Part 3 - Hiking Down Beebe Hill

Once I'd descended the fire tower and collected my dogs, I bid farewell to the family from Pittsfield and began the hike back down to the trail head and my parked car. No one else was around by then, so I let the dogs off their leashes to run and play:

We passed by Opal Pond, still quite frozen over in spite of the mild weather. Little Clover of course ran out into the center of it and I recalled a spring hike several years ago when Opal pond was teeming with thousands of Wood Frogs. Wally was still hiking then and he wanted to investigate all those frogs, so he swam out to get a closer look. Of course they all disappeared when he got too close and I soon had a wet and frustrated Wally on my hands:

The top of Beebe Hill is quite broad and flat, so we had easy walking for awhile:

We arrived at the lean-to and went over to have a look - that is to say I went over to have a look and the dogs went over to have a sniff:

This old log with its emerald upholstery was home to both ferns and ferny looking mosses:

And a giant old boulder, presumably a glacial erratic, had big chunks of white quartzite glistening in the sun:

The boulder was also home to a large variety of mosses and lichens:

I was particularly taken with these round cushion mosses:

Ice crystals remained atop much of the moss, lichens and quartzite:

And then we continued on toward the trail head, the dogs sniffing everywhere as well as running and playing:

This photo caught little Daphne in full run, her normally curled tail plume stretched out from the speed and excitement. Just about then the trail began a sharp, muddy descent but I'll post about that tomorrow:

The Lean-To On Beebe Hill

The dogs and I had hiked up Beebe Hill and I'd ascended the fire tower (see previous posts). I then headed off toward the lean-to and Opal Pond, passing this patch of Lowbush Blueberries along the way. There were only a few very tiny blueberries, but that didn't stop me from eating a couple of them as I passed by:

It was a hot day and Seamus took a brief rest under a tree:

And then we all plunged into the woods following the fern lined trail. It had a fairy tale look to it:

We continued following the trail and I admired what looked to me like an enchanted forest:

The Papillons and Fergus led the way, but Seamus stayed at my heels. I even tried urging him forward, but he was happy were he was:

I knew the dogs were thirsty, but when we got to the formerly beautiful Opal Pond, I found it nearly dried up. The dogs would have to wait for a drink of water:

I was just thinking that a gingerbread house would be right at home in these woods when I saw this roof through the trees just ahead of us. Of course I knew it was the lean-to, but it still looked magical to me:

I've promised myself many times to sneak up here sometime with all the dogs and spend a night in this lean-to. So far it's never happened, but maybe some day I'll do it:

And then we continued on our way along the trail which stayed in the forest and began taking us steeply downhill toward the trail head:

When we reached the creek just before the trail head, I knew the dogs were all thirsty so I stopped to let them have their fill:

Seamus was of course the first dog to reach the water and he went right in. Daphne just had herself a drink. After that, we piled into the car and headed for home:

Reaching The Top Of Beebe Hill

I'd chosen to hike up Beebe Hill this summer day because it was a short and easy hike. But after awhile, I began thinking that it was perhaps longer than I'd remembered:

I didn't think I'd ever get an ID on this small wildflower, especially given my flawed photograph. But after searching the Mint family photo album, I think this must have been White Dead-Nettle, Lamium album. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong:

And lots more Jewelweed. I know I've already included it once, but a flower this beautiful deserves another photo:

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I was facing a decision. I'd initially planned to turn left at this trail junction, down a path I'd never before taken which descends a hill down into the forest. But when I reached here and knew the fire tower, lean-to and Opal Pond were at hand, I simply had to turn right and go visit them:

It wasn't very far from the trail junction to our first view of the caretaker's cabin. This is where the fire tower employee used to live when not up high watching for fires:

Someone had planted old fashioned Day-Lilies, Hemerocallis fulva, outside the cabin and they continued to flourish there all these years later:

And what spectacular beauties they were:

And again. I don't think any of the modern hybrids has ever managed to be more lovely than the original:

Daphne and Clover, the two young Papillons, ran around to the front of the cabin and looked stunning in a field of tiny purple flowers. I went over there to see what the flowers were:

But the moment I stepped on them I knew they were Creeping Wild Thyme, Thymus serpyllum or polytrhichus. This common wildflower is not included in my Peterson's Field Guide. I have no idea why they would have omitted such an abundant, beloved and recognizable wildflower even if it is an escaped garden plant:

One more photo of Daphne, panting happily in an aromatic field of Wild Thyme: