Spanish moss likes to hang out down here in lazy Louisiana and other parts of the coastal south. With the improvement in our air quality, there is more of it hanging around lately. It doesn’t like air pollution and will not grow over a house or camp that has a fireplace.
Spanish moss is not a moss at all, it is a member of the bromeliad family like the pineapple. Don’t try to eat it because it has no nutritional value and doesn’t taste good either. If it did, I'd be cooking up a mess of it every now and again.
Spanish moss hangs out in trees and prefers certain trees to others like the cypress, gum trees, oaks, elms, and pecan trees. It can grow from a seed but more often is carried from tree to tree by the wind and birds.
Animals and birds use Spanish moss as a nesting material. People in the south have also used it as a nesting material. Spanish moss is good mattress stuffing material when it is hot outside because air circulates well through it.
When the winds from hurricane Rita blew much of the Spanish moss out of the trees around here just 4 years ago about this time, typhoon Carol went and threw it back up there. Don’t mess with my moss.
56 comments:
Spanish moss reminds me of many of us in this group. We're getting a little gray and we like to....hang out.
That little oval picture frame formed by the trees and the Spanish moss is where I like to watch the moon, especially when it is full.
Even though Spanish moss doesn't hurt trees, it does increase wind resistance which can result in trees being more vulnerable to high winds.
That tree on the left, that has so much moss hanging from it, had the top half sitting on the roof of my camp 4 years ago today.
Don't know what happened to the hyperlinks I had on my post. They are there but don't show up. Here they are again:
That's weird. They won't show up in either place.
Well, I guess I'll do it the old fashioned way:
http://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/htdocs-sirsi/spanish.htm#Spanish Moss: A Relative of the Pineapple
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_moss
Beautiful Picture Carol. I have it hanging in my trees further away from the house. Until this year, we've had a constant fire going inside throughout the winters (I didn't realize it had any impact of the growth, but should have known). This year, we've remodeled and insulated some more and won't have a fire, so maybe some of it will hang around closer to the house. I'll be waiting anxiously - I love the stuff.
'Have to' try that link of yours: Spanish Moss
"She was a woman ahead of her time. One of the things I liked about her was that she knew what she wanted and she wanted only to paint, and she did paint - all of her life. Another thing I liked about her was that she was totally honest - she said "that is the only way I knew how to be." and finally, she did not care what other people thought about her. The only man she ever loved"
Jan, I just loved reading your take on Georgia O'Keefe. You learn so much about a person, by how they feel about another person. I agree with you, she was an amazing individual, as you are, I'm sure.
Glad you had a good birthday Ivy. Sounds like it won't be all that long before you get home. Can't wait to hear more!
Nice clean up job Solar!
Sure is nice having you around here (wish it were more). You are 'such' a guy.
Carol... you take the most amazing pictures!
and please don't apologize for not getting back to me sooner.... IMO, anyone who thinks you should be hanging all day in front of your computer just to talk to me or anyone else should be shot.... :0)
Chloe.... thanks for finding that definition of a lightworker...
everyone has their own way of working.... some spend a lot of time in meditation... and some join organizations with trying to save the world.... and some of us just live our daily lives trying to bring as much light and love as we can in any situation we find ourselves.... I'm in the latter group.
I weave because I MUST.... and I put love and light into every single scarf I weave.
Solar... you and your jokes are incorrigible.... and I LOVE it!
Carol,
One day Im going over to see you, and that spectacular place that you have....
Chloe, I swept the place twice, cos of my jokey..and thanks
Renee, If I live (or have tried) my life in the way that you are doing now. The only thing is that I can't do anything in a light fashion way...whatever it is,,it has to be at full speed, and all the way....when at work, play or sports...I do take the time each and everyday to think..it might be meditating, or just thinking...but it is the time that I try to connect..that synergy thing that we all have, but very few feel..I do sometimes, and it is...spiritual...Oh, and Im innocent over here..whatever that incorporable word means...
