July 19

Wednesday, Remi stayed home while I drove 16 miles west to the Village of Cedar Lake to hike another section of the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail. The early morning weather was partly cloudy with a temperature of 68 degrees and no wind. Parking the car along the edge of Cedar Lake Rd., I started eastward along the paved trail and immediately spotted a patch of colorful blooms of the invasive, Sweet Pea. Shortly thereafter, I came across the white blooms of a Clematis vine that will seed out in the fall as the familiar, Old Man’s Beard. Nearby, I spotted what I thought was blooming Purple Loosestrife. However, upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Beardtongue. As the sun broke through, I noticed a Drone fly resting on a fern leaf and a Soldier Fly resting on a Catalpa leaf. Continuing eastward, I started noticing Milkweed foliage and began looking more closely on their leaves for Monarch caterpillars. Despite not finding any, I was pleased to spot other insects including a: Milkweed bug, tiny immature Katydid and tinier Celery Fly. Still moving east, I noticed blossoms of Joe-Pye Weed and the invasive, Purple Loosestrife. Upon reaching Academy Rd, I turned around and hiked westward, taking in the sights and sounds. Soon, I spotted a colorful Small Copper butterfly with pieces of its wings missing. Tattered and torn wings usually mean this butterfly is near the end of its natural life. Most adult Small Coppers live 2 weeks, at most. Their delicate wings have evolved to allow them to mate (and a female to lay eggs), pollinate flowers and serve as a food source for other organisms. Next, I got a nice view of a resting Appalachian Brown butterfly and a White Wave moth. Also, the bright red fruit of chokecherry caught my eye. As the breeze picked up, I paused to observe its effect on the leaves of a Quaking Aspen tree. Finally, I returned to the car and headed back to Alma.

Volume of summer

Is turning up

Midnight howls

From a coyote pup

Babbling brook

Gurgling sounds

Hungry Downy

Pecks and pounds

Cicada’s whine

Snort of a deer

Nature’s noises

Please the ear

D. DeGraaf