Roadside Blooms

Needing to keep walking to get those miles in for the Onekama Challenge. Going to be hard to do, but the weather/ air was better today, so I got in a walk. Just one of my roadwalk loops, but I did it.

Here are some plants of note along the way.

This was the first time I've noticed Elecampane, Inula helenium on this route. It's not native, and it's more of a prairie plant. But here it is! I'm going to report this to the MI Herbarium.

A nice native shrub to find. I see a little of this each year. This is Meadowsweet, Spiraea alba. It likes to have damp feet, and this is in a ditch.

Always a fun find is Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata. Definitely a wetland plant although some people are putting them in gardens with some success if they water often. This one isn't very full, but you can see the color.

Here's one that I'm not happy to see. It's False Chervil, Anthriscus sylvestris. This is becoming increasingly spread from east to west in the US and it's horribly invasive and everywhere. Not happy to see so much of it here.

Not a flower, but I caught a great blue heron flying over.

Worked my little job in the morning. Did some volunteer stuff. Walked, Zoom meeting.

Miles walked in 2026: 227.7
Miles for Onekama Challenge: 39.5

See Familiar Places

Best Photos of July 2022

 Here are the best of the pictures I think I took from July 2022. This was from the big hike. I know that was forever ago, but I've always wanted to try to share the best from each month. I have a lot of bad ones from this month.

I am saying these pictures are "best," not because they necessarily tell the story best, but because I think they are simply the best actual photographs. I've left them full size, so you can click on them and see them larger. That always makes photos look better. Three are cropped a bit, and one had the color saturation increased a tad.

I got a lot of wildlife and flower pictures, but most are only of the quality you can use to ID things, not really nice pictures.

They are chronological from west to east.

This is the Lonetree Wildlife Management Area seen from the eastern end of the McClusky Canal. If that irrigation project had been finished this would all have been flooded. Now, it's a beautiful recreation area. (Some officials realized the irrigation project was headed for environmental disaster).

Next up is showy milkweed. I like that I got several stages of buds and blossoms

I can't really identify this golden dragonfly. I've seen lots of them in North Dakota over the years. I guessed another golden one as an immature saffron-winged meadowhawk, but the wings are different on this one.

Here we have a Western Grebe. Look closely. She has a baby on her back!

This is a worked field with something just coming up. I like the pattern.

There are two amazing railroad bridges across Lake Ashtabula which is a dammed area of the Sheyenne River. This is the Karnak Bridge.

I am forever trying to get good pictures of the White Pelicans. They are amazing birds, but very shy. I think this is my best success to date.

A hazy morning in the Sheyenne Valley.

And a brighter afternoon in the Sheyenne River Valley.

Finally, the Sheyenne flows through Fort Ransom State Park and gathers itself into a setting that looks almost eastern. But this was a very appealing scene to me.

And how did today go? Pretty well. I did some computer work, laundry, changed my bed and showered. I'm going to have to be careful to not do too much computer time. Hurts the eyes. I also walked around the house (just inside) for 15 minutes, but that's the most I've done for 10 days. Very encouraging.

See Best Photos from June 2022

Spirit of the Woods Hike, September

 It was a great day for a hike and a great day for National Public Lands Day. Our hikes are usually earlier in the month, but we chose to schedule it for this day because parking at the trailheads that require a pass was free today.

The Spirit of the Woods Chapter had 22 people and 3 dogs. The people ranged in age from those of us in our 70s down to a young man who is probably 11 or 12. He was a Scout, so I assume at least 11.

Along the way, we passed by the campsite created by a trail supporter on his land, more than 30 years ago. He can't hike any more due to an injury, but he welcomed us all in to the campsite and treated us with ice tea and cookies. You can't see them because everyone is clustered around the table grabbing stuff!

Here he is; this is Kurt. He was one of our charter members, and was actively supporting the NCT before we were even a chapter.

I was too busy talking to take many pictures. Besides, with this big of a group, we got strung out quite quickly. In fact, I was talking so much that the hike leader Glen had to point this out to me. This is actually pretty cool. It's the seedpods of Poke Milkweed, Asclepias exaltata. Link at the bottom to more pictures from another year. I really wasn't positive of the ID until I got home, because with only a few leaves and the seed pods, I thought there might be a couple of choices. But this one was on my list, and it is correct.

After we finished the hike, Loren and I went to visit one of our former chapter presidents who is on hospice. His wife is doing all his care. It's a bummer all the way around, but it was nice to see them.

Miles hiked in 2024: 465.8. NCT miles hiked in 2024: 142.5

North Country Trail, Manistee Co, MI. Udell TH to Michigan Ave and back. 5 miles

See Poke Milkweed See the welcome sign Kurt posted for me when I walked past on my big hike

Orange We Glad?

