#hackmatack

[jadafitch]

In the eastern part of their range, Columbia silk moth caterpillars hatch from tiny eggs, laid on hackmatack (aka tamarack, aka eastern larch) trees. This deciduous conifer, common in the northeast, is the primary food source for these caterpillars. After their cocooned over-winter transformation to a moth, they no longer eat or drink. They’ve only got a couple of weeks on the wing to find a mate, and lay eggs on another larch. Late may to early July is the best time of the year to spot one of these large moths, as well as their cousins, cecropia and luna moth. So double check the side of your house if you forget to turn off the outside light this week.

[mostlythemarsh]

Identity

[buildingourworld]

Beautiful views at the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge!

[colegove]

Hand printed shirts for Hackmatack Printed with water based ink in a solar powered studio.

[bandnameserver]

Hackmatack

[chickadeefriend]

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)

[the-secret-life-of-bi]

[nimbuspub]

We’re so thrilled for Vivien and her lovely middle-grade (8-12) novel, Touch of Gold!

The Hackmatack Children’s Choice Award is facilitated through public schools in Nova Scotia and is a huge festival getting kids excited about books and reading. The elementary students read as many books from a pre-set list as possible, then vote for their favourite. The winner gets a big school library order, and the prestigious Hackmatack title.

Congratulations, Vivien!

[jadafitch]

Blackburnian Warblers in a Hackmatack. I was super excited when Judy Camuso, our fantastic new commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, asked me to create the new commissioner's print. I got even more excited when she asked for blackburnian warblers as the subject. It was lots of fun working on this.

[mostlythemarsh]

Reward

[colegove]

Hand printing a fresh batch of Hackmatack shirts with eco-friendly water-based free of PVC & phthalates ink in a solar powered studio.

[lazyjacks]

Sailboat, Hackmatack Inn, before 1950 Lordly House Museum Accession number: 2015.101

[navarroserra]

Juniper

Folk Names: needle yew, cedar, savin, bastard killer, fairy circle, hackmatack, gin berry, horse savin, gorst, aiten, dwarf juniper, genevier, genévrier, ginepro, enebro, gemeiner, gin plant, wachholder

Element: Fire

Planet: Sun

Deities:

Audhumla: The Great Cow. Nourisher. Primal shaping force of the universe.

Good Dwarves: The Master Smiths.

Hel (German Holle, Hulda) of the Aesir: The Goddess of the Dead and the Afterlife, she herself is half-dead, half alive. The Vikings viewed her with considerable trepidation. Nevertheless, the Germans saw her as Mother Holle and helpful in times of need, but vengeful upon those who transgress natural law.

Loki: Aesir and Jotunn, Trickster and Fire Jotunn

Nanna, of the Vanir: She is married to Baldur and mother to Forseti. She is a goddess of Love, Romance and Fertility, also of Wealth and Prosperity.

Nerthus German Hertha): She is Mother Earth and a Goddess of the Sea and ofRivers.

Ran, of the Vanir: The Ravager. She is married to Aegir, is malicious and unpredictable.

Skadi of the Vanir: Mistress of Dark Magic and the Goddess of Winter and of the Hunt.

Thor of the Aesir: The red-headed God of Thunder and weather in general, powerful Protection, Inspiration, Magical Power, and Personal Strength

Tyr of the Aesir: Odin’s son, Tyr is the God of Law & Justice, Rational Thought and Right Order, Protection, Divination, Astronomy, Strength and Courage

Weiland (Weyland): The Smith of the Gods.

Powers: Protection, Banish Negativity, Love, Abundance, Banishment, Vivid Dreams, Fertility, Grounding, Prosperity, Purification, Success, Increase and stimulate psychic powers, Break Curses, Exorcisms, Calm, Healing

About:

Juniper is a very good cleansing tool when it is bundled and burned within a space, The smoke clearing was commonly used in the springtime, and when one considers own endangered Palo Santo and white sage is Juniper is a good alternative and considering we all follow a (though varying from person to person) a Norse belief this herb is a great way to honor the gods, Jotunn, Goddess, etc with a native cleansing herb. Juniper was without a doubt used by the Norse, and a good amount of documentation can be found within Trolldom, the folk magic tradition of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, these documentations include many different uses for Juniper. The ash, oil, berries, and even branches would be used for removing curses. It is an herb that is heavily versatile.

[my-name-is-dahlia]

Vocabulary (pt.dccxcvii)

Words taken from Ontario Nature Guide by Krista Kagume:

topographical (adj.) relating to the arrangement or accurate representation of the physical features of an area.

loll (v.) (often followed by about, around) stand, sit, or recline in a lazy attitude.

hackmatack (n.) = tamarack.

cackle (n.) a clucking sound as of a hen or a goose.

emanate (v.) issue, originate (from a source).

generalist (n.) a person competent or knowledgeable in several different fields or activities.

nature (n.) an uncultivated or wild area, condition, community, etc.

sentinel (n.) a sentry or lookout; a guard.

poach (v.) cook (an egg) without its shell in or over boiling water.

spawn (v.) (of a fish, frog, mollusc, or crustacean) produce or fertilize (eggs).

[balsampoplar]

Stay Gold 🌲

Species: Tamarack (Larix laricina), aka American Larch, Eastern Larch, Alaska Larch, Juniper, & Hackmatack

An outlier among conifers, members of the larch family shed their needles each fall. Tamarack is found across most of Canada and in Alaska, the American Midwest, and parts of the American Northeast. This species prefers habitats with wet soil such as bogs, swamps, riverbanks, and lakeshores.

Identification: needles occur in tufts and are soft to the touch. Tamarack has very small cones measuring 1-2cm long. Bark of mature trees is a purplish-brown and flakes into scales.