Musings

This is the kind of plant I’d look up starting with sedges. I think of sedges as funky marshy-land grass-like denizens. Maybe these cotton-top, stiff-stemmed plants?

I found out the other day that there are kinds of insects known as sedges—a new one on me. I got this from a fly-tying book on what the insects and the fishing-flies that imitate them look like—not actually how to tie them.

Later, I checked the big world of the internet, and found out that bug-sedges are what I have heard called caddis flies. Their wings fold into an inverted V making a lengthwise ridge above their backs.

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on More vocab

We did a big walking/hiking* loop that gave us fine views of the Grand Portal of the Pictured Rocks. In some places the sandstone(?) is more colorful than here…. And, yes, that is the color of the water along here.

My fitbit is cranked, having today logged in excess of 30K steps and 70 flights (of imaginary stairs), with 250 active minutes (these are KW levels). And that is why I am [see title].

* Including dancing over exposed roots, slogging through both soft sand and many mucky spots. Feet tired. We have decided that if we do this hike again it will be in October when the biting stable flies have abated and the temps have dropped.

Posted at 10:15 PM | Comments Off on Tuckered

I was thinking about an all-lily post, but this one is the most eye-catching, and it’s from today, so no lily-posey, just this one.

These ’shrooms are just too…precious?…not to preserve….

And this feather, in the middle of the path to the beach…hmm, goldfinch? Such brilliant yellow-gold, and relatively small.

Posted at 9:37 PM | 1 Comment »

A storm came in from approx 12:15P to 1:15P, a mere hour, but what can be wrought in an hour.

We dodged reality (possibly, maybe), and headed to the wildlife refuge (vroom vroom) to see the post-storm critters. And found this Canada geese family on the fishing loop (do not ask if you do not understand—apologies if this sounds harsh).

And a near-poifect water lily. Maybe one word. I have intermittent connectivity to the wider internet-world, so give me a break.

And after our return to orchard/farm heaven, the sun returned, and…geeze, it gets complicated. So, the wind/rain changed the orchard, and vertical has a new meaning.

Posted at 10:46 PM | Comments Off on With love for light

This morning’s fog kept the sun from punching through until sometimes shortly after, maybe?, nine? Loved that it obscured the woods….

Foraged in the long grass for chives. I’ve been using them frequently…local farm-to-table produce, I guess….

Posted at 10:00 PM | 2 Comments »

We passed “Pavement ends” and took one river road and two truck trails around the west side of the wildlife refuge, exploring a southern lobe of sub-tundra. Love the vertical evergreens and the marshy lands they sandwich.

The day was warm and humid, and we opted for the AC, thereby locking out the buzzing deerflies. They clouded us in the open areas, and abandoned us when we climbed onto deciduous hummocks. I had hoped for a photo of the lichens and ferns below the deciduous trees, but deerflies.

Posted at 10:22 PM | 1 Comment »

I came downstairs to yawn and make coffee pretty early in city terms, but not at all early by northern summer country standards. I looked out into the orchard and the light was diffuse awaiting the sun. Then, poof, direct light came over the woods and lit the trees and grasses. Here’s a view through one of my favorite apple trees….

In mid-afternoon I found this vetch climbing up the brome to get to the level of the elevated seed-heads. These flutter-bye are loving the blooms—a bunch had already departed in front of my fumbled camera, so these are the tolerant ones.

Posted at 5:17 PM | Comments Off on Marking the day

I flapped my mouth about the season for rhododendron blooms, and, it turns, out, I was a bit off. We did find some rhodos abloom…at a rest area.

Here’s where a recent landslide-that-became-a-road-block has been removed. The cement barriers along the pavement remain…maybe the job’s not quite finished.

We caught the Sun Buffet in the process of becoming the Dusk Buffet….

Posted at 9:04 PM | 1 Comment »

Yeah, we’ve just had the summer solstice, and when I was out early this morning I saw the moon in a murky sky…

…and later, the sunrise twilight in a slightly cloudy sky.

By chance, I also read an article this afternoon about spiral symbolism among prehistoric southeastern North American peoples…related to sunrise/sunset, east/west, and other astronomical aspects.

I don’t usually think about the skies other than “that’s pretty” and “rain’s coming” superficial thoughts……although even with this circumstantial proving you likely won’t catch me learning constellations and so on.

Posted at 6:13 PM | 2 Comments »

I was out early this morning—another day predicted to get into the 90s (which became a fact). Not a good situation—this heat plus high humidity—for exercising…. So this is the morning sun getting ready to make air conditioners busy.

Posted at 10:01 PM | 3 Comments »