February 17

The early morning sky is cloudy with frigid temperatures around 15 degrees as I stand on the St. Charles Rd bridge in the small village of Sumner and watch the ice-covered water of the Pine River flow south. From here the watercourse curves to the northeast and meanders about 10 miles before reaching Alma (stock photo). Moving along the snowy bank, I spot Muskrat tracks accompanied by a continual groove made by its dragging tail. While observing a patch of flowing water in midstream, I look down at the river’s edge to admire the ornate ice crystals. Following a trail through the flood plain, I find deer tracks crossing the ice-covered river among more patches of open water. Exploring the woodland away from the river, I come upon clusters of dried up seed capsules from a Golden Rain tree and think about what they looked like in the summer (stock photo). Nearby, I notice some dried seed heads of a Ninebark shrub. The name "ninebark" refers to its unique bark that peels away in layers, giving the appearance of multiple layers, although there are not actually nine distinct layers. Continuing along the trail, I gaze up to see both male and female catkins on a Tag Alder shrub. Then, I gaze down on the ground at a decomposing log where Bark Beetles made their tunnels. Some time ago, adult beetles bore through the bark where females laid eggs. Larvae hatched and fed on the bark and wood forming tunnels (stock photo) that eventually girdled and killed the tree. Working my way back to the car, I notice some circular shield lichens growing on a maple trunk. The health of these foliose lichens are good indicators of air quality. Further along, the red catkins from a large female Red Maple tree catch my eye. Some maples, like Red Maples, are what we might call “gender fluid.” A tree that’s been female for years might one year produce some male flowers as well while a male tree some years might decide to bear female flowers. Back to the car, I pause to imagine the early history of this village when George S. Bell from Ohio, among the first settlers arrived in 1854, bought land where a store and sawmill were built. The sawmill (stock photo) operated by using flowing Pine River water to spin a large wheel connected to a spinning saw blade that cut logs into lumber. In the early days, when logs and lumbering were the mainstay of Sumner's economy, Joseph Fitzpatrick owned and operated a sawmill, a block off the main street. Logs were brought in by truck, and lumber sold to various places, including Lobdell-Emery in Alma, when they were in the furniture business.

Daybreak in February 

Ends the frigid night

Nature opens her eyes

In dawn’s early light

Gone, birds of summer

Butterflies, out of sight

North wind prevails

Gone, bees in flight

A quiet morning hike

For me is just right

 

D. DeGraaf