Published on: Nov 7, 2021
After the cold nights and very cool days last week, most of the maples and other trees dropped their leaves at peak color or even green. But the oaks are the stars of the skyline now. This beautiful weekend with the abundant sunshine has highlighted the golds, coppers and bronzes of the many majestic oaks in the city and along the rail trail and local roads. There are still some colorful understory trees and bushes--the reds of the Japanese Maples and the burgundy of some of the dogwood are spectacular. This is a glorious time to walk, ride or otherwise motivate yourself outside.
0 Comments
Published on: Nov 1, 2021
The last few days have been a whirlwind of color change in the trees and shrubs. Maples went from a few red or yellow leaves to all shades of yellow and red from apricot to watermelon. Oaks turned golden and burgundy. All of them are rapidly shedding leaves, so they turned just in time. Walking early in the morning as the sun rises gives you a prime view of the golden tops of trees and the subtle orange shades all along the branches. Understory shrubs and trees are also changing. The Tulip Poplars are clear yellow and the yellow leaves of the Hickory are falling rapidly. The Japanese Maples went suddenly red and orange after staying green for the entire month of October. The Viburnum and Dogwood leaves are from brilliant red and yellow to glowing burgundy and the cherry, shad and muscle wood are beautifully yellow to rust colors. Some Wild Geraniums and goldenrods are sporting wine colored leaves and stems. It is a fabulous show. The leaves are falling quickly now and the next few nights of frost should hurry them along. Enjoy them while you can, and enjoy the beautiful patterns they make on the sidewalks and drives. It's time to rake and blow! Published on: Oct 17, 2021
The weather finally turned crisp and the leaves have been whirling in the breeze. This morning, the sun rose butter yellow and the clouds were steel grey highlighted with salmon. As the sun rose, the very tops of trees were painted with the golden light. There are still mosaics of leaves on the ground and lots still to fall, but the variations from yellow, orange, pink, magenta and tan are a wonder to behold. The birds and small mammals are more active than they have been since spring. There are still lots of grapes, apples, berries and fruits on the trees and shrubs and lots of seeds everywhere. The genesis of spring is the cool days of fall. I love these days, even raking and raking and raking. The seasons are a wonder, the weather is beautiful and the light is softer. Enjoy the crisp walks, runs and skates or bikes on the trails. Published on: Oct 5, 2021
The leaf fall has started and you can walk under a tree in a mosaic of colorful leaves: brown, yellow, orange, gold and red. When a tree, like a maple or ash is fully in color (two or three shades at least), it is like walking in a kaleidoscope with the light coming through the changed leaves. Mushrooms are everywhere, some beautiful, some dreadful--but all fascinating. Even perennial and shrub colors are changing and making a pointillist painting of every view. The crisp air and lower sun angle give everything a new look. Acorns turn to marbles on the sidewalk as they lose their caps and pose a challenge to walkers. I have seen deer and squirrels in the middle of the street retrieving acorns. There are still asters and some goldenrod blooming and lots of berries, crabapples and seeds for color interest. I love it when a single maple changes color all at once and flames out a greeting to all passersby. Enjoy looking at the natural world this week. Published on: Sep 27, 2021
The asters and goldenrods have really put on a show this year. There are still beautiful white, blue and purple clusters among the yellow and still sunflowers blooming. The Gentians came a little early and were spectacular. I was amazed at the numerous huge clusters of grapes along the trail. The grapes and small crabapples are really beautiful. I am sure some enterprising birds and mammals will be eating well. The beautiful seeds of the sumac are vying for attention with their rapidly coloring leaves. Maples are bursting with neon red to purple and the birches are a beautiful yellow. This website has been out of commission for a few months while it was updated. Sorry I did not get more blogs posted. I hope you have enjoyed the monthly column in the local paper instead. I hope you all have a lovely walk, ride or skate in the beautiful fall weather. Published on: Sep 15, 2019
