Spirit of the Woods Hike- July 2026

Today's hike was on a section of trail that, somehow, the group has not hiked recently. It's hilly but very pretty.

Here's the group- 19 in the picture, one more showed up. Several people we hadn't seen for a while, and one person who took her very first North Country Trail hike today!

This section is mostly on the bluff high above the Manistee River. There aren't many view spots in the summer with all the leaves. And it's too hazy for the far bluff to show in the picture, but it's over there in the bright spot.

Not much blooming as far as flowers. Some tick trefoil, but my picture isn't in focus.

Several nice puddles of northern maidenhair fern- always one of my favorites. Adiantum pedatum

Parasitic plants were represented. Here is indian pipe, Monotropa uniflora. A small patch, but always interesting to find.

We also saw bear corn, Conipholis americana, and I thought I took a picture, but it's not on the SD card, so who knows what happened. Sort of looks like cream-colored pinecones growing out of the ground.

We did see a beautiful patch of one of the Clavaria fungi. Basically a coral fungus. The names have changed like crazy. I used to call this one Crowned clavaria because the ends of the stalks are divided into little "crowns," and its name then was Clavaria coronata. It seems to have changed more than once, and is now Artomyces pyxidatus.

Most everyone walked 6 miles total, and a few did shorter distances as they were able. Five of us went farther and did 7 NCT miles plus the little bit extra to get to the cars.

Miles walked in 2026: 203.5
Hike 100 challenge 2026: 69.75

North Country Trail, Manistee County, from Coates Highway south 3.5 miles and back plus roadwalk to cars. 7.4 miles.

Not a lot else happened today. We started early and got most of the hike done before the air heated up. My temperature/humidity internal sensors started giving off warning signals about a mile before I finished, but it wasn't too bad.

Here's a news flash! Despite the fact that we live on a major highway, Google can not seem to understand where we live. I had tried 7 times to get them to change it, including sending a picture of my driveway and mailbox on request, but they basically said that I don't know where I live.

I tried again a few days ago. Try #8. I got notice that my correction has been accepted! Amazing! Now we'll find out if that is real.

Some of the proof of my claim that they wouldn't change it. And at the bottom, this week, it was accepted. This has irked me to no end, and has resulted in several lost packages, so I'll be very happy if it's fixed.

See Spirit of the Woods- June 2026

Front Garden Report 2026- #1

A lot has happened in the front garden beds this year. Several of the new plants went in various places, and I moved some things and split a couple of plants.

This is the west section, the one that is more established. I tried to get a picture from a little different angle to show all of it that's behind the rose bush better.

There are 8 different Heucheras in there (7 of them healthy- I really should just give up on the other one- it's still 2" high after 30 years), 6 or 7 different Hostas, 3 different Brunnera, and a few other things, but those are the primary last-all-season foliage colors.

That was a top down view. The little walkway I added last year is right at the bottom of the picture, so here's a different angle to show what's between the walkway and the house, which is 'Krossa Regal' Hosta, and the Japanese fern which the woodchuck ate last year, but it recovered completely.

I need to reduce the size of the patches of the two rather blah and small hosta. They are nice fillers, but now they have filled too much.

Now for the east end, beyond the white birch tree. This is the part I've worked on quite a lot this year. I'll give you the plant IDs, so that will help me remember what's supposed to be where too.

Starting at the lower left and going up along that board edging, we have a 'Jack Frost' Brunnera, 'Season's King' Heuchera, 'Wiggles and Squiggles' Hosta, a small 'Caramel' Heuchera that I just split off today (we'll see if I got enough roots for it to survive), and behind that the piece of Japanese fern that I put there last year which is doing fine, but it's a little small yet.

The brighter pink Heuchera is 'Carnival Cinnamon Stick' with the 'Forbidden Fruit' Hosta behind it, and the feathery Astilbe behind that. Not sure if that will be pink or white. Maybe I'll get those labeled this year.

Next to the Astilbe is the new 'Midnight Rose' Heuchera, and going along the walkway is another small Astilbe.

Come back to center front and there is the new 'Smoke and Mirrors' Heuchera. Just above that are 3 blue hostas from Ester (unknown variety- 2 medium size and one tiny). In the middle of those is a 'Wiggles and Squiggles' I split off last week. It seems to be holding its own. And in the front with two-tone green leaves is one I just brought back from Ester. We can't seem to find the variety. The one the plant apps want it to be she says she never had.

There are some lilies shooting up and the 'Francie' Hosta in the back.

Front flower bed casualties: I've already mentioned the Icelandic Poppies. Also, sadly, the 'Winky' Columbine did not come back. I thought it was going to be ok because it had survived one winter. And I also had tried another 'Blue Clips' Campanula. Not even a hint of it. I think this is my fourth try with that one, all in different places. I think I'll quit wanting that onw. Just at the very bottom right corner of the picture you can see part of the 'Mouse Ears' Hosta. I moved it again because it seems to really want no sun at all or it gets burned. Right now it looks good, but it's so tiny it will have to have both shade and be in a visible spot. And, inexplicably, the 'Vulcan' Hosta hasn't come back this year.

