December 27

Tuesday, for my final “wandering” of 2017, I hiked the last section of the Heartland Trail between Edmore and Alma. Developed from an abandoned railroad line and purchased by grocery-store magnate Fred Meijer in 2000, the Heartland Trail rolls for 42 miles from Greenville to Alma through farmland and forests as it links a half-dozen rural towns. The mid morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 0 degrees and a light bone chilling wind from the west. Leaving the car in the parking lot of the former Episcopal Church on Luce Rd., I headed north a hundred yards and turned east on the trail where I noticed a meandering mound of snow made by a burrowing Meadow Vole. These small mouse-like mammals survive the winter by tunneling under the snow to escape subfreezing temperatures and predation. Nearby, I spotted a set of tracks of one that had recently surfaced and scampered over the snow. Continuing east over the crunchy snow, I noticed the long shadows across the trail created by the winter sun that was beginning to ascend from its recent solstice. At the half-mile mark, I crossed Charles St. and continued east where I was surprised to see a single Maple tree still holding on to many of its leaves even though they were dead. Still heading east, I crossed Iowa St and entered Alma College campus where I could see clusters of leaf buds on twigs of several maple trees. Hiking east along the railroad tracks, I turned around at Superior St. and retraced my steps on the path following my shadow along the edge of the campus. Continuing west, I paused to observe a Dark-eyed Junco and a male Goldfinch with its muted winter plumage. Further ahead, red sumac bobs and decaying apples caught my eye. Finally, I made it back to the car, turned on the heater and headed home.

End of the asphalt

End of the year

Edmore to Alma

Memories adhere

Every single mile

Every single stride

Wildlife wonders

Nature my guide

There’re other trails

Beside this one

Other hikes

Journey’s not done

D. DeGraaf

December 20

Tuesday, I resumed my hike on the Heartland Trail, heading east toward Alma. The early morning weather was foggy with a temperature of 32 degrees and no wind. Leaving the car on the edge of Winans Rd., I headed east, surrounded by a thick layer of ground fog caused by warmer moist air cooling and condensing over the cold snow. Plodding ahead through 8-inches of fresh snow, I spotted a variety of deer tracks including those made by heavier adults that sunk down deep as well as those made by lighter immature ones that did not. Further along, I noticed some coyote tracks. Even though from a single track I could not make out the lobe arrangement on the footpad that distinguishes it from a dog, I could tell by its overstep gait which creates a straight and narrow track pattern. Proceeding eastward, the snow-white path provided a good background to spot the small seeds that recently fell from a Hophornbeam tree, a Red Oak leaf with its u-shaped lobes and bristle tips as well as a purple stain from wild grape juice. After turning around at Luce Rd, I headed west where I could barely make out a rafter of about two-dozen wild turkeys walking through a farm field to the north. Continuing west as the path cut through a woodland, I noticed a disturbed area where several deer had bedded down last night. Just ahead, I paused to watch a melanistic Gray Squirrel perching motionless in the crotch of a tree. Nearby, I spotted the last vestiges of chlorophyll in a few leaves of Autumn Olive. Also, I noticed the accumulated snow made it easier to spot bird nests like this one. Still moving west, I came upon a birch tree with unusual bark color and concluded it was a rarely seen Chinese Red Birch. Finally, I got back to the car and headed home

Time once again

To recognize you

In gratitude

For all you do

For every plant

Your daily rays

For every creature

Warmth that stays

Star of the day

Orb of the sky

Sun of the heavens

Your solstice is nigh

D. DeGraaf

December 13

Monday, I hiked another leg of the Meijer Heartland Trail as part of my effort to cover the entire stretch from Edmore to Alma. The early morning weather was cloudy with a temperature of 19 degrees and light snow flurries being blown by a light southeasterly wind. Leaving the car parked along side Rich Rd., I headed east on the path being covered with a fresh blanket of snow while displaying lots of deer and rabbit tracks. Also, the accumulating snow was a visual asset to some of the surrounding vegetation including: milkweed, goldenrod and white pine. Continuing east, I paused on a bridge to observe the icy waters of Honeyoey Creek flow rapidly from north to south. Unlike many of the drains along the trail, I noticed that this one has wider banks with more natural habitat for wildlife. Also, the creek flows for another mile to the southeast before emptying into the Pine River west of Alma. Just ahead, I spotted a Fox Squirrel scampering across the path. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I quickly located its fresh tracks and was not only able to observe details of its paws but also measure the distance of its leaps which was surprisingly about 4 feet. After a mile, I turned around at Winans Rd. and headed west where I soon came upon a frozen Raccoon carcass. Being close to the road, I suspected this was a recent road kill that was dragged to this location and fed upon by scavengers. Continuing west, the white landscape also made it easier to spot what remained of a variety of red fruit including: Viburnum, Crab Apple, Bittersweet and Rose Hips. Also, through the thick underbrush I caught a quick glimpse of a Fox Squirrel before it scurried off. Finally, I made it back to the car, dusted off the snow and headed home.

