At last! A woodland path with no snow!
It's official: Spring is here! A bright sunny day, temperature in the mid-40s. But a brisk wind made it feel like winter was coming back. Okay. I confess. I'm weary of winter. And I'm really tired of crunching through snow when I go for a walk in the woods. How I long to hear the rustle of crisp dry leaves underfoot instead.
So I went to Mud Pond in Moreau Lake State Park, to walk the east shore where open, sloping banks hold the sunshine all afternoon, and the snow is at last all gone. And what a treat it was! No great plant finds or spectacular animal sightings, just a lovely, easy walk on yielding ground, shielded from the wind, bathed in sunlight and warmth. I saw a hawk soaring over the hills, heard songs of birds I couldn't name in the trees, and noticed the beavers were getting really busy -- a couple of big trees were newly toppled. I found two of my favorite evergreen plants: pipsissewa and striped wintergreen. These plants love sandy, acid soil, the same as do pink lady's slipper and rattlesnake plantain. I'll be back to look for these lovely orchids in May and June.
Pipsissewa
Striped wintergreen
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