Will be going now to the V. A. for an appointment: While Im seeing the Podiatrist, I will be getting my flu shot at the same time...The Doctor is a women, and when she goes to give me the shot, I pretend to lower my pants...she cracks up cos..she always asks me for a joke...then she tells me one...I think that she is incorrigible.....later
Carol, a wonderful ponder. Like Renee said, you take the most amazing pictures. I knew nothing about spanish moss - and its not really moss. That is a revelation! Your blog is an educational experience as well as being fun, and "a place to hang out." Was that typhoon named "Carol"? I did not know you had one named after you.
"Spanish moss reminds me of many of us in this group. We're getting a little gray and we like to....hang out." How lovely! Whenever I feel old and out of touch- I will remind myself of spanish moss.
Chloe, I would love to have been more like Georgia O. The one way I am like her is that I was always falling in love with the wrong man - or men in my case -until I was 50 and then I found the right one. Georgia was so unmaterialistic and natural. In some ways I see her as much like Julia Child. They both found their niche in life and pursued it persistently and thoroughly. The autobio I read of Julia seems like she cared little also for material things except for her kitchen.
I guess I have pursued nursing and teaching in the way that Julia pursued cooking and Georgia pursued painting. However, I will not be famous (nor wealthy) for my pursuits, but I have loved what I do. In my later years I have become much more independent also.
Carol, the things I have admired about you are your independence and your pursuit of your own life. I see some of the characteristics in you that I see in Georgia.
Well, off to work. This is my easy day. Mon thru wed are really busy for me, but the end of the week I can slow down. I looove the weekends - to chill, hang out with John, sleep in and do what I want. Retirement is looking good.
Jan, that typhoon was me, not just named after me and I can be a pretty devastating typhoon also.
Whew, what a week. I'm taking tomorrow off for mental R&R. Those inmates severed my last good nerve this week. Deep breaths. In with the new fresh air, out with the old, repeat.
One inmate came in today, was just in a week ago. Allergy symptoms, only took one of the allergy pills I prescribed. I didn't know that when I saw him. Said the meds didn't work and he wanted to go to the hospital. After examining him, I politely told him I worked for that hospital and he had nothing that warranted his going to the hospital.
He said he was going to call his mother. Can you believe that? A grown man, in jail, is gonna call his mother. I told him he could call Obama, I didn't care. He said f--- me as he left. Then I found out from the nurse that he only took one pill I prescribed. These are the people who abuse our health care system. I tried to get him written up but security was too lazy to do it. TGI long weekend.
You wouldn't believe how many people would come to the ER and when asked why they were there, they would say it was because they were sneezing and it just started that day. No shit. And no insurance and no money either. But they do have a cell phone and cable TV at home.
Ha! Typhoon Carol
(No warning, just the necessary provocation)
Hi All,
Carol,nice pics..The Spanish moss is everywhere here too..Love the stuff,it really adds character to my surroundings..
Thanks Tony. I love the moss also. It has a real eerie look at night. I took a night pic but it was too dark to see well.
"He said he was going to call his mother."
Carol, The more I think about that, the funnier it gets. Some of them really are children, aren't they? You have so much more patience than I have. I normally expect more from people than they are capable of. Those guys would drive me insane (a short trip, I know).
'Course, there are a few things in my life, that I'm sure would drive other people insane, now that I think about it.
Tony, I agree Spanish moss adds character. I've always loved the stuff, from afar that is. We had 'none' in California, since there's usually single digit humidity there. It's common here, but we always had a fire in the winter, and I must have been deterring it. Now that it's on the property, I'm hoping it works it's way closer to the house. I guess those winter fires have been polluting.
Carol, you know when I said there may be something in the air. Well, with me, I think it's clues that there's going to be an early, long winter. I don't like winter. I don't like the cold; I don't like the short days; I don't like the overcast; I don't like the loss of greenery and new growth. I spend the whole winter hoping for an early spring.
I know... bitch, bitch, bitch. That's me.
Sometime Chloe, poverty, prison, failure is a career choice. It's a fact. I got that rubbed in my face this week by many of the inmates I saw.
Hi Carol,Chloe
I just have to look out the window out back and the moss is everywhere..Chloe,i agree with you about cold weather,I would however love to open the window and have a nice cool breeze flow in..I have been using the A/C non-stop since April.I'm very good though 85 during the day and 82 at night,of course with ceiling fans everywhere.I have a large FPL bill still $179 last month..
