Mesic

That is a word often used when describing Basswood-Maple Forests. 

Mesic habitat refers to land with a well-balanced supply of moisture throughout the growing season, such as streamsides, wet meadows, springs and seeps, irrigated fields and high-elevation habitats. These are the places that provide drought insurance as uplands heat up, and the places where birds and livestock flock during the hot summer months.

Healthy mesic habitats act like sponges, helping to capture, store, and slowly release water. This service is essential for supporting the wildlife, people, and livestock living in the West.

The number and acreage (click here) of maple-basswood rich mesic forests in New York have probably declined moderately in recent decades as a result of logging, agriculture, and development.

There is a caution that exists with Basswood as an exclusive flower for bees.

Basswood trees cannot be the only form of food source for bees. The sugar of Basswood trees is not the same as other bee food sources. Basswood flowers produce "mannose" sugar.

Both diet- and glucose-derived mannose (click here) contribute to the mannose pool, which is directly used for glycoconjugate synthesis. Stringent regulation of metabolites such as Man-6-P is crucial: deficiency or excess can be detrimental for the cell and the physiology of the whole organism. Mannose can be good, bad, or ugly (Table. 2). Steady state levels and metabolic flux of the metabolites depend on both the substrates and the relevant enzymes, which in turn, determine normal vs disease states. Mannose can be a therapeutic, but indiscriminate use can have adverse effects. It is important to apply an Integrative approach to sugar metabolism. Some of the perspectives described here can inform metabolomic approaches and perspectives for other monosaccharides.

Depending on the tree grove and it's needed for pollinators, an agricultural agent should be consulted before Basswoods are planted. They grow fast and do supply a food source, but, they have their drawbacks as a solitary food source.

The parks in New York State want to engage young people and children to enjoy the outdoors more than indoors.

June 5, 2018
By Erin Jerome

Visitors to Basswood Pond State Forest (click here) this season can enjoy a freshly cleared field with picnic tables and accessibility improvements completed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The 720-acre state park in Burlington Flats now has an open recreation area and wheelchair-friendly parking lot, fishing platform and trails, including one that leads to a waterfront lean-to.

The projects were completed with $100,000 granted through Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Adventure NY Initiative to connect more New Yorkers with nature. The park also has seven miles of multi-use trails.

DEC officials helped stock the pond with brown and rainbow trout after a ribbon cutting Tuesday. Five hundred fish are stocked in the 15-acre pond each year.

“We don't want to leave any kids inside,” said Kathy Moser, DEC deputy commissioner for natural resources. "We want to get them thinking about hunting and fishing and trapping."...

"Trees for Bees"

A little known fact about American Basswood is the fact bees love them. This is an article about the subject. The article refers to Oak-Hickory forests which is actually the third type of forest in New York State.

But, Oak-Hickory forests are largely the majority of forests below the Mason-Dixon line, which would make the blooming season earlier. But, we live in a time when pollinators are at a premium and often fall in number due to pesticides. Considering the bees like Basswood they can be an interesting tree to include in larger groves.

As the article points out, American Basswood grow far more quickly than other hardwood trees.

September 19, 2015
By Daniel 

Where sourwoods (click here) produce top notch honey that beats out even clover, there may not be a more prolific nectar producing plant in the eastern United States than Tilia americana as far as volume in concerned. With the limestone parents yielding alkaline soils, it is quite a relief to learn that basswoods prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soils. A major consideration is that these trees need space, and lots of it. Heights of 60-120 feet are commonly achieved while Tilia trees spreads out 50 feet. The bloom is only 2 weeks long between May and July but produces an incredible amount of nectar; the most of any plant native to the eastern US and likely the most heavy producer in all of the United States, though I have found no statistics to confirm this. Furthermore, the flower’s structure protects nectar from being washed away by rain! The last of its attributes to note is how it grows twice as fast as most native hardwoods including beech, oak, and hickory to name the geniuses that make up the most of our native forests here. Unsurprisingly, this also means that it blooms quickly!...

This idea is not new. It is similar to the hideous notion of separating children from parents at the border.