I did a minimal amount of work today. My body said that after three days of intense activity it wanted a rest.

See Front Garden Report 2025- #2

Beauty in the Details

We got another beautiful day! I had decided to use it to do my fall walk-through of the trail section I maintain. It was an easy amount of work. I had time to look for interesting details. This is the best.

I'm pretty sure this is a false chanterelle. Cute.

Still on the topic of mushrooms and fungus, this is some variety- I have no idea what- but see how it's growing in sort of a net pattern? The mycelium is under the bark and it puts up fruiting bodies in the softer cracks between the plates of the bark.

The bottomland hardwood swamp is completely dry. I've seldom seen it without any pools of water. This tree decided to become a terrarium. Probably Intermediate Wood Fern.

This just made me chuckle. It's an apartment building for some critters. I wonder who lives upstairs.

The trail work was easy. My section is in good shape. I only pulled a couple of small, downed trees off the path, clipped a little, and flipped away loose sticks.

Oh, a pic of my piece of trail? Sure.

And I did laundry and some editing.

Miles hiked in 2025: 440.5
NCT miles hiked in 2025: 244.8

North Country Trail, Lake and Mason Counties, Freesoil TH to Koenig Rd and back to Tyndall Rd. 3.5 miles.

See Work Day

Spirit of the Woods Hike- November

Although the morning started out chilly, it turned into a perfect crisp day for the NCTA Chapter hike. We had 22 people, but there were 7 dogs who came along this time. (1 person and 2 dogs didn't make the picture.)

We started at Upper Branch Bridge which is where the trail crosses the Pere Marquette River.

Gary leads us off into the autumn woods with rich brown oaks and yellow beech.

Two of the hikers completed their 100 Mile Challenge today. I didn't get a picture of Peg, but here is Sue.

There are still plenty of little gems to see. Northern Maidenhair fern grows along the banks of the unnamed creek there.

We were discussing whether these are quaking aspen leaves or big-tooth aspen. I've decided they are big-tooth, even though the teeth aren't huge, because the trees are tall and straight with ridged bark. Quaking will get ridged bark if it gets old enough, but I just have a feeling these are big-tooth. Anyway, I took the picture because I like how the water beads up on wet leaves. This is because the leaves have natural plant oils. (I'm a dummy- didn't check to see if the stems were flat.)

The oaks are starting to get involved in the fall color. Even though they don't get the really bright colors, I always like how rich they look. These are white oak.

We did hike a little farther than we usually go from this trailhead. To go to the next road and back is only 3 miles. We did the half-mile roadwalk (a pleasant dirt road), and partway into Bowman Semi-Primitive Area, so that the total miles would be more. I did five.

This is the only section of the NCT that is along the Pere Marquette River. There is one place where you get an unobstructed view, and I almost always take a picture of it there. But today I decided to try to find another place for a glimpse of the water. This one through the trees isn't bad.

I managed to do some computer work before the hike. In the afternoon, I mostly worked on trying to get some computer coding to work. I've determined several things that DON'T work. I guess that is progress of a sort.

Miles hiked in 2025: 423

Miles hiked on the NCT in 2025: 241.3

North Country Trail, Lake Co, MI. Upper Branch Bridge into Bowman Semii-Primitive area and back. Total 5 miles.

See SPW Hike- October

500 Species of Plants

Some of you know that one of my never-will-be-finished projects is to build a database of my photos so I might actually be able to find things. I keep working on it, usually a little bit each day.

One of the categories of pictures is, of course, plants. So yesterday, I hit 500 different species entered. This is out of a total of over 3000 photos entered so far. There will be lots more than 500 ultimately. I thought for today, I'd just pick some of my favorite plant pictures from the photos that are, so far, in the database.

I'll start with this bromeliad from the 2010 Philadelphia Flower Show. Of course, these are used in displays a lot because they are so colorful and showy, but that doesn't keep me from liking them. Genus Aechmea variety 'Blue Tango.'

Not all of the favorite plant pictures are going to be exotic things. For example, here is a large white oak tree, Quercus alba, that is found along the Finger Lakes/North Country Trails. It's named for the family that owns the property it's on, the Yorski Oak. With few of the leaves out yet, you can see the great bones of this tree that is probably 200 years old. Picture taken in May 2010 on the hike on which I finished all of the NCT in New York.

This one is last fall in my rock garden. This is the Sedum 'Dazzleberry' making a large bumblebee very happy. See the full pollen baskets?

This is also last fall with late afternoon sunlight on Ostrich Ferns, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Near Round Lake.

This one is a little more exotic in that it's not commonly found, but I did find some very near my house in 2010. This is a Grape Fern, sometimes this group is called Moonworts. But those are both just names for a whole group of ferns. The Genus is Botrychium, and I think this is matricariifolium, or the Daisyleaf Moonwort. It's one of the more common ones in the group. That said, I've only ever seen two of species in real life. I'm pretty pleased that I found this one on my own. You can see why they are called "grape ferns" because the fertile leaves look like a small cluster of grapes getting ready to ripen. This whole plant is maybe an inch-and-a-half tall.

