New generation

 

After years of hosting, what had been my go to Mistletoe tree has gone, the hosts' life-force completely consumed by it's parasitic guest. Each year the mistletoe would increase it's spread until eventually it covered the entire tree. It became literally a mistletoe tree, and the bell tolled. Sad, though inevitable, nature is perpetual change. As if part of the plan over the years birds had deposited sticky mistletoe seeds in surrounding trees with many taking. With the old queen gone new hosts have stepped up, and the mistletoe community continues on. 

Mistletoe

There's a place I know where the mistletoe (Viscum album) grows in wondrous abundance. There the main mistletoe bearing tree was again festooned with large clumps of heavily white berried mistletoe. A wonderful sight. What has also been good is to have seen new satellite mistletoe clumps appearing on adjacent trees over the years; again this year I've noticed a lots of small developing clumps about this particular stretch of woodland. I worry for the main host tree being so crowded as it is, I wonder how long it can endure. So it's reassuring to see new colonies forming.

MIstletoe

The forest's deciduous trees are still naked, making any clumps of Mistletoe visible from quite a distance. Have you ever seen Mistletoe like this though, it's host fades before it's glory; largest community I've seen. Wonderful.

Berried Mistletoe abounds

Our roam this morning took us through an area populated by numerous trees harbouring clumps Mistletoe (Viscum album), their clumps are certainly laden with berries this year. They're quite the sight.

Winter Solstice

Solstice Blessing y'all.

When the wheel turns and we come to one of the eightfold festivals I miss my friends in druid/pagan community. Solo rituals are well and good, and don't misunderstand me, I feel the connection and give/get what I need, though they don't compare with the warmth and feeling of connection you get standing in a circle with familiar faces, or unfamiliar faces for that matter, there's something special about a group ritual; there's nothing like it. 

Magnificent!

 

Last week I discovered a new (to me) cluster of trees all containing clumps of Mistletoe, and thought I'd walk that way again this morning to check out the broader area. Well, to my surprise I came across a tree more mistletoe than tree. Honestly I'd not seen a tree, especially such a small tree, so infected with Mistletoe, it's quite magnificent! Swathes of it are still bedecked in hundreds of clean white berries. It makes quite the show, although Mistletoe usually weakens trees and doesn't often kill them, this level of infestation on such a small host tree may not bode well for this hosts longevity. Still, what a sight to behold.

Mistletoe

We came across a group of five or six trees this morning, all with nice sized clumps of Mistletoe in them. How marvellous, they were on Crab Apples too.