These ideas have existed for a long time. Same as the border problems today, but, they have never been seriously considered as solutions to real-life problems. The idea of allowing nuclear radiation into a hurricane is nothing short of insane, but, back in the day, nuclear energy was the answer to all man's problems.

This year the Atlantic hurricane season simply doesn't exist. While the land is receiving a lot of heat, there is little relief coming from the oceans. What rain does occur is in high density, usually long a front of a system coming from the north.

If Trump is seriously considering this method to destroy hurricanes, he needs to be hospitalized for insanity and profound hate of human beings. We already know he basically hates anything that moves and is not human. Hospitalization, just that simple. Congress needs to outlaw these ideas. 

American Basswood - Tilia americana

The American Basswood likes moist soils.

Leaves are in two rows, are as nearly long as they are wide, about 3 to 6 inches in length. Technically, they are "ovate" or in more plain language they are rounded. Longer point at the tip. Sawtoothed edges. There is a main vein in the center of the leaf at the place of the stem of the leaf. There are secondary veins off the central vein that reach to the edge of the leaf. The leaves tend to be shiny and dark green above, while underneath it is light green and nearly hairless. The leaves turn yellow to brown in the autumn/fall.

Height can be from 60 to 100 feet with a diameter of 2 to 3 feet. It has a long trunk with a full, dense crown with mostly drooping branches. There may be two trunks off a central stump.

The bark is dark grey that is smooth but develops deep vertical furrows as it ages. Twigs are slightly reddish to green, hairless and slightly zigzag.

The flower to the left is 1/2 to 5/8 inch wide. with yellowish-white petals, fragrant in early summer with long-stalked clusters hanging from the middle.

The fruit is as pictured above, 3/8 inch in diameter, elliptical or rounded, gray and covered with hair. There are two seeds, hard maturing in late summer and can remain into winter.

Lower altitudes are now experiencing "lower humidity and higher temperatures" that have been evident in glacier areas for nearly two decades.

This is from Australia.

July 15, 2019
By Annalisa Koeman

The Mountain Pygmy-possum (click here) is clinging to existence in its alpine refuges.

I grew up in Thredbo (click here) in the Kosciuszko National Park and I am back living here after some years away. My parents have operated a ski lodge here since 1966 and were employees in the village and on the mountain for some years before that.

I have observed how climate change is affecting the seasons and taxing the unique, fragile alpine environments of the high country of Australia. My parents' experience of change is even more significant. They have kept a series of snowfall charts dating back to 1958, based on data supplied by Snowy Hydro, which show a trend to lower maximum snow depths and total volumes.

My parents experienced the winter of 1964 when 24 hours a day shovelling was required to keep the top station of the Crackenback Chair (now called Kosciuszko Express) open, and everything else in the village from disappearing. It was the "winter of the shovel".

Fast forward to this past summer in Thredbo, which was the hottest I can remember, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees.

The Thredbo Valley used to be an oasis when all around the Monaro region baked. But slowly the dry conditions seem to be creeping up the mountain range. The Mountain Pygmy Possum and Southern and Northern Corroboree Frog are already critically endangered and I fear they will not survive, given our abysmal record on species extinction.

And the impact on our enjoyment of snow sports? With each passing year Thredbo and other ski resorts in Australia are becoming more reliant on snowmaking, which is an energy and water-guzzling way to produce the white stuff. All our ski resorts should be offsetting their emissions or using renewables to power their snowmaking, lifts, snow groomers and buses, as their continued existence as winter resorts depend on it.

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the former head of Tourism Australia, held up a lump of coal in parliament, it was a representation of the very thing that is trashing our natural assets and ruining Australia's attraction as a major tourism destination. Tackling climate change and switching to renewable energy as we have done at Thredbo is an investment in protecting these natural assets and jobs that depend on them....

Indicator species of tree in a Basswood - Maple Forest:

Sugar Maple
American Basswood
Northern Red Oak
American Elm
Slippery Elm
Butternut
Flowering Dogwood

One of the ponds in Basswood Pond State Forest

The 720-acre (click here) Basswood Pond State Forest is conveniently located 15 miles from Cooperstown, NY. With 7.5 miles of multiuse trails, as well as a pond featuring a day use picnic area, Basswood Pond State Forest is a great destination for outdoor recreation any time of year.

