Madawaska Pond

My sister, Lynn, and her husband, Tim, were visiting from Ohio and we'd just hiked in to see the Santa Clara waterfall (see the previous two posts). Our next stop was Madawaska Pond, which required a five mile drive on rough, one lane "roads" through the forest. We arrived at the parking site and started walking:

The trail to Madawaska Pond is through a stand of large White Pines and is both beautiful and peaceful:

The dogs had already used up some of their excess energy, so they were much better behaved by this time. Seamus' back legs were beginning to fail him, and I eventually had to put him on a leash to keep him from falling or wandering off to unsafe places and getting lost:

The trail to Madawaska Pond was not only lovely to look at, but also wonderful to smell because the White Pine aroma rose when the sun hit the trees and fallen needles:

We took a side trip to a hill overlooking the marshy edge of Madawaska Pond. The red leaves you see on the hill were Lowbush Blueberries:

Lynn and Tim stood and took in the expansive views, backed by the White Pine forest:

But then we hit the trail again, which took us along the edge of the pond:

These miniature red-capped lichens were called British Soldiers. They are never large, but these were the smallest I've ever seen:

We found several water access sites. This one was marked as a canoe launch:

Recent rains had produced a crop of unusual mushrooms all along the trail:

And I got another a photo of Tim and Lynn:

I've never seen a mushroom like this, but its general lumpiness and orange color seemed appropriate for Halloween:

We walked to the end of the pond, then turned around and began the trek back to our car. We were all tired by this time, and happy to reach the car and sit down. We headed home for a nap and dinner:

St. Regis Flow With The Dogs - Part 1

I walk along the path by the St. Regis River in Santa Clara, New York every year to see and photograph the Cardinal Flowers, but this year there were none. Furthermore, most of the other flower and tree photos I took were not usable. But the dogs sure had fun and the scenery was lovely, so I'll share the photos I have:

I was taught to call these Spatterdock but my field guide says that is a southern species which holds its leaves above the water. What we have in the northeast is Bullhead-Lily, and its leaves float on the water. It sure is beautiful and the frogs love it, just like in the cartoons:

We investigated the shoreline by the boat launch, then headed back toward our car and turned left into the field to find the trail which paralleled the St. Regis River:

Common Milkweed was just beginning to bloom, but already the air was so perfumed that everywhere smelled like a florist shop:

And the sandy Adirondack soil grew an abundance of Wild Strawberries and Lowbush Blueberries. The blueberries were just ripening, but there were enough ripe ones to snack on. There was also a lot of Reindeer Lichen:

We hit the main trail and turned toward the river access. The dogs knew where we were going and broke into a run:

That brown patch on the right was Haircap Moss with its brown colored fruiting bodies, producing spores:

Daphne, Fergus and Seamus stopped for a moment in the shade:

And then we saw our first river access point and the dogs once again began to run:

Seamus and Jack went right in. They didn't hesitate:

Daphne got wet right up to her chin and looked silly. But we were just getting started. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

St. Regis River Access Plants - Part 3

I was hiking with the dogs at the St. Regis River Access (see also previous two posts) and discovering a wealth of wildflowers, including Red Clover and Queen Anne's Lace:

And a surprising number of Yellow Loosestrife, sometimes called Swamp Candles. They are not related to the invasive Purple Loosestrife:

Even without flowers or fruit, I recognized this as Spreading Dogbane. I still remember the first time I noticed it (it was flowering) and looked it up in my field guide. Now that I know what it is, I seem to see it everywhere. There sure was plenty along this trail:

Tiny, colorful Birdfoot Trefoil:

I usually come to this trail in the summer to see Cardinal Flowers and in the early fall to see Gentian flowers. I didn't expect any this day, but the Narrow-Leaved Gentians were right there along the trail:

Blue wildflowers are not common, but the Gentians are not only blue but a deep, dramatic blue:

I moved in for a closeup:

I saw Lowbush Blueberry bushes all along the hike but it wasn't until I got near the end that I began to find ripe berries. I ate quite a few of them:

Lowbush Blueberries are pretty plants, and I wonder if anyone grows them as ornamentals. I'll bet someone does:

Then I noticed a whole patch of minuscule plants with flowers so tiny I could barely make out what they looked like:

I got a closeup for identification and looked them up when I got home. I learned that they are called Eyebright because they used to be used for eye maladies. They are a member of the Snapdragon family. So I now know a new plant which I've never noticed before:

The last plant photo I took was of Reindeer Lichen, moss and Lowbush Blueberries. It seemed to me the quintessential Adirondack plant grouping and a fitting way to conclude this post:

The Pink Ladyslipper Trail 2017 - Part 2

The dogs and I were exploring the Ladyslipper Trail, site of an explosion of wild orchid blossoms last year. This year, however, we were too early. But the forest was beautiful, even mysterious, and the dogs were happy:

Tree Club Moss, often called Princess Pine:

Lowbush Blueberries:

Lots of pine seedlings. I counted the needles per bundle and declared them White Pine. The big trees were mixed Red and White, though, so it would only be natural that the seedlings would be also:

And then I saw a Pink Ladyslipper in bloom. I'd given up hope of finding one, so this was a big occasion and I made sure to get a photo:

And then, just a few feet away, was another one:

Fergus and Daphne were puzzled by my stops to snap photos of flowers, but it didn't interfere with their fun:

I was in a mood to appreciate beauty, and this old stump, cut decades ago and covered with moss and lichens, was in mind, an exquisite work of art:

And then I saw a third Pink Ladyslipper:

The dogs ran ahead into a section we hadn't visited before so I followed:

And indeed it was beautiful:

Another Ladyslipper. Clearly, there were some plants flowering earlier than others, and I'd managed to stumble onto the early bloomers. But we weren't done yet. I'll post Part 3 tomorrow:

Santa Clara River Access - Part 1

We had a gorgeous, sunny autumn day and I didn't want to do any work, so I drove the dogs south into the Adirondack Park and stopped at the St. Regis River Access at Santa Clara, New York:

We parked near the boat launch and piers, where I stood and quietly scanned the beautiful river:

The dogs, however, were certainly not quiet, running around the piers, up and down the hill and seemingly everywhere:

I knew they were anxious, so we all set off for the trail along the river:

It begins in the woods, where I'd hoped to see some blue Gentians in bloom. Alas, I was much too late. Nothing was in bloom any more:

There was a lot of beauty though, as with these mosses and Reindeer Lichens:

Lowbush Blueberries were common, sporting their finest autumn red leaves:

We hadn't gone far when we saw a trail down to the river. Of course we took it:

Seamus was the first dog in the water, though he didn't go in any deeper than this:

We walked along the water's edge and I was grateful the dogs didn't notice this dead Bullhead:

Then we walked back the other direction. Well, I walked, but the dogs ran full speed:

Daphne went into the water. We were having a wonderful morning, but we'd just gotten started. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow: