hollies do well here in NE Pennsylvania,
> the American Holly trees only survive in the sheltered valleys.   There
> are some beauties of the latter in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton down
> in the Susquehanna Valley.  I suppose now that it is generally
> warmer, it would be worth a try.  English Holly is simply too  tender
> for our climate.
> 
> Great Blue Herons were common summer visitors to our lake in
> the Upper Midwest, and the early riser, probably awakened by the
> resident House Wrens, was often rewarded by seeing the herons
> fishing just offshore in front of the cabin.
> 
> 
> 
> David S.
> 
>