I Get By with a Little Hike with My Friends

How would the next line go? "I get high with a little hike with my friends."

So... I am seriously in need of getting even more in shape in the next 2.5 weeks. I'll share what that's all about soon. But today, a few of us got together to hike a section of the NCT I don't do very often. The link below is to when I did it on the big hike, and that was two years ago. This is the piece that is part of the Manistee River Loop and I don't like how busy it usually is. But this is a Thursday (not a weekend), and still fairly early in the season. Also, it's our hilliest section and that's what I need to be practicing on.

A total of eight hikers participated. Four of us walked the entire distance, and the other four went to the end and hiked in and out for shorter mileage, and then they were able to take us back to our cars.

Here are some of us on Eddington Bridge.

The big news of the day is wildflowers. We saw lots! And that is a little unusual because most of where the NCT runs through the Manistee National Forest is rather dry. Here's a sampler. This post would be out of control if I tried to show photos of them all.

This is Downy Yellow Violet, Viola pubescens. Flowers above the leaves, slightly hairy. And there are even some seed pods!

Here is Wild Sarsaparilla, Aurlia nudicaulis. This is always a fun find, and due to a slope of the land I was able to get a good picture from a low angle. See the balls of flowers below the leaves?

Back to yellow, we saw large patches of this in bloom. This is Lousewort, or Wood Betony, Pedicularis canadensis. It also comes with maroon flowers, and sometimes maroon leaves. We only saw yellow ones today.

Much to be expected at this time of year, and even in dry woods, is Gaywings, or Fringed Polygala, Polygala paucifolia. This looks like a little orchid, but it's really a milkwort.

And speaking of orchids, we saw a LOT of Pink Ladyslipper. This is a true orchid.

It was just warm enough to coax out a little garter snake.

It's really hard to get nice views across the river because the trees are pretty dense, but this one isn't bad. I'm pretty sure the bare spots you can see on the far hill are sand banks below a section of the trail that is about four miles farther, just north of Mesick.

We also saw Foamflower, Canada Mayflower, Great Solomon's Seal, False Solomon's Seal, Starflower, Indian Cucumber Root (not blooming yet), Wild Lupine, White Trillium, Wild Strawberries, Common Blue Violet, and Rattlesnake Hawkweed in bud.

I am tired, but not too bad. Need to keep working on my core.

Miles hiked in 2025: 180.8. NCT Hike 100 Challenge: 77 miles

North Country Trail, Manistee County, Upper River Road to Hodenpyl Dam. 9.2 miles

See Tales from the Manistee River Loop

Assorted

What characterized today was more of the cold rain, but I don't feel compelled to show you a picture of that!

Partly because Om and I will be running all over this summer and won't see much of each other, and partly (mostly) because I wanted to try a recipe, we had a nice meal at home.

And what recipe is that, you ask? Rhubarb Glazed Chicken. It is yummy. Here is a link to the recipe I used, but I left out the hot sauce. Rhubarb Glazed Chicken. We added asparagus and a baked potato. There's chicken left for a couple more meals.

Worked a little more on the knitting project. I can continue to show you until it becomes obvious what it will be. Then you'll have to wait until it is bestowed upon the intended recipient.

And, oh yeah. I won an award at the Michigan Outdoor Writer's Conference.

I managed to work on most of my other tasks too, but the chicken was a little labor intensive because I stewed another big batch of rhubarb (and didn't need all of it for the chicken), and had to make an unplanned trip to the store. I don't usually goof up on that sort of thing, but I sure did today.

See A Little Project

A Little Project

Today was a cold and windy day that became a cold and rainy day. I did my usual indoor tasks and some errands. Then I decided on a new little fun project. I am a bit surprised to see how long it's been since I actually knit anything.

I'll let you guess for now what it will be, since it's going to be a gift.

Tomorrow's weather looks like more of the same. That's probably good news for this little project.

See The Heel is Turned

Foliage and More

The primary focus of the day will be on foliage. I'm working on weeding the "Front Bed." I've got part of it done.

First I'll talk about the Variegated Ajuga. I bought this two years ago thinking it could go in the rock garden, but it absolutely would not tolerate the full sun. It wilted immediately and was in danger of dying. Now, it's happy here in the semi-shade. This shows the leaves last fall. They were darker at that time of year, but you can tell they are variegated.

It's blooming right now, and much to my surprise, the flowers are also mottled! I'm really liking this. And you can see that the leaves are lighter in the spring. This will spread rapidly now that it's happy. It sends out runners and I'm sure it will be nearly out of control in a couple of years.

It's beginning to spread and has a friend in the lovely 'Forbidden Fruit' Hosta, that I got for practically nothing in the fall of 2023.

Back out a little bit more, and there are two new friends. The hosta with wavy yellow leaves is 'Wiggles and Squiggles.' I got it last week for half price because it was small. It's tripled in size since I bought it.

The little blue one at front left is 'Mouse Ears' hosta. This is the one I got free at the garden club sale last fall because it had no leaves. But the root was alive, and it's already making a small clump this year. This hosta stays small and is very blue.

With something reddish in the center front, this will be a nice grouping. And I think I have something in mind.

And the Japanese Painted Fern is looking good again. I tried to encourage it to spread a little more last year. Can't tell if that was a success or not, but it's at least as big as it was. This will get a little fuller yet this year.

Finally for today, a foliage problem! This is what happens when you don't pay attention. This side of the front flower bed has only recently had much of a plan. I have thrown in some things that were gifts, I have moved a few things around, and surprise plants have appeared in clumps that came from other people's gardens.

So, I now have an Astilble, a Hosta, and a Corydalis growing right on top of each other. I'll get them separated soon. It's the perfect time. The Corydalis is done blooming. The Hosta isn't too large yet, and I'll try to disturb the Astilbe as little as possible. It will stay there. The Hosta came from Ester with other things a long time ago, and I have no idea what kind it is, but it stays medium-sized and blue.

I did all my usual computer things, and spent a fair amount of time weeding this garden today. There is enough stuff in this section now that I will probably do a "report" on it in the near future.

See Front Garden Report 2024 #3

Bell Choir- May 2025

Today, we wrapped up this season's bell choir performances. But we went out with a bang with three pieces.

The first is "His Name Is Wonderful." I have to tell you that this has always been one of my favorite songs of faith, and this arrangement seemed especially poignant. Then I realize that the chords were reminding me of when it was played on the big Wurlitzer organ at Winona Lake Bible Conference in Indiana. Winona Lake was one of the last surviving wooden tabernacles where so many revivals and retreats were held. Hope you enjoy this one.



The main piece we played is "Quarters on Foundation." The quarters are the traditional clock chimes played every quarter hour. Foundation is the counter melody of "How Firm a Foundation."

The four people in front on chimes are guest players. I want you to know that the two boys are brothers and the youngest one is in 2nd grade! We practiced for weeks without the chimes part, but when they all joined us, the piece just became so rich and awesome!



Finally, we played "I Am Thine, O Lord."



In other news, I mostly rested from 3.5 very busy days. I read a bit and gardened a bit. All good.

See Easter Music 2025