A surprise and a hike

For 25 years, Canada Geese have been visiting this little spot of land above the water. This year, I noted what I thought was a big brown rock.

It wasn't!

It was a Sandhill Crane!

So each time I drive to town I take a different way to see what is going on at the pond.

At 7:30, the Cranes and the eggs looked like this:

There were two of them there...

at 9:30 I went by and...

both Cranes just hanging out.

Oh and the turtles I didn't know existed in this tiny pond were sunbathing:

It was a fantastic and gorgeous afternoon so I cut down some weeds. Then...

I decided to take some time and go on a hike at KVR on the Wintergreen Trail. It had been a long time since I'd done a spring hike there. I wanted to see if I could find Trillium before they disappeared.

My hiking partner:

He would rather be moving and he totally ignored me asking him to look at me. I even tried the COOKIE trick and he was more interested in what was happening in the woods below us.

All parts of the trail are my favorite. Though this view seems to be one I can never resist taking a shot of .

The haze from the Canadian Fires gave it an interesting light and atmosphere.

I took my time and searched for the Trillium. I wanted to see it in a slightly shaded area so the sun wouldn't blow out the white petals.

I took photos of plants that I have never identified before so I could figure out what they were.

This is the Canada Mayflower. It has a scientific name, but I like this common name. I have them in our woodland too. In a few days they should shoot up tiny tiny white flowers. I think I called them wild lilies at some point in the past.

They grew all over this bluff through the detritus of the pine needles.

Below is the Rock Cap Fern. Oddly enough, it is considered an evergreen which makes sense because it is green through the winter. These grow in the pine forest and all over the shaded rock bluff.

I'll make this short. I found so many beautiful things to stop and look at. I spent an two hours just slowly walking through the woods. Most folks don't walk to the very end of this trail, but turn around at the bluff that over looks the river.

I like to find what is hidden in the woods.

And after passing up many Trillium, I did find one that was absolutely perfect.

I found many more incredible plants and flowers, but I'll save them for another day.