October 29

Thursday, Remi and I returned to Forest Hill Nature Area for our weekly hike. The early morning weather included thick clouds, spotty light rain and a temperature of 36 degrees with a stiff southwest wind. Descending Energy Hill, I paused next to Mallard Marsh to observe a milkweed in its final stage of life and envisioned what it may have looked like last summer. I moved quickly through Bobolink Meadow and entered North Woods where the deciduous canopy above me was nearly leafless while the ground below revealed a colorful leaf litter of aspen, beech, oak and maple. At the base of a dying ash tree, I spotted a small bracket fungus called a Red-banded Polypore. Exiting the woods, I circled west around Succession field and passed through Birch Row where most of the trees had dropped their leaves on the path below. Soon after entering South Woods, I could easily spot a giant Puffball mushroom (approximately 8 inches in diameter) lying on the leaf litter. I continued along the edge of Swanson Swamp where the brilliant red fruit of winterberry caught my eye. These berries are toxic because they contain an alkaloid called Theobromine that is almost identical to the caffeine found in coffee and tea. Large quantities of this toxin can cause symptoms similar to a "caffeine overdose," such as dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, an elevated pulse or drowsiness. Leaving the woods, I headed east past Willow Wallow and ascended Reflection Hill where I paused to gaze down at a bird-less Grebe Pond. I headed south down the hill and circled east and north into Native Grassland where I stopped to pick one of many seed heads of Wild Bergamot and enjoy its fragrance. These seed heads last throughout the winter looking like coat buttons on the head of a knitting needle, and strewing seeds as they wave in the wind. This wildflower was so named for the similarity of its fragrance to the Bergamot orange, a small orange-lemon fruit grown near Bergamo, Italy, used in perfume making. Heading north, I paused to look again at Grebe Pond whose surface is once again free of the thick, green covering of the invasive weed, Water meal. Finally, we passed the barn and made it to the car for our trip home.

Summer memories, meadow scene

Teardrop pods, spiny and green

Balls of blossoms, fragrant and pink

Bees and butterflies ready to drink

Oblong leaves, oozing with white

Feeding caterpillars, welcome sight

Autumn is here, weather befit

Leaves have dropped, pods split

Go with the wind, silky seeds

Such is life of nature’s Milkweeds

D. DeGraaf

October 22

Thursday, Remi and I traveled 15 miles south west of Alma to hike again in the Vestaburg State Game Area, in another section off Pinegrove Rd. in Montcalm County. The early morning weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 45 degrees and still air. We left the car and walked north a short distance to the edge of Fish Creek where its gentle current made the water tremble. Also, my eyes caught a few poisonous, red berries of Bittersweet Nightshade left on the bank. This creek begins it journey just south of Vestaburg and runs 30 miles south where it feeds into the Maple River, south of Carson City. Next, I followed a 2-track east into a wooded area where the leaf litter revealed the presence of oak and aspen trees. On the ground beside the trail, I spotted a few feathery leaves of Yarrow poking through. Observing colorful leaves on nearby trees, I recognized Scarlet oak whose name is based on its autumn color and Burr Oak whose name is based on the spiny cap of its acorn. Continuing east, I paused in a clearing to look and listen to a Nuthatch as well as one of many Chipmunks. The “chip-chip” sound of this creature is a warning call most likely made by a highly territorial female toward an intruder perceived as threatening the burrow. The high-pitched sound is repeated every few seconds and may be echoed by a chorus of concerned neighbors. Further ahead, I saw some Brown Crust fungi on the trunk of a Black Cherry tree. Finally, we turned around and made it back to the car for our trip home.

Trees take their places

Nature sets the stage

Forest curtain opens

Autumn comes of age

Colorful leaves exposed

By early morning sun

Paint a barren ground

End of scene one

Canopy has thinned

Revealing sky of blue

Geese in formation

End of scene two

D. DeGraaf

October 15

Thursday, Remi and I traveled 10 miles west of Alma to hike around 8-acre, Twin Lake, located just south of Lake Montcalm Rd. in Montcalm County The early morning weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 45 degrees and a steady wind from the west. We left the car and walked south on a two-track lined with tall Pine trees. After pausing by one of the trees and examining a lower branch, I counted two needles in a cluster and a needle broke when bent, so I knew they were Red Pine. Continuing south, I came to the edge of lovely Twin Lake where a couple dozen noisy Canada Geese took off from the middle. Approaching the shoreline, I noticed it was covered with a white substance that upon closer observation turned out to be goose down. Down is the soft under plumage feathers that geese have to keep them warm and dry. Plumage feathers have hard quills, down does not. I continued south and stopped to enjoy the setting of a small creek that was outflowing east from the lake. Nearby, I spotted a leafless Gray Dogwood shrub with its white berries which are an important food source for birds. I turned around and retraced my steps back near the car where I noticed the summer green leaves of a Bur Cucumber vine snaking around a Wild Grape vine. Passing the car, I continued north across Lake Montcalm Rd. into a woods of colorful fall foliage including the red-colored leaves of White Oak and the rust-colored leaves of Swamp White Oak. The yellow and brown leaves of Royal Ferns also caught my eye. On the ground, I spotted several patches of variety of strawberry that I had not seen before, called Sand Strawberry with their larger glossy leaves and reddish stems. The leaf litter revealed color changes in some Red Maple leaves. Finally, we returned to the car for our return trip to Alma.

High in a canopy

Touching a cloud

Leaf of scarlet

Lost in the crowd

Time to let go with

Time to break free

Tis the season

Fall from the tree

Waft thru branches

Without a sound

Welcome to earth

Color the ground

D. DeGraaf

October 9

Friday, Remi and I traveled eight miles west just into Montcalm County off McBride Rd. to hike in the Vestaburg State Game Area. The early morning weather was mostly cloudy with a temperature of 54 degrees and a variable wind out of the northwest. We headed south on a narrow trail where I picked up the soothing sound of a lovely little tributary of the nearby Pine River. Further ahead, I noticed the left side of the trail was lined with small trees that appeared to be Prickly Ash. After breaking off a leaf and enjoying its fragrance, my decision was confirmed. Weaving through the branches of some of these trees was a vine called Bristly Greenbrier with a few berries still holding on. Presumably, this is the plant into which Brer Rabbit famously begged Brer Fox not to throw him, in Joel Chandler Harris' famous children’s story. While continuing south, I left the trail and descended a gradual bank to the edge of the Pine River where I paused to enjoy the beauty and serenity of this waterway. Back on the trail, I noticed the right side was lined with a shrub I hadn’t seen before called, Ninebark, with its maple-like leaves and clusters of seeds. Its name refers to the peeling bark of mature branches, which comes away in strips. Looking up, I spotted another sign of the season as some maple leaves were loosing their Chlorophyll and beginning to display the red pigment, Anthoncyanin. Next, I entered a large open field lined with mature Aspen and Birch, also dotted with yellowing Milkweed as well as a few unfamiliar evergreen trees called Virginia Pine (Spruce Pine). On the ground, I noticed a few clumps of Reindeer Moss. Finally, we turned around, retraced our steps back to the car and headed home.

Adorning the maple

Green leaf dwells

One among many

One of its cells

Seasonal sunlight

Begins to wane

Chlorophyll factories

Start to refrain

Other pigments

Are showing instead

Color of summer

Is turning red

D. DeGraaf