I don't like winter either Chloe unless it is one of those sunny, cool, crisp days with a very blue sky and clear night with bright stars. That's always nice.
I need a fishing fix tomorrow to adjust my attitude. Mag and I already went on our shinner run.
There's not much you can do or say to someone who's made that choice. They're where they want to be, and all you can do is your job.
I've learned beyond any doubt in my mind, that you can't change people, unless you just happen to be there at the exact right moment. If you do try to help them by explaining another choice they can make, it's been my experience that they resent it. If they're bound and determined to fail, then they don't want to hear anything that will interfere with that. 'Course, I'm talking about 'my' definition of fail, not theirs. Like you said they're exactly where they want to be, so they've succeeded.
You can't expect any validation or thanks from those guys Carol. They have a completely different set of values than you do. You'll just have to find satisfaction in the fact that you're doing a good job, and leave it at that.
"one of those sunny, cool, crisp days with a very blue sky and clear night with bright stars."
Yeah! I forgot about those. I'm not usually fed up until end of January, beginning of February. But there are those good days too.
Yes Tony, those open windows and cool breeze can be pleasant.
Have you noticed that those of us who live in the milder weather are the ones that complain most about winter? Of course, Florida has a lot milder winter than we do over here.
Tony, Is FPL your electric bill. $189 doesn't sound bad. You must have good insulation.
Do you guys have love bugs in your area? We usually have two love bug seasons, one in April and one in September. For several weeks you can barely breath without sucking one of them into your lungs.
This year, for some reason, there weren't many love bugs. I wonder what happened to them?
Come to think of it, the love bugs weren't as bad this year. I don't know what happened, but I sure don't miss them.
That's the one good thing about a colder winter. Insect control improves.
Ok, I need to go. I'll check in tomorrow to see what I miss.
Have a good evening.
Ha yes Chloe,i think that's true.I spent so much of my life in Michigan,enough is enough of cold weather.I don't like it to go below 70..Spoiled,yes I am.Its funny though, sometimes during the winter on a gloomy day I'll look out the window and think maybe it will snow,silly me, then i laugh at myself..
Ha Tony, I bet you're glad when you remember that it won't snow. See you tomorrow.
Snow would be cool, at least for one day.
Chloe,
Yes its Florida Power and Light..$179 is cheap compared to most people I know.I do have the pool and hot tub which boost the bill up about $50 a month.My clients and friends bills range from $260 to $1000 a month..
Nite Chloe. Tony, you didn't happen to watch Modern Family last night, did you? It was a hoot.
Yes, glad it doesn't snow! Carol we do have love bugs here the same,twice a year and they weren't bad this year..
Nope Carol,didn't see it..
One of the families is a male gay couple. They were the best. They made the show last night. I hurt myself laughing.
Carol,
Sounds good.I'll give it a look..Always looking for something to make me laugh..Glad you laughed..
It opens with the guys coming home with a baby they adopted from Vietnam. They are in a plane and this woman walks by and says "look at the cute baby with the cream puff".
One of the guys jumps up and starts lecturing everyone on the plane about how it is better that a guy couple adopt a baby than the baby having to grow up in an ophanage. He has a tirade about their being judgemental when his partner interrupts to tell him that the baby is actually holding a cream puff.
Carol
Like the sound of the show..I was spoiled with Will And Grace..
I haven't seen anything on network, for years, that I would waste my time on but this one looks good. I felt good after watching it. A very funny cast.
Oh Carol,
I could give you a list of great "Showtime" original series..Love them..So many laughs..
Don't have cable out at the camp. I have it at home but don't live there right now. I'm not sure if I even will go back until it gets really cold out.
I was addicted to those 24 hour news programs but no more.
I can get my Daily Show and Colbert Report on the Net. That's all I need.
I go to bed every night, well at least 4 nights a week, with Steve and John.
I don't blame Carol,stay,its you little piece of heaven.I still watch some of the news,but I'm not crazy about it since Hillary..
Very good ways to get the news..
I still get most of my news from TM links..
Ivy must be on her way home. Hope they have a good flight. It will be puppy reunion time then.
I can keep up with what is most important on the "Trail".
I keep up at TM thankfully.Its probably the main reason I was able to cut most of cable news loose..Off to bed,have a nice sleep..
Nite Tony.
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