These are always a joy to come across in the bush.
A bit of whimsy in the forest. Little white tufts here and there that break up the scenery of bare branches, dead grass and rotting leaves. Around here, in the wild, these tufts are clumped a few at a time. I once saw a vine with eight of these puffs whisping in the wind.
If I’m not mistaken, these tufts are seeds from the Wild Clematis. Google “Wild Clematis” and you will get many different variations. So which one is this? I remember where I took this picture last fall. This spring, I will go back and see the type that grows on this vine.
I’ve heard these puffy tufts called “Old Mans Beard”. Good name. I can see how they could look like a beard. However, I find they look more like the trees off of the Dr. Seuss book, The Lorax; or perhaps the flowers from the other Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears A Who. Could it be that Dr. Seuss got the inspiration for his drawings from these little whimsy puffy tufts? I’m sure I’m not the first person to ask.
I leave the last whimsy here.
MOOSE, MUSHROOMS, and MUD 