I'll end this collection with another from last fall. In the database, I've been alternating entering more recent months with older pictures, so the dates are all over the place. This is just Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, in full autumn color, with berries, and contrasted with some ash leaves.

Aren't plants great?

Today I found out that I can get the dental work I need started tomorrow! And that I have to only eat very soft food for two weeks. So, I went shopping because I don't want to have to face that if I feel really bad when I get home tomorrow.

Worked on all the usual projects. Vacation from DMS is up to 41,630 words.

See Best Photos of 2020

Gale's Pond Botany

There is a lot of quality plant material around Gale's Pond. Every one of these specimens is native. Although I didn't see any brand-new-to-me plants, I've added to my knowledge base. First, the plants I see fairly often but are still nice.

This is white turtlehead, Chelone Glabra. Fairly common wetland plant.

Here's another we are more used to seeing in the spring. This is the seed head for Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum. Don't be confused by the fern leaves behind it.

Next up is Purple-leaved Willow Herb, Epilobium coloratum. What I hadn't previously realized about this is that it's in the same genus as Fireweed. Fireweed gets a bunch of curly split seed pods at the end of the season, and so does this plant. I'll have to watch for those. I think that's the more interesting time frame for the plant rather than these tiny flowers because of the interesting texture.

Now we get to things that are more interesting to me because I am less familiar with them. Next is Horsebalm, Collinsonia canadensis. I first saw this plant right here at Gale's Pond in August of 2019, but the flower wasn't in full bloom, so I never shared it.

Here it is this week, going to seed.

Here it is in 2019, with the flowers just opening. The thing is, I saw it somewhere else, perhaps later in 2019, because I remembered the name to tell someone. No clue where or who, and my photo sorting has not reached that year even if I took a picture. Yesterday, I could only remember that it had "horse" in the name.

Here's another plant that I've seen elsewhere, but I have no idea if I have other pictures of it, and I couldn't remember anything about it, except I could tell from looking that it is some kind of nettle. It's Wood Nettle or Canada Nettle, Laportea canadensis. Yes, the kind of nettle that has little stinging hairs if you touch it.

You could easily see the stinging hairs on these stems. But the most interesting thing is the flowers. They are little palmate clusters of greenish-white blunt petals. I believe these are the female flowers. The male flowers are separate but will grow on the same plant.

I don't think I'll forget this one again, although I may not recognize the male flowers if I see them alone.

Finally, we get into some semi-informed speculation. I THINK this is Marsh Fern Thelypteris palustris. That is based on where it was growing, the shape of the pinnules, and the shape and placement of the ruptured spore cases. Well, that's part of how you'd identify any fern, but it's late in the season, and I should have had a fern book with me to really ID this. Anyway, it's a nice picture.

I got myself back on track today. Laundry, editing, other computer projects, and I wrote 585 words in Vacation from DMS. Current total is at 40,418. I guess there's hope I might finish the book. Now I'm going to go make a gallon of yogurt before I crash.

See Gale's Pond

Front Garden Report 2025- #2

None of the gardens is completely cleaned up since I got back from NY, but the front bed is close, and it looks pretty good.

I know I show you this view over and over, but this space genuinely makes me happy. And it proves that it stays colorful all season. The light is dappled. Sorry about that, but it does give you one more "look" of that space. I'm particularly happy with the purple Heuchera near the right edge just above the middle. It's called 'Electric Plum.' Interestingly enough, the other red-to-purple Heuchera were more colorful earlier in the season, but this one seems to glow even brighter as we get into high summer.

And just above center is the white hosta with green edges, 'Loyalist.' It was damaged earlier, but it's doing well now. On the other side of the walkway is one of the large 'Krossa' Hosta. Both of those are doing great.

The white Globe Bellflowers have been blooming for well over a week. They seem to be a little later than the blue ones which are now all done. They are also a little shorter. I'm not sure I'm in love with these, but they come up and bloom, so, hey...

This is the one week a year that I don't detest the Seven Sisters Rose. Enjoy it quick.

Moving to the east end of that bed, the poor Vulcan Hosta is really struggling. I think it will survive. I'm still not sure what made it so sad.

Here's another space that is making me increasingly happy. If you want to compare, it's the first picture in the east report below. The Astilbe is blooming, although not prolifically. The Japanese Fern bit that I moved there (just left of center) is very happy. It's gained several fronds already. The 'Wiggles and Squiggles' Hosta is wonderful, and the dark purple 'Season's King' Heuchera is great. Way in the back, a 'Francee' Hosta is in bud.

Today was unbearably hot. But I got myself moving while it was still in the 70s, and got some outside stuff done. Edited before it got too hot in the house, and then went to the air-conditioned store for groceries. After that, I lolled in my chair with a book and iced tea.

Tonight it's supposed to rain, and be much cooler tomorrow. I'm hoping to get a good amount of outside work done. My energy level is good when it's in the 70s. Not so much above that. After 90, forget it!

See Front Garden West See Front Garden East

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