Here you see the abundant berries of a Mountain Ash Tree in yesterday's morning fog. They appeared here in the mysterious trees about a week ago:

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These trees (Sorbus aucuparia) are neither Ash Trees nor especially fond of mountains. They’re members of the Rose Tree family.

They’re also called Rowan Trees because our early Scots and Irish settlers mistakenly thought that they were the same as European Rowans, which were believed to ward off witches and have other magical properties. In nearby Canada, they’re known as Dogberry Trees and their berries are used to make Dogberry Jam, which is popular there.

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Many old-timers here believe that an abundance of Mountain Ash berries in the summer and fall means a harsh winter. The theory is that this is one of the ways that Mother Nature protects the over-wintering birds. Of course, that was before we created Climate Change to ruin nature as it was. (Brooklin, Maine)

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