Reindeer Moss

What looks like snow or flowers is actually "reindeer moss."

 

Re/ the other picture, it looks like little gardens on this long-abandoned railroad bridge across the slough (pronounced "slue").  from Leaf Lady (Gail)

wildflower

Hi guys,

This has wandered onto my yard.  I have tentatively ID'd it as lesser celandine.  What do you think?

John

Lynda's Garden the Third Trip

The little garden fairies have been blessing us



with tomatoes,



eggplant blooms,



and poison ivy... again.

Phenology: Bloodroot

This is the first day bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) has opened up
on the Black River near Sarnia, Michigan. I can tell that because
there is a sepal visible in the picture, and the sepals are deciduous
and fall off after the first day.

blue lake

I went to the little town of Blue Lake for a couple hours, only about 6 miles from my house, but inland and not the direction I usually go. It's like a little mountain town, very charming (to me anyway). I don't think there actually is or ever was a lake. I'm sending these pics just to give you an impression what I saw on the path along the river.

Best of all, it was warm enough to leave my coat in the car! And when I walked along the river, I actually (are you sitting down??) TOOK OFF MY SWEATSHIRT!! Which meant I had only two layers of clothes on! Maybe I WILL be warm again.

Phenology: Shadbush!

"The earliest flowering native shrub" is in flower now as of 4/23/08.
Baldduck Park, Detroit.

Phenology: Dutchman's breeches

Phenology: Dutchman's breeches, 4/23/08

And this within a half mile of my house, so I *could* report it to
Budburst if I ever have time.

Chipmunk, Belle Isle

Along Nashua Creek

Phenology: toothort's first day at Belle Isle, Detroit, Monday April 21, 2008

what a time for a full card!

Just when I had a clear bead on the sandhill crane, the card was
full! AK! (Photo by BB).

Birdhouse, by Mick Mather

New Art by Artist Mick Mather. Mick is published in the Silk Creek Review, among other places.

Keep out!

CARP! In Kensington Lake. Not a good thing to have in any body of
water. Messy!

Sunset Fishing at Nashua Creek, Belle Isle

This unknown man allowed me to take his picture fishing along Nashua Creek.

lower falls

What I could see of the lower falls. It would have been a steep drop to the bottom and I wasn't sure I could get back up if I DID manage to get down without injuring myself!  Leaflady (Gail)

Phenology: Periwinkle

Periwinkle is in full flower at Belle Isle, In Detroit Michigan, along
Nashua Creek.

clematis

from leaflady (Gail)

Ladybug's Eye View

And I thought I was feeling small.

I spent 6 hours wandering around the arboretum yesterday. Feeling better now.

Awakening

Awaken the courage, insight, and creative abilities, and use them to communicate to others.

Just Because

flower

in classsroom, by Erin

Singing wood frog

Along with a chorus of chorus frog and spring peepers, the wood frogs
were also singing--quite the din!

Spring Peeper Underwater

The spring peepers are out and peeping! YAY! This one is completely
underwater, and therefor, at this point, not peeping!

Mallard in early spring

Mallard in early spring, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Straight shot with
300 zoom lens. No effects. Nashua Creek, Belle Isle, Detroit, MI.

Spicebush

YAY! Spicebush is opening in the woods at Belle Isle! Spring is
springing! Wahoo!

Phenology: spicebush 1st budburst 4-5-08 Belle Isle, Detroit
Michigan. Along Nashua Creek.

turkeys!

Photos by Keith Taitt

Along the Trail at Nashua Creek

Eyebolt, by Keith Taitt

Leaflets three...Trilium it be...

Gail Slaughter sent this shot from California... she said it made her "a little homesick for the Michigan woods." Well, we miss HER too, but that can't be helped, so we carry on!

Lynda's Garden the Second Trip

For the story behind this garden, click here. This time, the weeds were blooming. I almost hated to dig them up.



Lynda planted 3 beds with vegetables and herbs, while I fought with the garden tiller to clear 2 more. We have 4 more beds left to clear. We were both so tired and sore after this episode. By the time I got home, I was covered with bruises and poison ivy. Makes me wonder why I love gardening so much. It's going to be ok though, Lynda planted okra just for me. Yea!



We had to transfer these two to a new home.

waves

I call these "Wavebreak" and "Before Wavebreak." "Wavebreak" is now one of my favorites of all my outdoor pics.

I think it's impossible to get anything but a good picture at Dry Lagoon.

I was there again cuz the paper re-hid the Easter Egg, which disappeared from its first hiding place but was never claimed. Incidentally, I was told by someone at the paper that it was NOT at the bridge I photographed. They picked up the clues mid-stream, leaving the early ones that took you to Stone Lagoon, but changing #6, which referred to needing hiking boots, to "hiking boots will not be needed." For some reason I thought I'd be able to find a hiding place that fit the other clues but which was near the parking lot but I couldn't. I also looked at the old Stone Lagoon visitor center, now closed, and the Stone Lagoon Schoolhouse -- poked around a few places but no luck. Even drove a few miles down the road to the little town of Orick to see if anything was called Stone Lagoon something, but nothing was.

Eventually I went to Dry Lagoon, since the tide was going out, and enjoyed the scenery and tried a little to find some agates. I only found 3 smallish ones and one itty bitty. I don't have a good eye for them but enjoy looking. But it was quite cold and very windy so only stayed there about 90 min.

Today the paper just ran clue #6 again. Weird! But I don't intend to go looking again. Gas is just too expensive. It's been $3.79 the last couple weeks. Leaflady (Gail)