I Kidnapped Chris

Very little went the way I expected it to today, but it was all great!

I'd just gotten started on my morning work routine when hiker Chris contacted me. His plans had changed too, and he needed to get to Cadillac. So, I went to get him off the trail.

But then, I decided to kidnap him and bring him back to my house.

I worked him so hard that when I took him back to Cadillac we needed the hanidicap spot!

I'm just kidding. Sort of. Actually, I did ask him if he'd help me with some heavy work. Here was the result.

It doesn't look like much except a bare spot, right? That's good. There was still an awful lot of earth to move where the snowplow had scraped up rolls of dirt on the grass. I really wasn't thinking I could get that all cleaned up alone before the grass got too long, but the two of us together got everything smoothed down enough that I'll be able to run the mower without scalping all that dirt.

Meanwhile, I was trying to get Chris a ride from Cadillac to Kalkaska tomorrow. Due to all the flooding he's going to have to skip a whole section of trail. Glen, from our Spirit of the Woods Chapter, is on the Trail Angel list, and he doesn't live too far from Cadillac. So he agreed to do that.

Then, Glen reminded me that we'd been talking for quite a while about about him giving me a tour of the little museum in Tustin where he lives. So after I dropped Chris off at the motel, I went to the musuem. You'll see a lot more of that another day because it was very nice.

But then Glen and Diana invited me to their house for dinner. I said yes.

Glen is the President of their historical society. He's also now our chapter Vice-President. And his hobby is carving birds and fans from a single piece of wood. I had no idea you could make really large ones! I saw quite a few he's made over the years, and one his father made (you'll see that another day). But here is one of his large ones. (His grandfather also made them, and Glen's teaching his grandchildren!)

Also, since I was driving up north, I scooted around and got the plastic recycling collected to drop off on the way.

I'm happy, full of good food, and beat!

See Loren, Loda, Hardcore Hiker

Foliage from Adams Flower Show

There may be two posts with foliage. But these will surely be enough for today. As some of you know, I really like colored or textured foliage because it is interesting all season long. None of these would grow in my outside gardens (well, maybe one of the trees), but they all grab my attention.

This is a Dieffenbachia or dumb cane, but it's a cultivar with white leaves. Maybe 'Star Bright.'

Here's one that was completely new to me. It's called Japanese Umbrella Pine, Sciadopitys verticillata. This one MIGHT grow here, but it's pretty fussy. Probably why I've never seen it before. It's a "fossil" plant, the only one remaining from the Sciadopityaceae family since the Pliocene period. It is a conifer, but not really a pine.

I had one of these as a houseplant long ago, but as you can probably guess, it died. This is Firestick Cactus, really a euphorbia, Euphorbia tirucalii. I like quirky things like this.

Here is one I wish would be hardy here, but not quite. It would be great in the rock garden (well, unless it turned out to be too aggressive). This is actually a bindweed, so it gets white flowers like a small morningglory. It's called Silverbush or Shrubby Bindweed, Convolvulus cneorum.

This is another tropical houseplant, fairly common, but it's still very cool. Rattlesnake Plant, Goeppertia insignis (formerly a Calathea).

Finally for today, this one might grow here. The Dow Gardens had a stunning one (even better pic at the link). This is a Korean Fir, Abies koreana, and it's the same cultivar as at Dow: 'Horstman's Silberlocke.' Supposedly it has bright purple cones. I could easily covet one of these.

Yeah, there will be more foliage. But not today.

I got some stuff done, but had a little tummyache this afternoon, so the accomplishments weren't stellar.

See Colors from Adams Flower Show

Colors from Adams Flower Show

I told you I'd share some more from the Adams Flower Show in New York, and I want to do at least two more posts. Here's one of them with lots of color. That's one of the things they do best is pile on the color, which is just what we all need in March!

I'll start with this 'Stewartstonian' Azalea. This is the variety that Sue gave me for my birthday a couple of years ago, but mine did not live. I'm sorry about that, because it's beautiful!

A plant you can always count on seeing at Adams is spoon mums. They are called that because of the little "spoons" at the ends of the petals.

Here are some more, paired nicely with tulips. Of course, in the real world, tulips bloom in spring and chrysanthemums in late summer to fall. But hey...

This could only be a houseplant where we live. It was in the tropical section. Popular name: Flamingo Flower. It's Anthurium andraeanum.

This one would do all right a little bit south of me. It's a cultivar of a mountain laurel, possibly 'Starburst'.

On another day, I still want to share some beautiful foliage plants.

I worked a little bit on most of my projects today. Best completion was that I got the lawn leveled from snowplow damage up near the house. There is still a bunch to do down by the road. That's hard work, and I can only do a little at a time.

I'm glad I shared the buds yesterday. The crocus did not survive the night. The hyacinth is still hanging in there, and I found two more patches of the corydalis! It's about to become daffodil festival here. Stay tuned.

See Adams Flower Show 2026

Purple Promises

So many purple beauties that are ALMOST blooming! We actually got some sun today, but it wasn't quite enough to make this open. This is a giant crocus- must be one my mom gave me. I know that when I did some cleanup in this flower bed last fall there was an odd bulb I could not identify. Maybe this is it, although I still don't think it's the right shape.

Here's another gift from my mom from probably the 1980s, maybe late 70s. I don't know if this will do much or not. Common hyacinths don't last forever. This poor thing has been moved multiple times, but it's actually trying to bloom this year, even though it doesn't look very full. I'll take it!

The 'Blackberry Wine' corydalis is just starting to bloom. It hasn't spread for me very much, but it has, at least, refused to die.

OK, I'm cheating a little on this. It's more blue than purple, but one of the common primrose is blooming nicely. There are several other patches. We'll see if they bloom this year. I moved a lot of them last fall. These may have been a gift from Loretta, or maybe I bought it. I've killed a few.

We are supposed to get even more rain for the next two days. If you are in Michigan, you know that there is flooding and serious washouts all over the state, imminent dam failures with evacuations possible. So... these promises might get drowned or broken so I decided to post before they really bloom.

I was hoping to get in a moderate walk before bell practice, but only managed a short one. Better than nothing, eh? Shopping, errands.

Miles walked in 2026: 142.9

Methodist Trails: 1.7 miles

See Flower Friends

My Fantasy World

Found another fantasy map. Definitely an island with one access road. It has small peninsulas with cliffs jutting over the mainland on the right. Maybe the dark areas are swamps (I'll have to explore them) and I also see an ancient forest line. I think I'll just disappear into that world for while.

Maybe this is another island where things have begun to green up. Or maybe it's just an old dry turkeytail fungus with moss growing on it.

The red pines were wet from all the recent rain. It really makes them RED.

And another fungus that I've learned the name of. This is Crowded Parchment fungus, Stereum complicatum. It's supposed to be very common, although I don't think I see it as often as I see turkeytail.

So, what was I doing in the woods yet another day in a row? I shuttled Chris back to the trail this morning, and then walked with him a short way before turning around. I really need to get some work done here! But we had a great visit- getting acquainted a bit.

You know in my fantasy, I would have just kept walking.

But I did come home, and I got a lot done. Serious editing, some work on the lawn. A few more things are starting to bloom. The Tete-a-tete daffodils in the rock garden are looking good. I walked around all my garden spaces to see what's happening. Stay tuned.

Miles walked in 2026- 141.2
NCT Hike 100 Challenge- 43.1

North Country Trail, Lake County, MI. North from Timber Creek (AGAIN), 2 miles and back.

See A Great Day