Basswood State Forest (click here) covers 938 acres. A multiple use trail runs between Quarry Road and Pickerville Road and allows for hiking, horseback riding, cross country skiing and snowmobiling. The most popular recreational activities on the forest are hunting and hiking. Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The highest elevation on the forest is approximately 1,630 feet and is located near the eastern end of the Public Forest Access Road. The lowest elevation is about 1,200 feet and is found on the far western edge of the forest, along Shapley Brook.

People like this tree and attach multiple values to it.

The taller they grow the greater the diameter of the trunk that supports the weight of the tree.

As lumber, it is a favorite in many ways.

A premier turning (click here) and carving hardwood

Basswood is a preferred species among high-end shutter manufacturers. The sapwood of Basswood is creamy white in color, merging into the heartwood, which is pale to reddish brown, sometimes with darker streaks. When dry, the wood has no characteristic odor or taste. The wood has a fine uniform texture and moderate luster grain.

Basswood is soft and light, valued for hand carving and has other uses including cooperage, boxes, veneer, excelsior, and pulp. Basswood is also a top choice for musical instruments, shutters, specialty products and millwork.

I thought this was important enough to include ASAP when I first heard it.

The CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) has been one of the primary methods to end Greenhouse Gas Emissions. It works.

Why would a president of the USA roll back fuel efficiency standards? Think about that. Gas for the internal combustion engine is not 30 cents anymore, it is more like $3.00 a gallon. Why would the American consumer pay ten times more per gallon without ten times more the efficiency of the car that is burning it.

Traditionally, the CAFE standards are talked about as a means to cleaner air and far less greenhouse gases coming out of the tailpipe. But, in reflecting on that moral value, there is also the issue of Consumer Protection when it comes to earnings for work and how that hard-earned money is spent. Cleaner air and less threat of the ravages of high greenhouse gas emissions are all part of a moral standard the USA should uphold. There should be no lowering of standards and California is absolutely correct. They are leading the country in the direction it needs to go for many reasons and that is allowing the American worker to have more disposable income rather than paying for gas at the pump.

August 22, 2019
By David Knowles

California announced a deal with four automakers (click here) Wednesday that would increase vehicle fuel efficiency and defy the Trump administration’s plan to ease tailpipe emissions standards. In response, the president vented his frustration on Twitter.

Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW signed on to the voluntary agreement with California, but the deal will have nationwide impact, as the four automakers account for 30 percent of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. annually. The pact lays out the goal of an average vehicle fuel economy of 50 miles per gallon by 2025.

Trump had sought to roll back higher fuel efficiency standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency during Barack Obama’s presidency, freezing them at 37 miles per gallon.

Greenhouse gases, such as the exhaust emitted from cars that run on gasoline, are a leading cause of climate change. According to the EPA’s own website, “the transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to anthropogenic U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.”

Trump, who has called global warming a “hoax,” disputes that raising fuel efficiency standards will greatly affect the environment....

August 2, 2018
By David Roberts

The Environmental Protection Agency, (click here) along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, formally announced Thursday that the agencies will abandon the long-term fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks developed by the Obama administration for 2022-2025, declaring, without evidence, that they are “too high.”

It plans to replace Obama’s standards, which required the auto industry to just about double the fuel economy of vehicles to an average of about 54 miles per gallon by 2025, with ... nothing. Instead, it will simply freeze the standard at the 2021 level.

What’s more, the EPA is revoking the Clean Air Act waiver that allows California to set its own air quality standards (and thus its own fuel economy standards). That would force California and the 13 states (and DC) that follow its lead on fuel economy to conform to a federal standard that is certain to be weaker than they’d like....

There are three primary forest types in New York State. The Northern Hardwood Forest is the primary and in the majority the forest in New York. However, there is a change in forest type near the shoreline and that is the Basswood - Maple Forest which is viewed in the picture to the left.

