First snow, second tapestry panel and nature questions

For blogistas who are nature experts, of which we have a few around here, I post a couple of pix of a shrub or tree at the preserve which appears to be busting out of its bark oddly, like a snake shedding its skin in all directions.



Is it in trouble? what is it doing? the naturalists had their hands full with programs when I noticed this, so I didn't bother them, just took pix to share.

Also nice picture taken on Saturday before the snow fell, of bayberry in full fruit.




Just imagine the labor it used to take to collect these tiny berries, render them to get the fat out of them, process them and make candles in colonial times. No wonder people were careful with candles. Heck, I would have cringed to see my work going up in flames just so someone could read the latest broadsheet about the bad things the Brits had been doing. Or, as I like to interject, not Brits, Hessians!

Then we had the first snow of the winter yesterday, started as rain, turned to sleet, finally became quite pretty snow, and I took pix in the evening as it fell



through the lamplight in the street, and on the front yard.



Couldn't sleep well last night and got up at 4 a.m. to find that it was moonlight, peacefully shining on the fallen snow out back, all undisturbed and lovely to see. Peace as heavy as a warm blanket.

And yesterday,having finished a furious storm of knitting, and got all the items off to their recipients, I was able to return to the tapestry and FINISH the second panel, which I proudly show you.



Now I can get onto the the next color group for the third and positively final panel of this iteration....can't tell you what fun this all is. Most of what you see in this panel is my own homespun, bustin with pride over that.

So, Happy Sunday! well, Monday for you, Minimiss!