Monday, Remi and I hiked at one of our favorite sites, Pine River Park in Alma, starting at the boat launch. The late morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 68 degrees and a light, refreshing breeze out of the east. I headed east along the paved trail where several wildflowers along the bank were in full bloom including: Meadow Anemone, Woody Nightshade and Wild Rose. Just off shore in the river, I spotted a mother Mallard tending to her babies and a Muskrat feeding. Further down the path, more blossoms caught my eye including: Buttercup, Fleabane and Red Clover. The path took me close to the river’s edge before turning into a woods of mature Maple, Oak and Aspen where I recalled my excitement a few weeks ago of a rare sighting of a male Scarlet Tanager perched on a branch close by. Hiking through dense shade, I turned away from the river into a clearing where I spotted a patch of colorful Dame’s rockets growing tall out of the leaf litter while above me fragrant blossoms were hanging from a Black Locust tree. I turned again and followed a paved road through the shade of Norway spruce and White Pine to another clearing where I saw flowers of Oxeye Daisies, Coreopsis and Blue Bonnet. I paused to look at an aging Pearl Crescent butterfly with its tattered wings, resting on a Virginia creeper leaf. Also, I noticed a Common Blue Damselfly sunning itself. Turning back toward the river, I caught a glimpse of Orange Hawkweed blossoms at the base of a wooden fence. Finally, we retraced our steps back to the car for our trip home.
From a grassy meadow
To the forest ground
From the trees above
Nature’s gifts are found
Some are bright yellow
Others white or blue
Some slightly pink
Others, a purple hue
Your beauty revealed
To the earth you cling
Show off your colors
Blossoms of spring
D. DeGraaf
No comments:
Post a Comment