Tree-Hug on September 22

One of the things I've learned from my time getting to know the trees is that their bark changes at different stages of their life. There is a lot to learn if you want to be able to identify them when there are no leaves on the trees ... half the year.  Or if the leaves are too high to see.

The sweet birch (also known as black birch) starts out with smooth bark with long, thin horizontal lenticels.

As the tree matures the outer bark begins to break into thick irregularly shaped plates that curl away from the trunk.

Nature truly offers endless examples of diversity. 

And then there is Ulysses who took quite a pose when we came home from our walk. 💚 Peace