We checked the area between 8 and 9 mile roads and sure enough, the Fringed Gentians are blooming. They are in clumps among the many Stiff, Showy and Canada Goldenrod, the New England, Heath and Flat Top White Asters and the remaining Joe Pye Weed and Tall Sunflowers. There are also still the occasional Black-eyed Susans. We did not find any Bottle Gentian blooming--so they are probably a little later than the Fringed. White Turtlehead was a pleasant surprise in a few spots as well. There should be several more days of show on all the flowers, and the Michigan Holly is beginning to color up. Grapes hang heavily in their purple dewy leaf bowers. Crab apples are falling everywhere along with the Acorns from all the oak trees. Yellow is beginning to be the leaf color for birches and poplars as well as the Witch Hazel and the first red leaves of the maples are a brilliant contrast to the deep green from summer. Enjoy your days on the trail. Published on: Aug 27, 2019
The last week of cool mornings and lots of sunshine were too irresistible for walking the trail. We trekked Duck Hunters to Stark, Averill to the Bridge, 8-mile road to 9 -mile road , and 10 1/2 mile road back to 9-mile road. Each, back and forth is 2 -3 miles--so pretty easy. As anticipated, the fall flowers are bursting out all over. The Early and Late Goldenrod and Grass Leaved Goldenrod are giving way to the colonies of Canada Goldenrod, lurking among them but eclipsed by the sheer volume of the Canada Goldenrod. While it is not in full bloom yet, it is really getting tall and the buds are very promising. In addition, especially along the area by the Veterans Park entrance from the Rail Trail, hundreds of feet of Tall Sunflower is blooming on one side with as much Joe Pye Weed blooming on the other. Spotted between these huge clumps and sometimes within them are vast arrays of Black-Eyed Susans. There are also small clumps of Boneset and lingering blooms of the Showy Tick Trefoil. Near the Wetland on Mile 11 of the trail (just after 9-mile road), there is Cardinal Flower and the tiny Slender Gerardia blooming. There is still some Meadowsweet, lots of Black-eyed Susan and Sunflower and Joe Pie as well. Lots of Pasture Thistle is also blooming, so the bees and other pollinators are having a great time. Small stands of Stiff Goldenrod and Rough Goldenrod are found here as well. By the Meridian Bridge, there is Indian Potato or Ground Nut blooming, and along the sides of the path back to Averill, there is Wild Cucumber and Hog Peanut blooming among the just blooming Virgin's Bower Clematis. There are also small groupings of Wild Madder clambering above the taller plants and blooming profusely with tiny white flowers. At the Rollway, there is Thistle, Everlasting Pea, Black-Eyed Susan, Cup Flower and Grey-head Coneflower blooming. The largest groupings of Obedient Plant area also between the bridge and Averill Preserve. Hiding in among the other flowers are groupings of Jewelweed--the native Impatiens. The orange pop of color and beautiful lipped flower are really a treat. Everywhere, the Flat-topped or Tall White Aster is blooming and the occasional Smooth Blue or Starved Aster makes an appearance. The Heath Aster is ready to bloom as well. Among the many Black-eyed Susan and Sunflower (including some Woodland Sunflowers), we are beginning to see the early New England Aster. Judging from the number of buds, this will be a spectacular year for the blue beauties. There is some of the invasive and beautiful Purple Loosestrife, but not in the profusion of past years. American Germander and Stinging Nettle are also blooming. The Tall White Lettuce is beginning to bloom and most of the Canada Lettuce is already gone to seed along with the Horseweed and Nipplewort. A few Great Willow Herb vie with the Purple Loosestrife for attention, since they are the same beautiful color. The Crown Vetch and Birds Foot Trefoil are beginning to fade. The Bee Balm or Wild Bergamot has finished blooming and is making puffy seed heads above the always present powdery mildew. There are still a few Sow Thistle and Chicory blooming, but most have gone to seed. The Bouncing Bet has made huge clusters of seed heads. Wild Parsnip and Queen Anne's Lace are making seed heads along with Water Hemlock and Hemlock Parsley. All the grasses and sedges have bloomed and made seed heads as well. It is a great time to be a bird or small mammal. In bushes, the Dogwoods are in their glory. Grey Dogwood's white berries are a great contrast to the red stems and the dark green leaves, some already turning red or purple. Silky Dogwood is finally turning it's berries to the dark blue or purple. The Ninebark has many seeds and some of the bushes have brown to beige seeds but some are a magnificent red. The Sumac blossoms have turned scarlet, red and magenta as the fuzzy seed pods mature. Their leaves are also turning red. There is red and purple on the Maples and some of the Poplar and Birch are beginning to show golden leaves. The Wild Grapes are ripening to a deep purple and the Elderberry are so dark they are like night sky. Maple and Ash seeds are coating the trail and Acorns are everywhere. The cone like fruit of the Witch Hazel beckons the ground squirrels. Published on: Sep 5, 2018
