Conservation Trail - Not All Paved

 Today's miles were tough only because it was impossibly humid. We got out early enough to beat the real heat, but it didn't really matter. About the first third was still paved trail.

After that, it was still the rail trail, but it was a grass surface. Nice to walk on! Our only real complaint was that the grassy trail had no benches. We walked and walked til we found a place we could sit for our break.

Some cute little white mushrooms looking like scarecrow hats.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 307.4. Finger Lakes Trail miles hiked in 2024: 40.1

Conservation Trail, Western NY. Shimerville Rd. to Forest Rd. 7.1 miles

BONUS SECTION: Ann's Garden

We went to host Joyce's sister's garden the other evening. It was beautiful! Come along.

She has waterfalls and ponds. This one has pink lights in the water.

This one is even larger and has blue lights in the water.

Container gardens on the steps are always nice with a number of different coleus and other things.

I really like the gooseneck loosestrife.

But the garden phlox and daisies are spectacular too.

The new one to me was a large bush called sweetshrub with big flowers. It's supposed to be aromatic, but I didn't smell it. Next time.

I'm in the very last stages of getting How to Hike the North Country Trail ready. The final check of the pdfs just happened. If I can stay awake, I'll upload them to the printer tonight. If not... tomorrow.

See Peanut Line and Stella T. Rex

Little Pretties

 
Just some little pleasures as I walked to town. Two are alien, I'm sorry to tell you, but I can enjoy them anyway.

I always love the clear blue of Speedwell. This is common speedwell, Veronica officinalis. This one is native at least.



Here's one you can munch on, Cerastium vulgatum. It's a chickweed. In general they are easy to ID as a group because the white flowers are small and have five petals that are cleft so they almost look like 10. All the chickweeds are edible. Put the flowers and tender leaves in salads, or cook the leaves and stems as greens.



That said, This one is Mouse Ear Chickweed. You can see why it's called that. The leaves are really hairy. You are supposed to cook these leaves before eating. I've actually never tried any of them as a cooked green. Maybe I should.



Finally for today, we have the English Daisy, Bellis perennis. They are supposed to be invasive and I've tried to get some to grow in my yard. Not invasive for me! Can't convince any to live.



Well, I did mow some grass. And I walked to the P.O. and bank, which is when I took these pictures. Worked on another little outside project that I may show you tomorrow. Then I started another puzzle. Now that the maps are done, I can play on that table again.

See Spring Out and About See Little Pleasures

Little Pleasures

 
These two pictures are left over from Saturday's walk.

It's not that the snow and ice isn't pretty. It really is. But I wanted to share these with you, and so they win for today.

A little surprise like a very early English daisy, Bellis perennis, was easily enough to bring on a smile. I know they are considered by some to be a terrible nuisance in yards, but I love them.



I had to get help to identify the second little treat. I'm just not a very good birder. I saw a bird moving in the grass ahead of me, and it held still long enough for me to get a poor picture (which is a slight improvement on no picture!).

Well, I could do better than little brown bird. I knew it was a sparrow, but which one? My bird guy says song sparrow, Melospiza melodia. If he'd posed for me at a better angle, I would have known. If he'd sung for me, I would have known! I'm much better at botany than birds. Nevertheless, a little spark of spring wildlife was welcome.

	See Song Sparrow
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