The July hike for the Spirit of the Woods Chapter of the North Country Trail Association was from 9-Mile Bridge out and back to whatever distance people wanted. Most of us went 3 miles out, for a six-mile hike total.

The color of the day was orange. Dan led the group. His orange shirt is a nice contrast to the green woods.

There aren't nearly so many orange flowers in the wild as the other colors. My edition of Peterson's Field Guide (to flowers in Northeastern and North-Central US) has four pages of orange flowers. In contrast, there are 94 pages of white, 102 yellow, 98 red/pink, 48 blue/violet, and 26 green/brown. The orange color comes from carotinoids. Perhaps the orange color is more common in hotter climates. Wikipedia says carotinoids help protect plants from photooxidative damage. So maybe with less sun here in the north fewer plants have exploited the carotinoids. It's an interesting question, and one I could not quickly find an answer to.

But in July, here, the Butterfly Weed (a milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa) is brightening the roadsides.

Here was the best find, and I did not spot it! I was talking with someone and didn't even see it. But I was sure glad that someone else did. This is a Wood Lily, Lilium philadelphicum. It's not particularly rare in Michigan, but I've sure never seen it in Mason County before. The Michigan Herbarium reports it being found in approximately the same location in 1958.

Orange I glad I went on this hike? Yes.

See June SPW Hike See Wood Lily in Antrim County

Milkweed Music

  I told Marianne D. that I would check to see if there were still some milkweed seeds I could send her for a Girl Scout project. Nothing doing. The pods have all opened and the seeds have all blown away. Every one I could find was totally empty.

So she won't get seeds, but you get pictures because I always think these pods make artistic shapes.

There are nicer pictures at the link below.

In other news: all the same stuff. Making a little progress on all current projects. Probably the biggest headache is getting software installed on the new computer.

See Pod'N Me

The Lonely Donkey is Done

  Today, I did one thing, and one thing only. I wrote. In fact I have finished The Lonely Donkey. Still some little tweaks and editing to do, but the text is basically finished. I am stiff and cranky, but this is how writing gets done. You put your behind in a chair and you write.

Meanwhile, enjoy the bright orange milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus. These ones don't have full-grown wings yet. They don't hurt anything except milkweed seeds, and they aren't a serious problem for the species. They are true bugs, in the order Hemiptera. The orange and black tells predators that they taste bad. In this case, since they feed on milkweed, they actually do taste bad. Some orange and black insects are just using that color scheme to avoid being eaten. See link below.

See you tomorrow, when I do not plan to sit still all day.

See Milkweed Bug Eggs See Aposematic Coloration

More Ottawa Hike Pictures

 
Just some more fun pictures from the Ottawa County Hike.

A squirrel is always good to get your attention. A gray squirrel, but a pretty big one.



I liked this symmetrical broken cattail (I think that's what it is) stalk that was being washed by the waves.



And butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa, was in full bloom. Don't forget, it's a milkweed. Full sun.



Indian pipe, Monotropa uniflora, deep in the shade. It's a parasitic plant with no chlorophyll of its own.



Kids were having fun the old fashioned way at the campsite. Lots of water fights in the creek.



And for the end, a big robber fly. These guys are impressive. And if you are a different insect they are also aggressive and predatory, but they pretty much leave humans alone. If you capture one in your hands, though, they will probably bite defensively and it can be painful. BugGuide.net says it's Proctacanthus hinei, no common name. Often seen on sand.



So, today was a big book event. I sold just enough to cover my expenses and that's all. Not so good. But this is my year to try to figure this sales "thing" out, so I'll chalk it up to more data points and info.

	See A different Robber Fly
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WhiteS

 
White- Sky, Seeds, Sausage

It was another gorgeous day today, although chilly. Maybe one more and then we are supposed to get that other white stuff. I won't mind if it's good for skiing.

This afternoon the sun was getting low, but everything remained tones of white and gray. Sorry about the wires. I can't do anything about them.



Milkweed seeds getting ready to fly away!



And the sausage is my trailer, all trussed up. I added some ropes because the wind can get pretty impressive up here on our hill. Let's see if this keeps the tarp from being shredded. The first test may be Thursday. 30-35 mph winds predicted.



Accountability Report:
Worked in the morning.
Errands in the afternoon, and trailer reinforcement.
Handbell practice.
I'm going to try to write a little bit yet this evening.

	See Index for Trailer Refurbish Fluffies
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Butterfly Weed

 
There are relatively few orange flowers that you will find in the wild, but even with narrowed choices, one of the most stunning is butterfly weed.



I spotted this clump from far away on my hike on Monday because it practically glowed, showing through the trees.



It's a milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, and the shape of the flowers is a dead giveaway for any of the milkweeds.



I'm just chilling, giving myself a good rest before my shift at work tonight. Hope you all have a good weekend.

	See Three Milkweed
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