November 25

The mid morning sky is mostly cloudy and cold with a temperature in the mid 30’s as I make my way around the 5-acre Hiawatha Hills Preserve, west of Mt. Pleasant. Hiking into a leafless wooded landscape, nestled in a residential area on the south bank of the Chippewa River, I’m surrounded by mature maples, oaks and beech mixed in with some patches of snow and ice. A closer view of some of the snow reveals tracks of squirrel and deer. Approaching the river, I spot a Muscle-wood tree still holding its dead leaves along with a cedar snag with an interesting vertical pattern of holes made by Pileated Woodpeckers. At the river’s edge, I pause to watch the water gently flowing through a scenic autumn corridor. Moving along the bank, some bright red fruit catches my eye including a cluster of Jack-in-the-Pulpit berries and a few Barberry berries. Just ahead on the muddy ground, I find some deer scat as well as some Sycamore and Basswood leaves. Nearby, I see a few examples of vegetation still showing chlorophyll including: Woodland Sedges, Periwinkle as well a scattering of Mulberry leaves. Unlike most deciduous tree leaves, these leaves, while still green, often drop in unison, triggered by the first hard frost. Fortunately, recent snowmelt is providing me with some intriguing observations of tiny life forms. First, I spot an array of decomposers living in the crevasses of a decaying log including: moss, lichens and rarely seen but colorful fungi called Purple Jelly Drops. Next, I come across some BB-size decomposers living on a decaying log- the fruiting bodies of Wolf’s Milk slime mold (Toothpaste Slime). Immature forms are pink and excrete a pink toothpaste-like substance when squeezed. When not fruiting, this mold consists of microscopic, amoeba-like organisms engulfing bacteria, spores, protozoa and non-living organic matter. Thirdly, my attention is drawn to some half-inch, delicate Mottlegill Mushrooms. Commonly called the mower's mushroom, this fungus is widely distributed and often found on lawns. Working my way back to the car, I pause to take one last look at the property at the same time being grateful it’s been set-aside as a protected nature area where humans and wildlife can coexist.

Not too far from the hunter’s gun

Run, river run

By light of the moon, light of the sun

Run, river run

Your journey’s not over, only half done

Run, river run

Ice floes have not yet begun

Run, river run

Protecting your water is priority one

Run, Chippewa, run

D. DeGraaf