It’s that time of year again – I’m so busy, and also taking so many pictures, that there’s no time to write blog posts, and too many photos to put in them.
We saw our first Monarch butterfly of the year – on May 22nd – exactly the same date as last year – nectaring on Hoary Puccoon.
We’ve also been seeing morels – delicious!
Marsh Marigolds
Bishop’s Cap
Close up, Bishop’s Cap flowers look like snowflakes.
Prairie Smoke
Jacob’s Ladder
Wood Anemone
I’ve found Yellow Lady’s Slippers in several places, but this clump is right on our walk – and so far, the deer haven’t eaten them. This year there are 5 stalks with blossoms – I check every day to see if they’re blooming yet.
Finally, on May 25th, they were in full bloom.
We finished clearing the cut logs from Hidden Oaks hillside – now it can spend the summer recovering.
And this is the hillside Mike and I cleared last fall – looking much more open.
This is an older restoration – we cleared it a few years ago, and the flowers are coming back – Wood Betony, Wild Geranium and Yellow Star Grass.
I’m nearly finished with my spring Garlic Mustard work for this year. It’s past the stage where I can spray, so now I’m pulling and removing all the plants that are starting to go to seed.
The best thing about working on Garlic Mustard is that I’ve been exploring parts of our woods that I don’t usually see. I’ve found some beautiful places – even a few that I’ve never walked in before.
Fern Valley – a deep gully that runs down Western Valley.
A young Sugar Maple grove on Maple Ridge
Oak woods with Wild Geraniums above Pine Point Prairie
The wooded valley below The Bowl
This was the most interesting spot I found – we think it’s an old quarry – maybe the source of rock for some of the early buildings.
We’re still seeing the white deer
Ostrich Ferns and Wild Geranium along the cabin road
Richard came to visit, and got to see a Luna Moth
Sadly, we’ve had to take out the beaver’s dam. The lake got higher and higher, and then overflowed our driveway during the thunderstorms last week. Mike has been gradually dismantling the dam – it was more substantial than we realized, with a foundation of rocks they had stolen from the driveway.
I found dozens of Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillars along the road this week.
A dandelion – photo with the new camera. The little squiggles are the stigmas of the many flowers that make up the flower head.
Wild Lupine – taken at night
Spring in Center Valley
Hoary Puccoon on Hidden Oaks Point
Common Ringlet
Richard’s Luna Moth
The Herald
Green Leuconycta
Misty sunrise
And another sunrise
