Uneven but Sunny

  Loren and I took a hike on the North Country Trail. It wasn't as difficult as the icy trail at the state park on Tuesday, but the packed trail was really uneven. It was a joint-jarring walk. But... the sun was shining and the temperature climbed above freezing. All good!

The sky became that brilliant shade of blue that just amazes me every time I see it. The gnarly oak branches are a nice contrast.

This strange linear burl seems to have all kinds of protuberances. Looks like some sort of spiny animal crawling up the tree.

I know it's not much color, but the lichen and moss mingling on this tree are at least not brown and gray.

Who made these little tracks?

Dear little Koa, of course! She's always an enthusiastic hiker.

We managed to walk outbound 2.6 miles before the trail became just postholes through an icy crust. Then it was no fun any more, and we turned around. But it was enough.

NCT Hike 100 Challenge for 2021 is at 78 miles.

North Country Trail, Lake County, MI, Freesoil Trailhead south 2.6 miles and back. Total 5.2 miles.

In other news: I continued to work on editing.

See Icy and Windy

Spirit of the Woods Hike - December

 
Today was the monthly hike for the Spirit of the Woods trail club. I was actually able to go on this one. In fact, I was the leader. Not that that's such a big deal. Anyway, 10 people showed up, but we didn't manage a group picture.

Love how the trail just calls to me here.



The youngest and oldest hikers slowed down enough for me to snap a picture.



I love hemlocks. They are among my favorite trees. This clump was looking nice.


And the occasional wise old white pine might have interesting stories to tell.


A stick covered in orange lichen and snow provides a bright spot in the woods.



Finally, you've probably heard of Burl Ives. However, I'd like to introduce you to Burl Eagle. I think he's related to the family in the link below.



And... I have something really neat to show you tomorrow. I'll give it a post of its own.

Miles hiked today: 8.5 in under 3 hours, and I was the last one in (I like to stop and take pictures, eh?)

Hike 100 Challenge is at 95.5 miles. One more little hike to do this month for me.

There is no other news, except that I ate too much.

North Country Trail, Freesoil Trailhead south to 5 Mile Rd and back, 8.5 miles

	See A Tree Full of Eagles
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Orange Details, Wet Ending

 
Today has been all about writing, but after finishing Chapter 6 in The ABZ Affair, I just had to get some exercise, so I went out for a different 3-mile walk. the sky was spitting a little bit, but real rain wasn't supposed to start till later.

The color of the day is orange (although I snuck in one picture from yesterday).

Orange lichen:



Here's the one from yesterday. I suspect the orange tree tips are some kind of willow, but not positive.



These are a willow, perhaps the same kind. I did increase the contrast a bit, but they are really orange and you know I like my colors bright, even garish.



But, it was raining steadily although softly by the time I got home, and I was quite wet, although refreshed. For those of you who like softer tones, try raindrops on white birch branches.



Supposed to rain for several days now.

In other news: I'm really pulling out all the stops on writing The ABZ Affair. I have so much to do with illustrations and formatting for all three books, I'd like to get the texts really finished and polished before the end of February. Today I finished chapter 5 (had to do a LOT of research on 1953 prices), and wrote 6 (researched earlier) and 7. They may need some content editing, but at least there is something solid to work with. No work at the paper for me again tomorrow (no Tuesday work this year- not good for the wallet), but I'm hoping I can write three more chapters. We'll see.

	See Brown Details, Brilliant Ending
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Xanthoria

 
OK, here's where I go out on a limb again trying to learn a few lichen. Pretty sure this is the correct genus, which really just means "yellow thing." This log is covered with it.



So that let me rule out the one that mostly grows on stone.

It may be Xanthoria fallax, orange tree-trunk lichen. Don't you love technical names? Some of the lobes are large and flabby.



Some have curled up edges. If I've IDed it correctly the soredia (granules of an algae body wrapped in a fungal filament ready to start a new growth) appear under those curled edges.

It's white on the underside like it's supposed to be.



The book says that apothecia (structures that produce spores) are rare, so I'm not sure if these are just a different kind of lobe, or maybe in this great wet fall, it grew some.



At any rate, it's beauteous!

	See Looking at Lichen
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On the Edge

 
Just a small wonderland discovered on the edge of a sandy driveway.



Some moss with the sporangia standing tall.



And those cute little pixie cup lichen!

	See Pixie Hiding in My Grass
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Breaking Down

 
Another ash tree bites the dust. Probably killed by emerald ash borer. But once it's on the ground, what happens then?




It's a good thing there are many ways that decomposition is aided, or we'd be buried in piles of dead wood that never returned to the soil.

The woodpeckers have been busy drilling holes in the bark.



Why? They are looking for dinner in the form of bugs and larvae that have made their homes under the bark.



I don't know for certain that it was emerald ash borer that killed this tree, but the beetle galleries you can see in the wood might be from that insect. The ash borer galleries wander all over. These don't seem too erratic, but neither are they in the patterns you see made by some insects. (see link below)



And lichen is working hard on the bark. I'm sure there are also various fungi weaving webs of mycelia through the wood even though no fruiting bodies are visible right now.



Of course it fell across my trail. Do you even have to ask?

Off to work soon. Have a good night.

	See Bark Beetle Galleries
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Lichen on Metal - I

 
This isn't going to be too informative. It's just one more step in my quest to explore lichens. I took two steps outside my front door and snapped a couple of pictures. This is lichen growing on a rusted metal wheel I have for decoration.



Lichens can grow on most any sort of substrate because they don't draw any nutrients from it, whether it's on bark, soil, decaying wood, rock, or metal. Some don't even require a substrate, but are carried by the wind.



That said, they may chemically alter the substrate. That is particularly true on minerals.

I can't really identify the kind(s) of lichen here, but I do see the apothecia.



The yellow rosettes may be easier. Best guess is Xanthoria elegans.



There's also a flabbier thallose kind just a few inches away.



Lichens can take metals (and other minerals) into their bodies and chelate them. This is a type of chemical bond that metals form where they are highly sequestered. The metal is surrounded by another molecule and held with multiple bonds. In fact, lichens have even been used experimentally to remove heavy metals from contaminated soils.

Thus, although they don't need nutrients from the substrate they can break surfaces down and weather them. Thus, if you want to create soil from rock, they are good. If you don't want a nice monument or building damaged, they are bad.

I need to find a beginners course on lichens, with a lab segment.

	See Lichen- Not Even 101
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Lichen, Not Even 101

 
So I thought I'd get some pictures of a really common lichen and that would be easier to identify. Right? Wrong.



So this one grows on just about any tree in the woods around here. Maybe. It's probably one of a group of cousins in the genus Parmelia.



And right there, I am stuck until I learn to follow some botanical rules I certainly know and preach with leafy plants. Look at both sides of the leaf. Learn the vocabulary. Check the texture. Blah, blah. Did I do any of these things. Nope.

Here it is close up.



Soredia= a cluster of granule-like cells on the surface. These are photosynthetic and are wrapped with a few strands of fungus.

Apothecia= those little cups where spores are produced. See some at Three Lichen.

Soralia= masses of soredia

OK, I give up for tonight. Maybe I can remember to look at the back next time.

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