It's Sunday Night

Beach Blanket Bingo (This is the one most famous)

Summer time is slowly giving way to school time so let's make a trip to the beach.

Beach Blanket Bingo by Donna Loren (click here for official website - thank you)

Beach Blanket Bingo

Beach Blanket Bingo 

Beach Blanket Bingo

That's the name of the game!

Take a blanket, made for two now,
add a boy and a girl.
That's a game for me and you now!
Yeah, let's give it a whirl.

Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
That's the name of the game!

Every lad and every lassie
hanging out at the shore
looking smart and looking classy
ever learning the score

Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
That's the name of the game!

That's the name of the game!

When a lad meets a lassie
and he asks for a kiss,
Laddie find your lassie sassy!
Right blanket.
Wrong miss.

Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
That's the name of the game!

Play the game that you should do now
thats just part of the fun.
When you find a girl for you now,
BINGO!
You've Won!

Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
That's the name of the
That's the name of the
That's the name of the game.
BINGO!

Running a little late.

It is a strange time of year and I realize sometimes I am a creature of habit.

The sunlight still lingers to 9PM and school is approaching if not already in session. My circadian rhythms simply don't go "click - it is evening and approaching 8:30.)

So, I will get started.

Trump this past week.

I am hearing that the behavior is "just him." Perhaps, but, there are three significant facts no one can ignore. He stood in the hot sun with a group of journalists and rattled on and on. That is a loss of perception to the current conditions. There is actually a diagnosis for that. anosognosia. Anosognosia is a lack of awareness or insight.

The statement of being "the chosen one." They used the description in Harry Potter, too. Perhaps Donald J. Trump believes he is Harry Potter. But, regardless, he was completely inappropriate. "I believe someone had to take on China and I decided I would." That is a policy statement and not a joke or inappropriate reference to religion.

The last, but, not least of the issues with Trump's inappropriate and questionably sane state of mind, in relation to the drop in the financial markets. He tweeted irresponsibly and the financial markets panicked and there was a significant drop.

These are and are not significant issues depending on the way a person looks at it. To me, if a person wants to be an enabler to the demise of the USA then overlook it, if a person is worried about the country it is time to get serious.

Sharks, unlike marine mammals, rely on the surrounding water to help with their body temperature. Fish, which is what a shark is, is coined as "cold-blooded" because they have no method to regulate their body temperature.

So, sharks are more often affiliated with warmer waters as along the Florida coast. These sightings this year along the Massachusetts shoreline is more or less migration to warmer waters. The ocean is warming at higher latitudes. We saw with the corals an entire latitude wiped out, this is no different. As the waters along the Equator become warmer, the fish will seek more friendly water temperatures in higher latitudes.

August 20, 2019
By Joey Garrison

Orleans, Massachusetts - It's 11:30 a.m. (click here) on a sticky August morning at Nauset Beach here in this Cape Cod town, when another call comes in on the walkie-talkie of Sarah Newcomb- Baker, the beach's head lifeguard.

The voice is one of her employees flagging a scene similar to the one spotted just two hours before: a great white shark attacking a seal off the shore. 

Another lifeguard buzzes in saying she saw a large splash in the area earlier: "I'm wondering if that's the same thing." 

Minutes later, Nauset Beach announced its second shark evacuation just that morning, forcing beach-goers to get out of the water for the next hour. The previous closure happened at 9:45 a.m. after a lifeguard spotted a shark devouring a seal about 100 feet off the coast on a different wing of the beach.

Shark-sightings have been a regular occurrence this summer on the sandy beaches that dot Cape Cod, a popular vacation hub of New England. Brochures distributed on beaches urge visitors to "Be shark smart." Signs warn, "Know your risk when entering the water." Following the back-to-back sightings this day, Nauset Beach has purple shark flags erected throughout. It means that sharks are in the area.

Sharks have long been tied to the folklore of Cape Cod thanks to the Steven Spielberg movie classic "Jaws," filmed at Martha's Vineyard in 1975. But spotting a shark had for decades been rare until recently....

Below is a video from August 2018 along Massachusetts coast.