Favorite Unusual Words

 

Apricity

Here is the current list May, 2026

Thanks to all that have contributed.

Apricity- (noun) - the warmth of the sun in winter

Biophilia - noun - the belief that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. [It's that unexplainable feeling of calm when surrounded by green, the fascination with wildlife, and the peace found in a forest's embrace.]

Coddiwomple - (verb) To travel purposefully towards an unknown destination

Dendrophile - (noun) A person who loves trees and forests

Earthing - the process of absorbing earth's free flowing electrons from its surface through the soles of one's feet

Estivation - noun - the act of passing the summer in one place; summer pasturing

Esculent (adjective) Suitable to be used by man for food; eatable; edible.

Feuillemort - (adj) having the color of a faded leaf

Gluggavedur (noun) Weather that looks appealing from inside but is unpleasant to be outside in. 

Hanto  Finnish (n) A soft, lingering twilight just after sunset. A sky caught between light and darkness, holding the day's last promise.

Hiraeth (Hi er ayth) - noun - homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; nostalgia, yearning, grief for the lost places of your past. Link

Hurkle-durkle - A 300 yr old Scottish term meaning to lounge in bed long after it's time to get up. Please note you should not sleep (check Bert's example) while hurkle-durkling. Link  You may pandiculate before or after. 

Inosculation - noun -  is a natural phenomenon in which parts of two different trees, commonly but not exclusively the same species, grow together, self grafting and sharing nutrients 

Komorebi (n) Japanese - sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees

Marcescence (n)  the winter retention of leaves on certain deciduous trees.

     Moonglade  (n) the track of moonlight on water

    Murmuration (n) a swirling flock of starlings  (Note: Chambersburg PA Walker Rd near Texas Roadhouse- mid-day when there are so many of them on the electric wires and a loud noise sends them up in the air - don't look while driving - pull over.)

Nemophilist (n) a haunter of the woods; one who loves forests for their beauty and solitude

Noctivagant (n) an animal that wanders at night

Ombrophilous (adj) rain-loving

Ombrophobous (adj) rain-shunning

Opacarophile (n) one who loves sunsets

Orophile (n) a person who finds peace and serenity, and connects with themselves more deeply, in mountainous settings; a lover of mountains

Oubaitori (n) the Japanese idea that people, like flowers, bloom in their own time and in their individual ways

Petrichor (n) - a distinctive, earthy, pleasant odor that is associated with rainfall especially when following a warm, dry period (Want more info on petrichor? https://www.the-scientist.com/why-does-geosmin-smell-70231)

Porphyrophile (n) Lover of purple. Purple has long been associated with creativity, spirituality, and the extraordinary. It is the color of dreamer, thinkers, and those who see beyond the ordinary. 

Pootling (v) to move or travel slowly, aimlessly, and in a relaxed manner, often with no no specific purpose.

Procrastihiking (n) When you have a million things to do but chose to go hiking instead.

Psithurism - (n) The sound of leaves whispering in the breeze

Ruderal - a plant or species that thrives in disturbed areas, rubbish and poor soil

Seatherny - the serenity one feels when listening to the chirping of birds

Smurr- a drizzly fog or mist

Solanthophile (n.) someone who is irresistibly in love with sunflowers especially because of their positive vibe and aura

Susurrus - a whispering sound/ see Psithurism- pretty much the same thing (whatever rhymes in your poem)

Thalassophile (Greek (n) - Lover of the seas and its soothing presence. Describes someone who finds healing, clarity, and renewal in the sound of waves.

Werifesteria [Old English] (verb) to wander lovingly through the forest in search of mystery

Yutori (Japanese) Intentionally slowing down, to simply be, breathe, listen and appreciate the beauty of nature and life. Consciously creating space to relax, reflect, and integrate rather than being constantly busy or rushed.  *

* Visit the Franklin County Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens Woodland Meadow Native Habitat and look for the new Tranquility Garden. Relax on the bench and enjoy nature.

HERB SAMPLER Second Edition

Buy one for yourself and consider getting a few more. They make great hostess gifts, housewarming, and anytime gifts.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it. 

An Intelligent Murder of Crows

 BIRDS WITH AN ATTITUDE

It was very late. I couldn't get to sleep and began cruising COMCAST for something to watch and found a PBS Nature show, A Murder of Crows. I learned some fascinating things.

New research has shown that crows can make and use tools, can recognize 250 distinct calls, and not only can recognize human faces but can pass down, through generations, that recognition.

Crows are social birds that mate for life and raise their young for up to five years. And they learn from each other’s misfortunes. When one is killed in a farmer’s field, it’s not uncommon for them to change entire migratory patterns so that no crows fly over that field for as long as two years.

CROWS MAKE AND USE TOOLS: For example, they use twigs to pry insects from wood or from inside long slender flowers. Crows are shown (in the program) using twigs to obtain other twigs that would allow them to obtain food - sequential tool use. Using tools to act on non-food objects – for example, to make or retrieve other tools – is considered to be a hallmark of human intelligence.

Crow using a stick to get a longer stick to get some food

CROWS HAVE OVER 250 CALLS: Calls are complex and vary by species and also regionally, sort of crow dialects. Not only the call but the tone and level of sound change the meaning of vocalizations – loud when defending territory or hungry and quiet, almost purring, to show affection. Distress calls bring other crows to their aid, as crows will defend other crows not known to them.

Univ. of Seattle researchers don masks to test recognition

CROWS KNOW  WHO YOU ARE: Crows recognize individual human faces, and hold grudges against people who have been mean to them in the past. They have the ability to recognize individual human faces and pick them out of a crowd up to two years later. If a "dangerous face" is recognized by a crow, a call of warning is sent out among the crows. In a generation later,  the same face sends out caws of warning. Univ. of Washington researchers used masks in experiments that revealed that crows do not forget.

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Interested herbs? Looking for Gifts? Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon.