Is it Easy Being Green?

 Managed to walk 2 miles today by going for an extra "tour" on the same trip as the shopping. I don't think I'd ever walked that road before. Not that it was anything special, but new is good. Found this little green guy. Wonder what he thought of the freshly oiled surface. Maybe it isn't easy for him to be green. He was certainly visible on the blacktop to birds that might find him tasty. It's the caterpillar for a Gold Spot moth. Nothing special, but nothing bad. Kind of describes my day. His name is Plusia festucae.

For several months now, I've been making my own salad dressing for my usual evening-meal salad. I couldn't find Green Goddess dressing in the stores for almost a month. I had previously tried a couple of recipes and not liked them. But I found one I do like. It needs fresh herbs, including basil. I've also had trouble finding that in the store. So, today, I bought a pot of the live stuff. It certainly hasn't been easy for this specimen to be green. Or any other color. It's a little sad, but it has a new pot. Hopefully it will perk up on the deck until it has to come in the house. If I even get a couple of pickings off it, the cost will be less than what I paid for one little bunch in a plastic container.

And what about that salad dressing? I like it enough that I have continued to make it. I've been experimenting with chopping up the herbs and freezing the extra in water until I'm ready to make a new batch. That works well enough (although even when drained it makes the dressing a little runny). But I also tried freezing the fully prepared dressing, and that didn't seem to change either the flavor or the texture (the part I was concerned about), so today I made a quart and froze half. Here's the jar I'm keeping out for immediate consumption.

Here's the recipe (tweaked by me to be easier). It's very forgiving. Add more or less of any ingredient as you have it or like it. Also low calorie, and does not contain ingredients you can't pronounce. OK, maybe not as easy as buying a bottle off the shelf, and not quite as green, but yummy and no artificial green.

Green Goddess Herb salad dressing

a few stalks of basil
a handful of fresh dill (or I've used dried dill when I couldn't find fresh)
a handful of fresh parsley (or I've used dried parsley when I couldn't find fresh)
a few green onion stalks
several garlic cloves
2 c. lowfat yogurt
2 c lowfat sour cream

Chop the herbs and garlic fine. Mix with the dairy products and blend with an immersion blender. Actually, today, I didn't even do this. The herbs are a little coarser, but I don't think that detracts, and it's one less thing to wash. It keeps in the fridge for at least a week. I've previously made a cup at a time and finished it all before there was any chance to test how long it will last.

I finally got back to working on Long Distance Hiker Recognition for the NCT. I'm way behind on that. Shopped, worked on finances, gardened a little (stay tuned).

Miles walked in 2024: 384.7

See Let the Harvest Begin

One Very Strange Coincidence

 I promised you another interesting story from the Celebration, and here you go.

I'm sure you recall that I met Marie at Girl Scout Camp, Camp Comstock, in the Finger Lakes of New York in 1960. (We were campers there from 1958-1964.)

Well, last year at the North Country Trail Celebration, a woman who lives in Fremont, MI, came up to me and said that she had been a camper at Comstock in the 1960s. Very interesting, right? She grew up in Indiana, but her father did research at Cornell in the summers, so she went to camp there. As far as we know, our paths never crossed back then. Her name is Becky Tuuk.

Fast forward another year. A woman came up to me at Celebration this year and said she thought I had been at Camp Comstock. Yes. She grew up in the next town south from me and went to Comstock in the 1970s. Her name is Beth McIntyre and she now lives in Kalamazoo. She's done 1000 miles of the NCT.

Are we cueing the weird music yet? It doesn't seem unlikely that four avid Scouts would end up loving to hike. However, we all now live in Michigan and are all involved with the North Country Trail. In fact, all four of us were on the exact same hike that day. Had to have an alumni picture. Beth, Becky, me, Marie.

We've now covered the 1950s through the 1970s, but wait, it gets weirder (more special).

Becky is cleaning house, and she gave me three photos. Her mother was a cook at Comstock in the 1930s. The first two pictures are of the Lodge. It essentially looks the same today. A lot of things have changed, but they did a good job of keeping the Lodge intact and traditional. The camp was founded in 1927, so these pictures are only about 7 years after it was begun.

The final picture, which I assume is from the same year, is of the waterfront area. On the back is written, "Happy are we at Camp Comstock, no other place the same." Well, I certainly agree with that!

In other news: I worked on two projects. Writing a news column took all morning, and I worked on financial records all afternoon. Managed to take a walk down through the cemetery, 1.3 miles.

Miles walked in 2024: 382.7

See series about Camp Comstock

Last Two of the Year?

 Are these the last two new rock garden plants of the year? Maybe. I bought these in New York, but I couldn't bring them back through Canada, so Marie transported them last week.

This is one I was hoping to find without needing to order it, and I did! It's Sempervivum sp 'Gold Nugget,' very much brighter yellow than the 'Gold Rush' I do have. It's one of the "Chick Charmer" series.