Well, the last couple of weeks, I have walked with some of you to look at the summer wildflowers. Thanks, Jane and Julie for taking time to come along. The summer flowers continue to produce a show and probably will for the next few weeks. The fall flowers have started to bloom and should persist through September. Orange Coneflower or the Perennial Black-eyed Susan are everywhere--so cheery and in great colonies. The same can be said for the Sunflowers--be they Woodland Sunflower, Tall Sunflower or the Showy Sunflower planted at the Meridian Bridge. I have seen some blunter petaled coneflowers and the leaves tell me they are the Brown-eyed Susan. There is a really rough leaved Sunflower at the parking lot for Averill Preserve and the trail head that I think is Jerusalem Artichoke--but the description of it and Tall Sunflower are so similar--I am not sure. The Asters and Goldenrods that make our fall so pretty have started to bloom. As you know if you follow the blog, the Early and Late (or Giant) Goldenrods bloomed starting in July. August brought the huge colonies of Canada Goldenrod. I also saw small sets of Rough Stemmed or Rough Leaved Goldenrod in the 10 and 11 mile segments. In the 11 mile segment and probably at 10 mile there are also some that I believe are Showy Goldenrod. They have larger basal leaves, smaller stem leaves and a large central flower plume. I think I have also seen Slender Goldenrod, much smaller with small leaves and a central wand like flower head. The Tall or Flat Topped White Aster was the first to bloom, followed by the Calico and Many-flowered asters and now with the Heath Aster. Heart-leaved and Big-leaved Wood Asters are blooming in the woods and the occasional Smooth Blue Aster is seen. Now we see the tall and colorful New England Aster starting to bloom. Small flowers have also made appearances In August, both the Hog Peanut and Ground Nut bloomed just as the last of the Showy Tick Trefoil finished blooming. All these Pea like flowers blooming at the same time was magnificient. At the wetland on mile 11, I saw Ladies Tresses Orchids and the Slender Gerardia blooming as the last of the Steeplebush and Meadowsweet finished blooming. The Boneset was late to start blooming but joined it's relative Joe-Pye Weed to make the day for the butterflies. The days were so hot that the native Clematis--aka Virgin's Bower, bloomed and started making seed heads in only a week. The seed heads are the long hairy white balls that gave the Clematis the name Old Man's Beard when seen in the fall. Crab Apples and Apples joined the Cherries, Grapes, and Viburnum and Dogwood berries, as did the Autumn Olive and Buckthorn berries. Along 11 mile there were even some plums. Blueberries finished the season at the Arbutus Bog. Already, the Sumac seed-heads are ranging from Scarlet to Burgundy and some of the foliage is joining the Virginia Creeper in turning red. Some of the Thimbleweed Anemone and the Rough-stemmed Goldenrod have almost purple foliage and there is a purple and red tinge to the Tall Meadow Rue foliage. Grass seed heads are giving the birds a choice of food. Keep on looking, there will be flowers for a while yet! Here are a few of the flowers we saw the last few weeks: Published on: Oct 1, 2017 Well, there is still some color on the rail trail--late asters are still blooming and the occasional Goldenrod is blooming. Most plants have set seed and are ready to disperse with fall winds and rain. Many have very interesting seed heads, so still lots to view. The red leaves and white berries of the Grey Dogwood and the beautiful red berries and green leaves of the Michigan Holly are in contrast to the native Clematis (called Old Man's Beard in the fall for it's long fluffy seed heads). Wild Grapes have lost their leaves and show the almost raisin-like dark purple grapes. Even the Staghorn Sumac has lost red leaves and has only the brilliant red/maroon seed heads showing. The beautiful Gentians have turned brown and are very hard to see in the brown and yellow grass and dying leaves of the goldenrods. The Birches and Poplars have lost many of their leaves and the Maples along the trail have peaked in color and started dropping leaves. The oaks are pinging acorns everywhere. This appears to be a very early fall, perhaps with less color because of the drought conditions. See them while you can!
Published on: Sep 17, 2017 Well, mile 9 just past Veterans Memorial Park entrance does have Fringed Gentian, and Bottle Gentian as well. Exciting to see. The Goldenrod are everywhere and it is so hard to tell them apart, even when I am sure they are different. Here are a few of the different ones: The colors are changing so fast this year, go enjoy the mix! It's like miles of beautiful bouquets with leaves for accents. Don't miss the last of the fruits--like the elderberry below--the birds and squirrels will finish them off quickly.
|