Friday, Remi stayed back in Alma while my wife, Caroline and I drove 8 miles west of Mt. Pleasant on Pickard Rd. to hike the 78-acre Sylvan Solace property owned by the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy. The mid afternoon weather was cloudy, humid with a temperature of 81 degrees and no wind. We left the car and headed south on a grassy path bordered by an assortment of colorful wildflowers including patches of Bergamot and the invasive, Spotted Knapweed as well as a some Cow Vetch. Next, I paused to observe a White Oak tree that had several leaves with fuzzy Leaf Galls growing on them. Coming to a fork, I spotted some striking tiny blossoms of Pink Deptford. We turned left and followed the trail around to the south again where I caught a glimpse of a Wood Satyr butterfly on a Witch Hazel leaf. After the trail reached a dead end, we turned around and retraced our steps where Caroline pointed out a dead Clymene Haploa Moth on the ground. Returning to the fork, we started west on the River Loop trail where I stopped to look at a Japanese Beetle on a plant that I was not familiar with. Thanks to local wildflower expert, Mike LaValley who identified it as a Round-headed Bush Clover. Up ahead, I saw my first Canadian Goldenrod of the season in bloom. While following the trail as it curved south, the skies darkened and the thunder rumbled. So we turned around where I spotted a Small White Wave Butterfly on a Wild Grape leaf. Also, I came across a nest of Tent Caterpillars on a cherry tree. Returning again to the fork, I looked down to see a Muskingum Gray Dogwood shrub in bloom as well as a patch of Sweet Fern. Finally, we made it back to the car before getting wet and headed home.
Much about nature
Yet to behold
Her many secrets
Yet to unfold
New places to hike
New trails to walk
More plants to find
More creatures to stalk
Season after season
Year after year
From earth and sky
Her call I hear
D. DeGraaf
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