November 17

Saturday would have been a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. However, due to the potential danger of hiking at the Nature Area during rifle deer hunting season, we drove up to Mt. Pleasant and hiked around Mill Pond Park, a 90-acre park located between Broadway and High Street, intersected by the Chippewa River. The early morning weather was foggy with a temperature of 25 degrees and no wind. I started out and followed a paved trail along the river where I heard the familiar song of a Chickadee. The main stem of the Chippewa River begins in northeast Mecosta County from an impoundment in the village of Barryton and flows east southeast 92 miles through Mt. Pleasant and ends in Midland County where it joins the Tittabawassee River. Just off the trail, I saw a patch of dead, golden Reed Canary Grass. Further along, I descended the bank to see and hear some rapids. According to city records, the river flows with a mean discharge rate of 254 ft³/second. I crossed a footbridge and saw a large gneiss boulder next to the trail. I circled back along the other side of the river where I spotted a White Oak tree with a few dead leaves still clinging to the branches. Continuing on the trail, I noticed a frost-covered Velvetleaf plant. Following the trail southwest along the river, I noticed the fluffy white seeds of Old Man’s Beard. Also called Traveler's Joy, this import from Europe and southwestern Asia is an aggressively spreading woody vine that can grow up to 100 feet long and can completely blanket trees and other plants. Creamy white flowers in summer are followed by feathery seed heads in the fall, giving this vine its name. Also, I was pleased to see a delicate, frost-covered spider web. Next, I looked up to see a male Cardinal fluttering through the dogwoods. Further along, I spotted some bright red berries hanging over the water and large bracket fungi on a tree trunk. Pausing at an overlook, I was amazed by how smooth the river’s surface was. I retraced my steps, crossed another footbridge and followed a dirt trail along the other side of the river where I observed a Junco darting through the brush, a sure sign of the season. The trail took me past many downed logs covered with moss and lots of Box Elder tree trunks growing in all directions. I came to the Mill Pond where I notice some duckweed along the shore as well as two hens and a drake Mallard swimming nearby. Finally, we headed for the van to return to Alma.

Have you ever noticed a tree
standing naked against the sky, 

How beautiful it is? 

All its branches are outlined, and in its nakedness 

There is a poem, there is a song. 

Every leaf is gone and it is waiting for the spring. 

When the spring comes, it again fills the tree with 

The music of many leaves, 

Which in due season fall and are blown away. 

And this is the way of life.


Krishnamurti