Resurrection Fern

This is an interesting fern. This is growing on the bark of our Norfolk Pine, which towers over the house now. When we first bought it many years ago, it was about 3' tall and we used it for our Christmas tree that year.

I just found out what this fern was not that long ago. I loved it's look on the tree, then it croaked and I wondered what did that. Then I read about this fern and the other day before it rained, I went out and took a picture of it withered, then yesterday after the rain, I took another picture.

I looked in Wikipedia to get info about it, which you can read more about there. I'll just give you a sampling here.

Rather amazing actually.

FlowerLady

Pleopeltis polypodioides (Resurrection fern; syn. Polypodium polypodioides) is a species of creeping, coarse-textured fern native to the Americas and Africa.

This fern is an epiphyte, or air plant, which means it attaches itself to other plants and gets its nutrients from the air and from water and nutrients that collect on the outer surface of bark. The Resurrection fern lives on the branches of large trees such as cypresses and can often be seen carpeting the shady areas on limbs of large oak trees. However, it is known to grow on the surfaces of rocks and dead logs as well. It is often found in the company of other epiphytic plants such as Spanish moss.

The Resurrection fern gets its name because it can survive long periods of drought by curling up its fronds and appearing desiccated, grey-brown and dead. However, when just a little water is present, the fern will uncurl and reopen, appearing to "resurrect" and restoring itself to a vivid green color. It has been estimated that these plants could go 100 years without water and still revive after a single soaking.

When the fronds "dry", they curl with their bottom sides upwards. In this way, they can rehydrate the quickest when rain comes, as most of the water is absorbed on the underside of the leaf blades. Experiments have shown that they can lose almost all their free water and remain alive - up to 97%, though more typically they only lose around 76% in dry spells (Moran 2004). For comparison, most other plants would die after losing only 8-12%. This fern can lose almost all the water not hydrating the cells in its leaves and survive.

Onion-Pepper Bread

Today has been gray and blustery all day with a threat of rain as a cold front is moving down our way. I decided to put my bread machine to use and picked the Onion bread recipe, but added some freshly ground black pepper to it.

The aroma filled the air as it baked and when DH came in after it was done he said, "What is that I smell?" He looked in the kitchen and said, "Oh, bread." We had it for lunch in sandwiches. Yummy!

The recipe came with the book that came with my bread machine, an Oster 2 lb. Expressbake Breadmaker.

***

1 1/2 lb. loaf

1 c. plus 2 tbs. water
1/2 c. chopped onion or 2 tbs. dried
1 tbs. margarine or butter, softened
3 1/4 c. bread flour
2 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. dry milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
*I added a few turns from the pepper mill

1.) Measure and add liquid ingredients to the bread pan.

2.) Measure, mix and add dry ingredients (except yeast) to the bread pan.

3.) Make a well in the flour mixture in pan, and add your yeast there.

4.) Select Basic setting.

5.) Select crust color.

6.) Start.

Enjoy

FlowerLady

Benefits for Life

Benefit ~ something that enhances or promotes well-being


Blessed be the Lord,

who daily loadeth us with benefits,

even the God of our salvation.

Psalms 68:19



Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;

who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;

who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;

so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalms 103:2-5

A different Christmas tree

This is a little tree I did up last year
when inspired in the forum 'Cottage Gardens',
to come up with some decorations made with things from nature.

The 'tree' is from a palm tree,
and when it's on the palm tree it flowers,
which become fruit with nuts inside.
After the nuts fall off,
these things dry on the tree,
then fall off.
I had thought of doing a tree with these for years
but had never done it.

The decorations are bits and pieces of shells
gathered from the beach,
except for the starfish
which were bought at a local shell shop.

There are blue glitter stars glued to each branch tip of the tree.
The shell ornies are hung with gold thread.

It was a fun project.
Maybe it will inspire some of you to see what you can do
with bits of nature from your surroundings
for Christmas decorations.

You can click on each picture to see a larger view.

FlowerLady