June 20

Monday, Remi and I returned to Conservation Park, next to the Pine River in Alma for our annual solstice hike. The early evening weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 86 degrees and a stiff breeze out of the west. We left the car and headed west on a paved trail sprinkled with white blossoms that had fallen from an overhanging Catalpa tree. Near the river’s edge, a Hedge Bindweed blossom had closed up for the evening while a Honeybee fed on a Dogwood blossom. As the trail moved inland, I spotted an American Beech tree with a bur-like husk that contains the nut. Turning south, the earthen trail took me through a mature Oak-Maple forest where I paused at exactly 6:34pm to face the sun as it once again crossed the celestial equator to begin summer in the northern hemisphere. Leaving the woods, I stopped to observe a seldom-seen, American Redstart as it perched in a dead Ash tree and sang away. Along the edge of a small field, I spotted a perching Viceroy butterfly followed by several Odonatae including a Common Blue Damselfly, a 12-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly and a well-camouflaged, Green Darner Dragonfly. Also, the bright red fruit of Red Elderberry caught my eye. Turning east and then north, I wandered through a small native prairie where I saw a patch of Butterfly weed, soon to blossom and a Hoverfly feeding within a patch of False Sunflowers. Walking along the edge of a well-hidden, vernal pond, I caught a glimpse of a Green Frog resting near shore. Finally, we completed the loop back to the car for the short trip home.

Sun of the earth

Star of the sky

Glad you’re back

Your place on high

Your light is life

Your heat is too

Celestial neighbor

I welcome you

Today is your day

This time of year

Summer solstice

The season is here

D. DeGraaf