Here is one I used to have, but it did not survive the long neglect. It's Sedum dasyphyllum, sometimes called Corsican Stonecrop. It looks larger and happier than the other one ever did. Hope it stays that way.

The rock garden is looking good. I can't wait to see how much fills in next year, and I should be able to pull even more of the Bloody Cranesbill. It's just too dominating and aggressive.

Meanwhile, I managed to forget all about a meeting I was supposed to be in at 7pm. Grrr. I'm trying to finish an editing project and just got too focused on that.

Walked a mile through the cemetery this morning. Miles hiked so far in 2024: 381.4.

See Sedum Odds and Ends

Two Little Surprises

 My friends are gone. They are back in New York, but not home yet. I took on some of the smaller tasks on my work list. I managed to do 10 of them, walk to town, and weed in the flower garden a little bit. That's where I found the two surprises.

First is babies of that one-dollar marigold from last year. They are tiny and don't even show up very well. But they do convince me that if I could get marigolds really going in that space it would be a nice late-summer addition. Five tiny flowers.

The other surprise is a wild plant that shouldn't even be here. I met it on the big hike in Minnesota and it was new to me. However, this almost has to be a small specimen because of the strong anise smell when you crush a leaf. Here is the one in my flower bed. It's Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum.

Here's what a full-grown one looks like. Quite nice. Actually I hope it stays and spreads a bit. It's native to the US, just not usually here.



I have some reading I have to do before tomorrow night. I think I'll get busy on that.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 378.3.

to Scottville and home 2.5 miles

See The $1 Marigold

Work Day

 I think we have succeeded in tiring ourselves out.

In the morning, we went out and cleaned up my trail section. We trimmed stuff that was encroaching into the trail and I touched up blazes. Things should be good for a couple of months. There were four downed trees we could not get, but I've reported them to the sawyer folks.

No photos. I was just too slopped up with paint to mess with the camera more than necessary to take pics of the trees.

But in the afternoon, at long last, we finished the pantry project. I had just never gotten back to the final two shelves. Of course, I did clean up the entire living room and dining room before Steve came, but still, it's really nice to be able to say that the pantry is finished!

My buddies have to leave in the morning. We've had such a great time! One final picture of us from the Celebration. You should be able to tell, since the Mackinac Bridge is in the background. Oh, the things in our ears are for the walking tour we were on.

It's been great! I have a few more goodies of things I've learned that I'll post over the next few days.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 375.8. North Country Trail miles in 2024: 127.6

North Country Trail, Michigan, Freesoil TH to Koenig Rd, 3.0 miles

See One More Pantry Section

A Ludington Day

 It was miserably hot today. I had to do some work in the morning, but then we headed for Ludington. It's usually 10 degrees cooler in Ludington in the summer and that was true today. We went for lunch at House of Flavors and split a Great Lakes Cranberry Wrap. Yum.

Then we drove around and looked at a few historic buildings and places. The beach was next. Pure Ludington, although things are winding down for the season since many schools have already started.

The goal was to walk out to the Lighthouse, which we did.

Nothing but blue lake and sky behind us!

Then we went back to House of Flavors for ice cream. I mean, we do know what HOF is for!

After that it was home again to do a few tasks around the house, but it was so hot we ended up watching a few funny videos.

The goal of the evening was to watch the Badger come in. That's a favorite Ludington pass-time, but I haven't done it anytime recently. I'm glad we went. Here she comes. See her?

I'm pretty sure you can find her now. She's being escorted by a Sheriff's boat. Also the Ludington Harbor Patrol was on duty. There have been some problems lately with small boats not staying out of the way, so they may have upped the escort presence.

Just a reminder. This is the only remaining coal-fired passenger ship in the U.S., and it's a registered Historic Landmark. The Badger and its sister ship the Spartan (also docked at Ludington but not seaworthy) are the two largest such ships ever built.

It has to turn around to dock because vehicles and any cargo are loaded off the back. You may remember that part of the docking system broke last summer and they lost about a third of the sailing season. But that's all fixed, with a new "apron" and counterweights. Watching it do that maneuver is quite interesting. Here is it almost backed into place in front of the Spartan.

It was still hot, so we drove around to the other side of Pere Marquette Lake for the view of the ferries from that side and also to visit the memorial to Pere Marquette. This is one of the most likely places for his death, although there are a lot of theories pointing to other locations.

Home again, salads for dinner- it was just too hot to eat, some visiting. Today was as full as it was going to get.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 372.8.

Ludington breakwater to the lighthouse and back 1.0 mile

See Working Our Way Home

Working Our Way Home

  It's a well-known fact that I can make any 4 hour trip take 8 hours. Today I managed to make it 10 hours!

First we stopped at the one location on the NCT in the Lower Peninsula where you get a wide open view of Lake Michigan. It's at the southern edge of Wilderness State Park. The trail follows the lake for a ways in Petoskey, but that is technically Little Traverse Bay. Here you can look out to the horizon, but to the north the farthest bit of land to the left is Waugoshance Island, then Temperance Island, then Waugoshance Point. These form the point of land that dribbles out into the lake from Wilderness SP.