Robe of autumn falls

Mighty oak stands bare

Creature scampers up

Toward his leafy lair

Hightailing skyward

Filling his cache

Over furrowed bark

Along branches gray

Perched in a crotch

Mate lingers near

Through barren twigs

Snow clouds appear

D. DeGraaf

December 7

Tuesday, I drove 3 miles west to Pingree Rd. where I accessed the Meijer Heartland Trail and resumed my hike toward Alma. The noontime weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 39 degrees and a strong wind out of the southwest. Heading east, I immediately spotted a stand of Box Elder trees with their gnarly trunks. The female trees were especially noticeable because of the many clusters of samaras that still clung to their branches or fell on the path. Since many of these seeds remain throughout the winter, they are an important food source for squirrels and chipmunks. Continuing east, I noticed a patch of Reed Canary Grass being buffeted by the wind as well as some orange husks of American Bittersweet that had finally opened to reveal their bright red berries. While being mildly toxic to humans, these berries are a food source for wildlife. Further ahead, the path was heavily littered with Red Oak leaves. Next, I paused on a bridge over a county drainage ditch and observed the water flow rapidly to the south. Still walking eastward, the colorful vegetation lining the trail seemed to fit with the holiday season with the red branches of Red-Osier Dogwood on the one side and the green stalks of Horsetail on the other. Turning around at Rich Rd. and facing a stiff west wind, I paused to watch some Black-Capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos fluttering through the dense underbrush. Just ahead, a perching male Cardinal with a seed in his beak caught my eye. Since cardinals are primarily seed eaters -- although their do also eat fruits and insects -- their short, thick and conical beaks allow them to easily crack seeds, getting through the husk and allowing them access to the meat inside. Finally, I got back to the car, ducked in to escape the wind and headed home.

Early December days

Neath leafless trees

Nature at attention

Mother Earth at ease

Beside a shrinking pond

No frogs with leopard skin

Atop the meadow grass

No spider webs to spin

Squirrels of woodlands

Prepare for winter’s blast

Hoarding their food

Autumn breathes her last

D. DeGraaf

November 28

Last Sunday, because of deer hunting season, I took a break from hiking the Heartland Trail and instead hiked in the safer confines of Chipp-a-waters Park in Mt. Pleasant. The early morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 23 degrees and no wind. After parking the car, I walked a short distance to the edge of the fast flowing Chippewa River where I noticed a gathering of noisy Mallards swimming near the far shore. Heading west on a paved path next to the river, I spotted a leafless Buckthorn bush filled with berries. Needless to say, this fruit is a starvation food source for birds and is normally left alone as it weakens them and gives them diarrhea. Continuing west, I followed the path through a wooded area that was once a dense forest dominated by mature Ash trees. However, due to Ash Borer disease, most of those trees have died and either fell or were cut down, leaving a totally different landscape. Turning around, I followed another trail south over the river where I paused on the bridge and gazed west to see a nearly leafless bank except for some browning Beech leaves. Across the bridge, I followed a circular path through a section of Veit’s woods where the canopy remained partially closed by some leaves still clinging to mature Oak trees while other leaves had fallen to the ground. For several minutes, I paused to watch a dozen or so squirrels running, climbing and perching including: Eastern Fox Squirrels as well as the gray and black variants of Eastern Gray Squirrels. Not surprising, these animals are most active during this time of the year when cold weather motivates them to find and bury winter food. Also, they begin to eat more, fattening up to help them through the winter. While all of them are active during this early morning time, Fox squirrels will remain so throughout the day while Gray’s will take a midday break, rest and reactivate latter this afternoon. Exiting Veit’s woods, I retraced my steps across the river and back toward the parking lot where a patch of the highly invasive and lush green Garlic Mustard caught my eye. Finally, I found the car and headed back to Alma.

November book closes

Most pages read

Month of memories

Stir around my head

From trees of green

Decaying to brown

From a red canopy

To a leafless crown

Creatures of the wild

Miles of asphalt trail

Missing my companion

His white wagging tail

D. DeGraaf