Dec. 18

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi.  The temperature was 23-degrees with moderate snow falling carried by a light southwest wind. Panning the landscape of Bobolink Meadow, I could see how last week’s snow not only covered the dead vegetation but also flattened it considerably.  Following the trail, I noticed a Downy Woodpecker swoop past me and land in a small tree. A dense stand of deciduous trees greeted me as I entered North Woods.  The first thing that caught my attention was a White-breasted Nuthatch walking down a tree upside down. Continuing through North Woods, I noticed several large American Beech trees standing tall with their smooth, gray bark. Two solitary White Birch trees were visible just north of the trail. Fresh tracks from a resident Fox Squirrel were hard to spot in the fresh snow. It was only last week that a heavy layer of leaf litter carpeted the trail. Exiting North Woods, I continued around Succession Field and observed a bold Black-capped Chickadee perched on a branch only a few feet away.  On the far west side of Succession Field under some large oak trees, I saw where Whitetail Deer had scraped the snow away from the ground searching for acorns to eat.  Entering South Woods. I looked up to see the huge White Oak standing guard. Following the meandering trail through South Woods, I stopped to notice the serene winter landscape in remote Swanson’s Swamp. Leaving South Woods, I passed by Artist Overlook and saw a couple of Common Crows flying silently overhead.  I followed the south trail and made the turn north at Frog Fen, where I saw a patch of leafless deep burgundy Red Osier Dogwood. From the top of Reflection Hill, I gazed down on peaceful Grebe Pond where I suspected a muskrat family was snuggling to keep warm in its snow-covered lodge.  Heading toward the Classroom Building, I could barely make out several tracks of the Cottontail Rabbit under the snow cover. The car was a welcome site at the end of another hike.  After Remi jumped in, we took off for home.

All the leaves are brown


And the sky is grey


I went for a walk

On a winter’s day

I’d be safe and warm

If I was in L.A.

California dreamin’

On such a winter’s day

Mammas and Pappas

Dec. 11

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi.  Exiting the car at 11:00am and walking west toward Bobolink Meadow, I was greeted with overcast skies, light fog, a 33-degree temperature and a gusty wind out of the southeast. Tiny patches of snow dotted the trail. As I passed by Mallard Marsh, I noticed that the water level remained quite low despite the autumn rains.  I suspected the Great Blue Heron that spent most of the summer fishing and frogging there had migrated to warmer latitudes. Bobolink Meadow was blanketed with fuzzy beige seeds of Goldenrod.  This was in sharp contrast to the yellow hue of Goldenrod flowers that covered this grassland back in September. Punctuating this drab landscape were clumps of golden Reed Canary Grass. Arriving at Willow Wallow, I saw a few fluffy cattail heads standing along the water’s edge. Next to the trail through Succession Field, I noticed several leafless Indian Hemp plants with lance-like seedpods hanging from their deep burgundy stems. Continuing along the south side of Succession Field, I passed through the stand of immature White Birch and Quaking Aspen. Up on Artist Overlook, I observed many dead willows protruding through the ice on the southwest corner of Sora Swale.  Continuing down the trail, I saw a solitary Chickadee fluttering through the willows of Frog Fen as it sang its familiar song . From the top of Reflection Hill, I noticed the absence of Canadian Goose scat on the trail.  Since Grebe Pond was covered with a solid layer of ice, I suspected the resident goose population had left for the winter in search of open water. Descending Reflection Hill, I headed for the Classroom Building. Continuing past the Storage Building, I was surprised to see a couple of yellow Dandelion blossoms on the ground so late in the year. The car was waiting for me. I drove south toward Alma and a warm house.

That’s no December sky!

Surely ‘tis June

Holds now her state on high


Queen of the noon.

Only the tree-tops bare

Crowning the hill,

Clear-cut in perfect air,

Warn us that still

Winter, the aged chief,

Mighty in power,

Exiles the tender leaf,

Exiles the flower.

Robert Fuller Murray 

Dec. 4

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi.  Nature’s signs of the season were everywhere. With a temperature of 30 degrees and a light north wind, I walked through Bobolink Meadow noticing several dried “bird nest” flowers of the queen anne’s lace, also fuzzy cream-colored dots of dried aster flowers, as well as clusters of brown nut-like galls of the golden rod and the ever present gray seed pods of milkweed. A handsome male ringed-neck pheasant took off and flew south toward Willow Wallow. Thin patches of snow lined the trail around Succession Field where I could hear the familiar call of a Black-capped Chickadee, a reliable harbinger of winter. From Artist Overlook, I could see, in the distance, the amber, leafless willow thickets surrounding Willow Wallow. A few crows perched above Sora Swale while a solitary whitetail deer stared alertly at me from the opposite shore. From the top of Reflection Hill, I could barely make out a large muskrat lodge near the south end of ice-covered Grebe Pond. Heading back to the classroom building, I noticed the large gray inflorescences of phragmites waving in the wind, bidding me farewell.  It was time to return to the warmth of my car and head for home.

I heard a bird sing


In the dark of December


A magical thing


And sweet to remember.

We are nearer to Spring


Than we were in September,

I heard a bird sing


In the dark of December

Oliver Herford