Then we went to the Skyline Overlook where I ended my first E2E hike (see link below).

Depending on your direction of travel it's either your first or last look at Lake Michigan. You can see a sliver of Little Traverse Bay in the distant right.

Then Marie and I walked up to see the Skyline Shelter. It's one of the nicest along the trail. Enclosed on all sides. (And not a hostel- this one is free)

There are bunks inside for eight people. There have been a couple of complaints that there is no water at the shelter, but there is a clearly marked side trail to a spring that is about 0.2 miles away. Seriously, lots of shelters are about that distace from water access at a creek.

Then we just had to pop in to Deadman's Hill. The hill and overlook itself is on the non-NCT side of the Jordan Valley Pathway, but you get this wonderful view of the whole valley (much more spectacular in fall, but one of the nicest vistas in Lower Michigan). The NCT is down at the bottom of the near valley.

Next we did a stop at the Highbanks Rollway on the Manistee River so Diane could see one of the big oxbows. You can see the water on the left as well as the right, but you'll have to squint.

Finally, we did a drive by of the Highbridge crossing of the Manistee River. Sorry, I did not take a picture there. I have a lot. You can see the Manistee River crossing in the same place by following this link.

Seems I tired out my friends. But we have new adventures planned for tomorrow.

Diane's fitbit says she walked 5 miles, so Marie and I walked a little farther. Doesn't seem like we did that much, but who am I to argue with technology? We are back at my house, and have unloaded some of the stuff. We ate an ice cream dinner, which was perfect on a hot day.

The Celebration was wonderful. Old and new friends, great momemtum for the Association, great hikes, great weather.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 371.8. North Country Trail miles in 2024: 124.6

North Country Trail, various small pieces. The app said 5.0 miles total

See Celebration 2024- Saturday See The Party's Over But It's OK

Celebration 2024- Saturday

  Marie and I joined a long hike today. 9.5 miles from Brevort Lake Road to Worth Road.

We crossed the Brevort River.

There was a piece of brand new trail that was literally built this week as one of the elective activities at the Celebration. You can see how raw the treadway is. But it won't take long for it to look natural.

It leads to a nice overlook of Brevort Lake which is quite large.

Best find of the hike was this large, dark leopard frog.

Diane was on a different hike because she does shorter ones, but she completed her 2024 Hike 100.

Nice dinner, and games afterward for those who wanted to play. I needed to pack up books and see a few people, so we have headed back to the campground.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 376.8. North Country Trail miles in 2024: 119.6

North Country Trail, UP of MI, Brevort Lake Road to Worth Rd, 9.5 miles

See Celebration 2024- Friday

Celebration 2024 - Friday

 Marie, Diane and I just took a little walk out to the St. Ignace Lighthouse this morning. Since my program was this afternoon, I couldn't take a chance on going on a scheduled hike and not getting back in time.

I know this is nothing but the rip-rap along the pier, but I liked the play of the light on the water.

My program went great. After mine was done, I managed to slip into the end of a geology workshop that I wanted to attend, but the time conflicted with mine. One of the places we got to see is called St. Anthony's Rock. It's a sea stack- a conglomeration of rocks from collapsed underwater caves of the last glacial lake before the current Great Lakes (Lake Nippising). If you are from Michigan, you will probably recognize the name of the most famous one, which is Castle Rock.

The evening speaker was dynamic and funny, but all my pictures are out of focus. I did get my picture with one of the remaining charter members of the NCTA. This is Ken Gackler. In fact, his membership number is #2!

That doesn't sound like a busy day, but it was... lots of talking and running around. I'm crashing for the night. See you tomorrow.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 367.3.

various places in St. Ignace, 1.5 miles

See Celebration 2024- thursday

Celebration 2024- Thursday

 This morning, Marie, Diane and I went on the history hike through town. The tour guide (from the local historical society) had the greatest little gizmos. Everyone had an earpiece that plugged into a little box, and the guide just spoke naturally into a clip-on mic. We could all hear everything she said without struggling to stay within two feet of her.

The trail follows the Lake Huron shoreline on a boardwalk through town.

This is a mural of the Wawatam, the primary ferry that crossed the Straits before the Mackinac Bridge was built.

We ended at the state park where one gets this view of the Mackinac Bridge.

The evening program was the annual awards ceremony. There are two kinds of awards. The National Park Service tracks volunteer hours and presents awards at various levels. This year Connie Julien (she helped me on my hike in the western UP) received the highest award, for 10,000 volunteer hours. I think she is only the 7th person to reach that level.

Those of you who are local know that the Spirit of the Woods Chapter's own Pete Bennett is our very own energizer bunny, getting trail work organized and whipping our trail miles back into shape. He received Trail Maintainer of the Year!

Long, long day, but all good! Very good. Friends old and new.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 365.8. NCT miles hiked in 2024 110.1

North Country Trail, St. Ignace, MI 3.8 miles

See Arrival in St. Ignace