After being inside all day long waiting for the storm to pass us by, it was nice to get outside. It was around 6 p.m. that blue sky finally started showing, and the thick quilted clouds of Hurricane Isaias headed east. Tree detritus covered the roads but no significant branches or trees. The wind was still quite strong, but everything felt lively—released from the low barometric pressure. The river was very high–higher than regular high tide. I noted that the full moon was only two days ago, as I walked off the trail to avoid the water.
This beautiful ailanthus tree leaf caught my eye on a part of the paved trail. Also called Tree of Heaven, its growth habit is very aggressive and overtakes native plants. I just learned about its relationship to the spotted lantern fly, also introduced, which is also causing lots of damage. There was a plan a while back in local preserve to remove all the ailanthuses, which I have read is a good step in reducing spotted lanternflies. It’s all connected. Until it’s all disconnected. Then maybe it connects again?
Julia Sforza 