Pixie Meadow Flora

Blue jays aren't blue.

Not even a little.

There is ZERO blue pigment in a blue jay's feathers.

The blue you see is structural color:
→ Tiny air pockets in the feather barbs scatter light
→ Only blue wavelengths are reflected back to your eyes
→ Hold the feather up to the light → it looks brown/gray
→ Crush the feather → the blue vanishes instantly
→ It's the same physics that makes the sky blue

This is true for EVERY blue bird in North America:
→ Blue jays
→ Eastern bluebirds
→ Indigo buntings
→ Mountain bluebirds
→ Blue grosbeaks

None of them have blue pigment. Not one.

Blue jay facts that will blow your mind:

→ They can mimic hawk calls perfectly (to scare other birds away from feeders)
→ They're in the corvid family — related to crows and ravens
→ They cache thousands of acorns (major oak tree planters)
→ A single blue jay can cache 3,000-5,000 acorns per fall
→ They paint their bills with ants (formic acid kills parasites — it's called "anting")
→ They mate for life
→ Both parents build the nest and feed young
→ They can be incredibly loyal to humans who feed them regularly

The most stunning bird at your feeder is wearing an optical illusion.

There is no blue.

There never was. 💙
:

That's right, drink it in! 🤩
🌤🌈🐛🦋🌹🐑🌻🐞🦔🐾🌿🦆☔️
The first official day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere officially arrived at 10:46 a.m this morning. ✨️
🍃🧚‍♀️🍃

Celebrate good times, come on! 🥳

🍃🌸🦔🐾☀️🌳🪺🐦🦋🌿🐿💦☔️🌈

Philodendron White Princess
🍃🧚‍♀️🍃

Just two more sleeps, peeps! 🐥
🌿🌼🐇🌳🐞🌦🐖🌷🐛🐣💦🌈

🍃🧚‍♀️🍃

🌿🌼🐞🌦🐖🌷🐣🐛💦🌈

🍃🧚‍♀️🍃

A truer story! 😂
Take heart, dear ones, 🍃🧚‍♀️🍃 Spring IS just around the bend! 🥰
🌦️☔️🦋🌷🐣🌳🪺🐦🍄🦔🐾🌿🐰🌼🐞🪵🐿️🌲

🌈🐌🌻🪺🐦🍀🍄🐁🌸🐣🌿

🌈🐌🌻🌿🐣☔️🍄🐁🍀🪺🐦

Physocarpus Opulifolius or Ninebark
An hardy native shrub, Ninebark produces adorable tiny five petal flowers in clusters that bloom in early spring attract and provide food for pollinators. Seeds in late summer and fall provide food for birds and smaller mammals. Its dense branches also provide a great nesting site for smaller birds including many of our native songbirds.
Ninebark wood has typically been used to make smaller items such as children’s bows and knitting needles.
🍃🧚‍♀️🍃

🌈☔️🌞🐑🌱🐾🦔🐞🌻

🌞☔️🐑🌱🐞🌻
Succulents and sunshine!
Warmer days are on the way, there are only 4 days left until the first day of spring! 🍃

🌷🦋🐛

There are just FIVE more days until Spring officially begins!
🌞🍓🐛🦋🌼🌳🐇☔️🌈🐣✨️

🌞🦋🐛🐣🐦🐞🌻🌿

Woot!
🐞🌿🌼🐜☔️🌈🌞

🌬🌿🦝🌼⛈🦆🌤🌈🐜🍄🐁

Echinops or Globe Thistle
A member of the Aster family, Echinops is a clumping perennial that is very easy to grow but not invasive. It also makes a lovely cut flower.
Some studies suggest it to be a potent immunomodulatory and anti-diabetic agent; otherwise under-researched. East Indian globe thistle is most often used for Autoimmune Disease and skin, hair, & nail health.
🍃🧚‍♀️🍃

Can't hardly wait! 🌷🐇🐾🪻🐣🌱🦔

🧚‍♀️🪺🐦🌼🐇🐾🌱☔️🐞🌸🐝