seeing green

In our gardening class this week we tried out some plant/tree identification. Yikes! I'm telling you, trying to identify a plant or tree can sometimes feel like trying to locate a pin in a haystack-but what we try to do is to narrow down the possible options. Are the leaves opposite or alternate? Is this leaf from a deciduous tree or is it evergreen? What is the leaf pattern? It's a bit like being a "green" detective, which really is fun. There are so many great people in this gardening class-retirees, young adults in their twenties, moms, farmers, former librarians, really it's such a fun and varied group (also a nice touch to the classes is that at each class hot coffee and tea are offered along with baked goodies, there is also fruit for those who are avoiding the goodies-I eat both :)
Yesterday the woman who spoke about composting was truly an inspiration. She was trained in another field, but in her late forties she decided to go back to college to get her Masters degree in soil science- I love it! (I especially love it because I turned a year older this week).
So today as I got home from a little shopping (went out to get some plant/tree guides of course) I took some pictures of green outside~

~lichens on a tree


~moss in our driveway

~rosemary planted last September when we first moved here and a hellebore that was just repotted today (the hellebore I received from class, from a Master Gardener-she gave several of them away).

~the books I purchased today


One thing about living here is that while is does get a little cold, it doesn't get cold. It's a very green place, really almost year round (hence the rain as well-but there's sun today, yay!-we take it when we can get it). Perhaps this green place is a great place to learn about gardening-maybe it's "growing" on me-pun fully intended!