Photo via Wikipedia by Quadell
Urban Wilds is written by Lela S. Lela lives in Petworth. You can read Lela’s first post on Wood Frogs here.
Eastern Skunk Cabbage
Skunk cabbage is called that for a reason, and you can sniff out these wetland plants with your eyes closed. But in early spring, they’re most visible as some of the very first plants to begin to flower, sometimes when there’s still snow on the ground. In a reversal of my last post, they do this by actually generating their own heat. In the process of warming themselves up, the plants burn through a huge amount of oxygen – as much by weight as a hummingbird would use. This thermal mechanism is two kinds of good for the skunk cabbage. The heat protects their developing tissues from the cold, letting them actually melt through layers of snow or ice and get a jump on other plants. It also warms and helps to disperse the molecules that make up the plants’ particular smell, attracting early-hatching insects. That fragrance contains chemical compounds similar to those in rotting flesh, wonderfully called putrecine and cadaverine. I think the smell is kind of delicious, in a woodsy way.
Look for young skunk cabbages in low-lying, wet areas in early March – Rock Creek is always a good bet. Their purple and green spathes (bizarre, twisted pods containing the flowers) should be visible now, and the plants may be leafing out. Later in the spring, the big, vigorous leaves can completely dominate an area, crowding out the competition in a thick blanket of green.
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Good news, D.C. area. You can save money on your next home cleaning with Well-Paid Maids. It’s easy!
We offer a discount when you set up recurring cleans — and the discounts just increased this week!
For weekly cleans, get $30 off each cleaning.
Potomac Harmony is Back! Following a gap year of competing, then virtual rehearsals during the pandemic, followed by the well-earned retirement of our long-term director, a year of a director search, Potomac Harmony hit the regional contest stage in Concord, North Carolina in March for the first time since 2018! It was exhilarating, reaffirming, and rewarding!
The chorus hit all of its goals, the biggest of which was to have fun and sing our best on contest stage — we did both! Because we earned a score over 400 points, our new Director, Allison Lynskey, was awarded the Novice Director award, photo above. Additionally, one of our charter members, Jackie Bottash, was nominated for and honored with the Leadership Excellence award. It was a celebratory weekend!
What’s next? So much! We now look forward to upcoming performances, growing our membership, and expanding our musical product with new arrangements and an education component each week. It’s an exciting time to be part of this ever-growing ensemble!
St Mary Armenian Church Annual Spring Food Festival
Come hungry and leave happy! Experience culture, community, and cuisine all in one place. See you at the festival!!!!
Comedy Cabaret
Kick up your heels at Bad Medicine’s COMEDY CABARET extravaganza at the DC Improv Comedy Club on Tuesday, May 21st. Revel in the sights and sounds of this entertaining musical revue, with songs, dance and sketch comedy that will have