This winter has been colder than we’ve seen in several years, but the coldest winters always seem to come with a short break called a January thaw, and we’ve had ours this year. I think of it as a taste of spring in the dead of winter, and it is always welcome. January thaws usually last for about a week and temperatures rise an average of 10° F higher than those of the previous week. Spring has always been my favorite season so for me a thaw is also a tease that lights the pilot light of spring fever. By the end of February the fever will be strong.
It’s hard to tell from the photo, but that’s ice on the trail. I was glad that I wore my Yak Trax because there was nowhere you could go to avoid it except back the way you came.
At first glance you might think these were turkey tail fungi (Trametes versicolor), but it’s important to look at the underside of mushrooms when trying to identify them. Though they aren’t always shown on this blog I always try to get photos of their spore producing surfaces and any other features that might help in identify them.
The undersides of the mushrooms in the previous photo show that these fungi can’t be turkey tails because turkey tails have pores, not gills. Though many bracket fungi have gills, the multicolor gilled polypore (Lenzites betulina) shown in the photos is the only one that has both gills and white flesh. All of the other gilled bracket fungi have reddish brown flesh, which makes identifying the multicolor gilled polypore much easier than most. I also carry a pen and a small notebook to note things like white or brown flesh but a lot of times I don’t use it because I don’t like harming the mushrooms. I like to leave the woods exactly as I found them if I can, so the next person can see the same things I’ve seen.
Evergreen intermediate wood fern (Dryopteris intermedia) looks fragile, but it can take a lot of weather. I found these examples growing in a crack in a room sized boulder. This is one of just a handful of true evergreen ferns. I usually expect to find another evergreen fern called polypody or rock cap ferns (Polypodium vulgare) growing on boulders but I didn’t see any in this area.
The only time nature seems to be in a hurry is when snow melt rushes downhill. There was a lot of rushing going on this day.
All that water had to go somewhere and with the soil still frozen a lot of it puddled up in low spots in the woods. Mini ponds like the one in the photo could be seen everywhere. Many were about the size of back yard skating rinks and once re-frozen they would have been great to skate on.
Along the Ashuelot River the ice shelves hanging out over the water were collapsing under their own weight. Not a good time to find yourself accidentally standing on one of these!
Jelly creps (Crepidotus mollis) are small, quarter sized “winter mushrooms” that like to grow on hardwood logs. They are also called soft slipper mushrooms and feel kind of spongy and flabby, much like your ear lobe.
The gills of the jelly crep are soft and turn from whitish yellow to brown as they age. You can see how these mushrooms grow in overlapping tiers in this photo.
Red maple flower buds (Acer rubrum) are just waiting for the signal. These are one of my favorite early spring flowers and I’m looking forward to seeing them again. The flowers, twigs, leaf stems, seeds, and autumn foliage of this tree all come in varying shades of red.
The sun came out,
And the snowman cried.
His tears ran down
On every side.
His tears ran down
Till the spot was cleared.
He cried so hard
That he disappeared.
~ Margaret Hillert, January Thaw
Thanks for coming by.
Great post, and beautiful photos. One suggestion – i think the mushrooms that you identified as “Jelly creps (Crepidotus mollis)” are actually Panellus stipticus based on the cap pattern and the gill attachment to the log. Thoughts?
Thank you, I think you’re right. I’d say the pattern on the cap is a good identifier but I can’t remember seeing Panellus stipticus in any of my mushroom books. I’ll have to take another look!
I have some photos of them under “Fungi” on http://www.fotoforaging.com
The shot of the Clavaria zollingeri is really beautiful! I haven’t seen that one yet.
Interesting I’m not alone in relying on Yak Trax! Dave
No, you’re not alone Dave. I think everyone who reads this blog wears them!
Lovely poem to compliment your beautiful photographs – ah if we could just start to feel Spring. Here in TX we were in the 70’s on Sunday and today woke up to 25.
Thank you Mary. I heard on the news that you were going to get cold down that way. I hope you didn’t see snow along with it. I’m ready for spring too.
Thanks – we lucked out in that regard, but will be going down to 19 degrees this evening. Really quite unbelievable and it’s very dry, w/no rain in sight for another 5 days at 10% – going to be a tough year.
Beautiful, what a nice treat in the middle of this winter. Thanks on the review of bracket fungi. Seems I knew some of that ages ago, so I love being reminded of a past interest that somehow got lost through the years.
Thank you. I’m glad that I could give you a little refresher.
We are expecting another deep freeze tonight, though today was fairly mild – in the upper 20s. We get that same situation in the back garden where the snow melts or we even get rain but the ground is still frozen so all the low spots are covered with mater. Then if it freezes again we have a skating rink.
You know it has been cold when we start thinking 20 degrees is mild. What will we do when it reaches 80?
I wonder how all that ice affects your garden. Sometimes ice can make plants heave right out of the ground.
Sorry to be repetitive, but always terrific!
Thanks!
Spring is my favourite season too. I’m glad you remembered your Yak Trax, I haven’t even had to get mine out yet this year, all we’ve had is rain.
I wish I could say that! I’m just about to go out and shovel again.
I agree with many of the other visitors, something special about the mini-ponds shot. Of course the other photos are up to your standard.
Thanks Grampy. I don’t know what it is about those little melt ponds either, but people seem to like seeing them.
All great stuff. A wonderland! I’d love to have a close up look at those mini ponds! Love the texture of the gilled polypore.
Thanks Melanie. I was hoping I’d get to explore the mini ponds when they re-froze to get some good ice photos, but they’re all under snow again now.
So glad to see your snow and water. We haven’t had enough precip. for such things. I are having the wind, day and night!
People who don’t have them don’t realize how constant winds can affect your life. Years ago we had an entire March with howling winds every day and it was horrible. I hope yours calm down soon.
I loved all the photos, and of course the information, but I really liked the mini waterfalls! Any water that isn’t frozen gets my vote this time of year!
I know what you mean. It’s all frozen again now!
Your photos are always outstanding but I especially love the one where the water puddled and it shows the reflections. It’s truly a beauty.
Thank you Judy. The beauty was fleeting as we’re now back to good old winter.
Your frosty landscape fascinates me. I enjoy the beauty of it in your pictures but I’m not sure that I would be tough enough to get out in it.
Thank you. I think we who have grown up with the cold months have gotten used to it for the most part, but there are times when even we struggle with it.
I love the mini pond photo with the reflection of the trees. Glad you can get out and stomp around to show the rest of us what is going on in our backyard woods!
Thanks Martha. My stomps are getting shorter all the time because of this cold!
What beautiful landscape photos! The NH winter scene is far more attractive than that in MN–we are buried in the white stuff.
Thanks Sue. We are buried again too-the thaw only lasted a week. Days are getting longer and February starts next week, so it won’t be much longer.
What a sweet poem, thank you.
Thank you Susan. I thought that was a fitting poem for a post about a January thaw.
January thaw is like Indian Summer in Oct., a welcome break in the weather, but too short lived. Spring is my favorite season as well. I’m glad it is on its way. The days are noticeably longer now.
I was kind of hoping the thaw would last until June, but winter just doesn’t want to let go this year. Yes, i’ve noticed that the days are getting longer too and I’m real happy about that!