Wood Ferns

Fern Magic – by Lynn Thomas Amber

The graceful wood fern

Shines in the dappled sunlight

Of the forest bed.

November has often been my least favorite month of the year – followed by March or April depending on when mud season hits our region. I’m focusing on finding positive things in the natural world to notice this month as a way to see me through this shoulder season. The abundance of evergreen ferns in the surrounding forest is one of those November blessings. Once the deciduous foliage drops and forms brown layers of leaves upon the forest floor, the evergreen ferns rise in all their glory and are more noticable through the bare branches of the understory. It is their time to shine!

We have also been fortunate this year to enjoy a very mild, sunny start to November and that has definitely helped alleviate my trepidation of the normally gloomy month!