Last night marked the first frost of the season in Bourne. Recording occurrences such as the first frost is important to the study of phenology. Phenology is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena. The word itself is derived from the Greek word phaino, which means “to show or to make appear”, and the Greek word logos, which means “study”. Therefore, phenology is concerned with the dates of the first occurrence of biological events and natural phenomena in their annual cycle. In addition to the first frost, other events of phenological note include budding of trees, the appearance of migratory birds, and insect emergence. The photos below were taken just before sunrise this morning, before the temperature started to rise for the day. If I had been just a little later, evidence of this first frost would’ve been erased.

The second photo shows the frost that formed on the rose hips of a beach rose (Rosa rugosa) plant. Rose hips are not only edible, but they are one of the best sources for vitamin C. This particular species of rose, Rosa rugosa, is very common, and grows almost everywhere along the seashore on Cape Cod. The rose hip itself is simply the fruiting body of the rose. Each rose hip contains lots of small seeds, and a fleshy pulp. Despite the appealing taste (the pulp is sweet and tart), rose hips are a bit of a challenge to eat since the skin and the seeds must be discarded. The seeds are surrounded by itchy hairs that will stick to and irritate your throat, and the skin is tough and inedible. However, if you’re up for a little bit of work to snack on this wild edible, now is the perfect time to pick rose hips. They should be picked after they’ve turned red but before they start to wrinkle. And, if you wait until after the first frost, the fruit will have a sweeter taste.