It has rained on and off for most of the day. After coffee, I moved the laptop to the screened porch to write my column for this weekend.
When the clouds moved off to the north, the sun came out. It was a brief visit, but Jilda and I both threw on our shoes and got some steps in.
Everything is so lush here. I could have used verdant to describe the foliage, but I didn't want to sound hoity-toity'ish...is that a word?
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of crimson. When I stepped over, I saw that it was a leaf. It was the leaf from a Virginia creeper vine.
Here's the thing – I struggle with the names of trees, shrubs, and vines that grow all around me. In the past when I've written about them, I would always say...it's from a tree I could not name.
Today, I downloaded an app on my iPhone called Leafsnap. Within minutes of downloading it, I'd identified a tree whose name has stumped (pun) us for years. It was a red maple.
Then tonight, I almost described the crimson leaf as being from a vine I could not name. Then, I pulled out my phone, click don the app, and pulled up the picture. In a matter of seconds, it told me that it was a Virginia creeper. I was so happy to know the name of something so beautiful.
Sounds like something that needs an all points bulletin "Be on the look out for the Virginia Creeper."
ReplyDeleteI may have to track that app down. Thank you. I so often struggle with plants name, despite pretending to be a gardener.
ReplyDeleteI thought for a minute you were talking about the Virginia Creeper, a hiking and bike trail in Virginia that runs along a train route..
ReplyDeleteLOL
Love the BRIGHT color. neat.
Sherry & jack
nice article :)
ReplyDeleteHow nice to have an app that will tell you all those unknown names. I didn't think it turned color like that until the fall. But then what do I know.
ReplyDelete