A Wet Time At Slush Pond - Part 1

It had been a few years since I'd been to Slush Pond, and it was only 32 miles from home. One morning I decided to take the dogs down for another look. I parked in the last campsite (none of them were occupied) and let the dogs run through the trees, headed toward the Slush Pond:

Slush Pond is truly wild and lovely, a wonderful place for a boy and his dogs:

With lots of interesting smells to keep the canines sniffing:

But the main attraction for me was the floating peat bog. I walked out onto it and discovered that the driest places I could walk were those where the water only reached my ankles. I was looking for the sphagnum moss which comprised this floating bog. I came in three colors - yellow, red and green, which I've read are three distinct species. Ripe, red cranberries dotted the surface:

The peat bog was more overgrown than I remembered it and I could not find a single Pitcher Plant or Sundew plant. Nonetheless, how could a person complain in such a magical place?:

Tamaracks had taken root in some places and Fergus led us straight toward the water:

I figured that the floating peat would be shallower and less likely to hold my weight as we approached the edge, so I walked carefully. I'd long since given up trying to keep my feet dry:

This would have been perfect moose country, though we never saw one:

Closer and closer to the edge:

C'mon, Dad. Don't be chicken. Walk right out here with us:

Yikes! Fergus fell right in, though I didn't see exactly how it happened. It took a bit of effort, but he was able to climb back up on the floating mass of sphagnum without my assistance:

Jack simply ran, first one way and then the other, disappearing into the tall brush and then back out again. This was all new to him and he was enjoying it. But there was still more to see and I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Golden Tamaracks And The St. Regis River

I was on my to visit the John Brown farm in Lake Placid, New York (tomorrow's post), but decided to take a scenic detour along the way. I turned onto Shanley Road when I saw the brilliant, golden yellow of the tamaracks:

The trees along Shanley Road often display brilliant autumn colors, but the hardwoods' glory days were in the past at this point. The tamaracks, however, were putting a wonderful show:

This road was so rural that it had a speed limit sign for ATVs. There were few houses, just lovely Adirondack scenery:

Everywhere I looked, I saw beauty:

It is at times such as this that I am grateful to be living in a place of such natural splendor:

At the end of Shanley Road, I turned onto South River Road to continue on to my destination. It too was a rural road, running alongside the St. Regis River. Small boats rested on the riverbank:

Floating docks had been pulled ashore for the winter and mountains formed a backdrop for this scenery:

There was only one classic, family farm, set far off the road, but it too was a scenic gem:

There were marshes along the road and, of course, more golden tamaracks:

South River Road had quite a few summer cottages and they, too were interesting:

By the end of the road, the St. Regis River had dropped down below me and lay shimmering in the autumn light:

I got back on the highway, but stopped one more time in order to get another good view of the St. Regis River. It was at the state boat launch site in the town of Santa Clara, a frequent stop on our way to and from the farm before my retirement. From there, I traveled directly to Lake Placid to see the John Brown farm, but I'll post about that tomorrow:

Beautiful, Peaceful Slush Pond - Part 1

My sister and I had hiked with the dogs up to The Pinnacle (see previous posts), but the day was still young. So we drove south on Route 30 to a narrow, unmarked road into the Adirondack forest which I happened to know would lead us to Slush Pond:

We parked the car, let the dogs out and began heading toward the floating peat bog. But on the way, we enjoyed the tiny treasures on the forest floor such as the various mosses, the British Soldier lichens, the Pixie Cup lichens and the Reindeer lichen:

Here's a close-up of a patch of Reindeer lichen. If you click to enlarge it, you can see a lot of detail:

The dogs were happy and enjoyed the mossy forest floor:

There were puffballs growing amidst the pine needles:

But we were headed out to see the floating peat bog and Clover led the way as we carefully walked out across its spongy surface:

Millions of ripe cranberries dotted the surface:

And I was more than happy to taste a few:

And there were plenty of red, carnivorous pitcher plants. They seemed to be partly beneath the sphagnum substrate, perhaps because the recent rains had raised the water level:

Pitcher plants are really quite lovely. Their flowers look like alien invaders, though I haven't seen one in years:

There were golden patches of sphagnum and red patches, which I've recently learned are different species. This red patch was further ornamented by scarlet cranberries, rather like gems on a crown:

The dogs led us out past the young tamaracks toward the edge of the bog:

This channel led to the rather large Slush Pond and the dogs had no fear of walking right up to the edge. But there was yet more to see and experience in this wild, lovely place and I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Slush Pond - Part 2

We'd stopped at Slush Pond, the dogs and I, to stretch our legs and enjoy the wild beauty. Here's a brief video of what we saw. Notice the White Throated Sparrow singing just as the camera pans over toward the car. They were singing all throughout the trees on that day:


Clover liked to be in the lead:

We hopped back into the car and I drove to another spot. I let the dogs out and they once again ran excitedly through the trees toward Slush Pond:

We walked out onto the floating peat bog again and little Madeline checked out the Bog Laurel/Pale Laurel:

Tamaracks had taken root in many places and would eventually help turn this bog into solid forest:

Madeline seemed to be awestruck by the beauty of it all:

And I spotted another large patch of Bog Laurel/Pale Laurel:

Daphne and Clover did what they do best - run full speed just for the fun of it:

I got them all back into the car once again and decided to try one more access point:

So again we stopped and walked out onto the peat bog, this one seeming to have more solid footing:

This flowering bush was about five feet tall and magnificent. But I cannot identify it. Anyone know what it was?:

Seamus found a spot to access the water though the other dogs weren't interested:

Of course I was taking too long and really should have gotten back on the road more quickly. But I took one last photo of Slush Pond and some water lilies before I called the dogs back to the car so we could resume our journey:

Slush Pond - Part 1

I was between Albany and the farm on moving day and decided to make a quick rest stop at Slush Pond, a new favorite place. So I pulled off the road onto an unmarked lane and about 3 miles into the forest. Then I parked and let the pooches out to play:

They all ran full speed through the trees and out onto the floating peat bog:

The peat bog bounced beneath us with each step:

And it was very beautiful:

Clover, ever the little adventurer, went ahead to check for whatever it is dogs check for. I'd seen a loon in the water when we pulled up, but it'd disappeared the moment I opened the car door:

Ack! Seamus walked too close to the edge and broke through the peat. I took his picture first and then helped him back up. On the way back, Daphne fell in at that same spot:

There were several carnivorous Pitcher Plants, though I was disappointed that none of them were blooming:

My noble Seamus, the giant Poodle:

We all enjoyed the fresh air, the birds singing and the glorious scenery:

And glorious it was indeed, with Tamaracks framing the view:

We walked back toward the forest:

But I stopped first at this mass of color. I was sure it was Sheep Laurel, but a quick look at my field guide informed me that it was actually Pale Laurel. I often use the alternate name of Bog Laurel, though, because it was not pale by any means. But there was more to see at Slush Pond and I'll post Part 2 tomorrow: