Ephemeral

 Ephemeral: Lasting for a short time; short lived.

Dutchman's Breeches:

April 24th 

Duck Egg County Park

Rue Anemone 

April 24th 

Duck Egg County Park

Rue Anemone

April 20th 

Our woods

Spring Beauties

April 25th

Our woods

[Sorry, I just can't get enough of

these wild flowers!]

Spring Beauties

Our woods along the trail

April 27th

Blood Root

April 24th

Duck Egg County Park

Trout Lily

Tainter Hollow DNR Land

April 27

Meanwhile in the tree department.

I think the oaks are ahead of themselves this year. They usually are after the maple trees. I was going to go out and take a peak at the oaks and the maples along with some bushes this morning, but it looks like we'll have a long rainy day instead.

Duck Egg

 Wait ~ Whut??

What is a Duck Egg?
Silly, it is an Equestrian and Hiking County Park in Vernon County!

Photo from Vernon County Website

There is a lower Duck Egg and and Upper Duck Egg. It is a 707 acre piece of property with a flood control dam for the Springville Branch of the Bad Axe River. More reading about it at our Vernon County Land and Water Conservation Site ~ here: Duck Egg.

Our county has a few parks like this which makes our area pretty unique. We love our streams and rivers [trout fisherman like them too]. The streams and rivers over many years have caused floods and dams were built to lessen the risk.

Our parks are free and have trails that are beautiful to enjoy. Generally I visit Duck Egg in the spring and the fall. In the spring, the lower Duck Egg trail presents with so many of the first spring flowers. They are right alongside the trail and are easy to find.

I have ridden all the equestrian trails back in the day and would like to explore hiking them in the future. Here are some shots from a previous post in 2020 where I recap our history of riding and exploring Duck Egg.

The equine trails are kept up by riding clubs which I find amazing. The lower trail must have once been a road as it is wide and mostly flat with some places where it is muddy. 

Recently a group of volunteers added hand rails to the foot bridges over the Bad Axe. I think it was a nice touch even though the lack of hand rails never bothered me.

The equine trail through a the river on the side of the bridge. The crossings are solid with no surprises.

Charlie and I just went for a walk from the parking area to the pond and back. I wanted to see what was blooming after our crazy weather last week.

We were not disappointed.

Blood Root

Dutchman's Breeches

Hepatica

Anemones

I am always so surprised and pleased to see this one spot of wood anemones that literally blankets the forest floor. It is simply stunning.

I'll have to make a trip back this weekend if the weather is good as the area with Virginia Bluebells had plants just emerging.

Charlie and I crossed the second footbridge and walked to the pond. 

We went out to the Bad Axe and climbed out to the large rock that resides in the middle of the fast flowing water. 

A few years ago, a friend of mine brought their young dog who jumped off the bridge into the fast flowing stream. The dog was swept away in the current but made it safely to the bank about 50 feet downstream after both the dog and owner panicked.

Charlie won't jump into the stream. He is old enough now to know better and he has an aversion to deep water anyway.

We scouted out a deer trail and went up along the river to a spot I hadn't explored before.

One of the signs along Lower Duck Egg. It always makes me laugh and tilt my head. I think they are working on replacing it. It used to have a map showing where the Loggers Trail met up with the Duck Egg Trail. 

Charlie and I followed the path worn down by trout fisher-persons along the Springville/Bad Axe branch back to the parking area after we crossed the bridge.

I've got so many good memories of hiking this very trail with Mr. Morris over the years hunting spring flowers and fall colors. I can't help but think of that each time I go. This park is also the place that hubby and I rode frequently on our mules during the last years we rode together.

I don't know why it is called Duck Egg. I've done a search on it and never got an answer. The park is reviewed over and over by fly fishermen and trout fisherpersons as a wonderful place to go.

Me? I just like it for a nice easy walk on the lower portion. If I want a strenuous hike I do the 4 mile loop that gives you and ascent of 709 feet from the dam to the top of the ridge. Duck Egg valley is steep!

Duck Egg and I have been friends for many years...

Morris on the foot bridge in 2014:

Trip to Duck Egg

What is Duck Egg? When I first heard about people going to 'Duck Egg' I envisioned an Egg. Literally.
A Duck and an Egg.

But it isn't an Egg. It doesn't even look like an Egg. Nor does it look like a Duck.
However, it is a County Park that I've grown to love and appreciate. It is a Hiking/Trout Fishing/Horseback Riding natural area that has a flood control dam in it.

It is one of our many County Parks that I will call 'treasures'.

The first few photos are going to be some of my Infrared Shots. IF anyone ever tells me again that they need a 'better' camera to take 'better' shots I am going to show them the little Canon ELPH I have.
There is another saying I guess, *The best camera is the one you have with you.*

I will agree that I took the Canon ELPH which is converted to Infrared along because I hoped I'd have a few things that make IR so fun. Harsh sunlight, shadows, foliage, water, and sky.  I also brought my Nikon entry level DSLR with a nice prime lens for the purpose of shooting just wild flowers.

Canon ELPH:

 Foot Bridge 2. I love these shadows with the stream

running underneath. Fav for black and white.

 From the East side of Foot Bridge 2.

I edited for the funky IR colors and then added a 

bit of what is called Faux Color.

The Y Log. 

Hard to imagine 'seeing'

in Infrared but once you start to

think IR you can tell that a scene 

like this with this bright lighting 

wouldn't be so nice

in regular light.

I dig the reflections

in the 

water.

My Favorite shot of the day.

I tried this view from more 

than one angle.

Bridge 1 at the horse

crossing.

I love Wildflowers. Okay. I love garden flowers too. But I find the odd wildflowers more fun to photograph. I get excited like a child hunting for easter eggs or magical gifts when I find those tiny little wonders in the woods. [say that 3 times fast!]

 Bloodroot. I love these guys. They

get my vote for

coolest flower.

Dutchman's Breeches.

I recall my Grandfather taking the domestic 

relative of these

which is the bleeding heart.

He plucked the flower and 

told me a story about

the lady in the

shower....

Ginger Root.

The flowers are on the ground. 

Very cool.

Trillium. 

Not open yet.

Looks like I'll have 

to go back!

I think Charlie would like

to go too.

When I hiked out the parking lot was full of vehicles. Most of them were trout fisherman. Obvious by the clothes they had on. I enjoyed talking with them for a bit and asked if they'd heard of Tainter Creek. They did and it was on their list, but they'd heard it was a bit crowded with fisherman. 

They asked if I was a 'local'. I said indeed I was. I finally had lived here long enough to be considered 'local' by the locals. 

Anyway I left and told them to enjoy their fishing. I'd be back to hunt morels.

Tainter Hollow

A few days ago, I made a side trip to Tainter Hollow, the Public Hunting and Fishing area near where I live.

The Wood Anemones were just poking up and I had seen the leaves of the Trout Lilies on the forest floor. I decided to make a quick detour again on my way to work. Of course it was out of my way, but I was glad I did it.

The Trout Lilys were everywhere!

You have to get close to the ground to see these little flowers and they won't be seen if you are not looking for them.

They hide well, but once you find them, it is very obvious.

Here is what they look like if you are standing up and looking down. I placed my 58mm Nikon lens cap next to two plants.
You want to find these in bloom. Once they are done, the plant disappears and won't show itself until next year.

As I expected, the Wood Anemones were covering much of the forest floor.
Its hard to pick out the other white flowers that come up at the same time. I find myself standing in the sea of Anemones and peering around me. Only then can I spot other flowers and plants.

This is one of the most exciting times of the year for me. I love finding these exotic little plants that most people won't even notice.

The Dutchman's Breeches are the wild version I think of the bleeding hearts. They too are white and hard to spot.
However, one you get used to seeing the leaf pattern you can find them fairly quickly.

The Blood Roots are just about done now. And the only part of them a discerning eye will see for the rest of the year is its distinctive leaf.

And last but not least, one flower that stuns me every spring. It, like the trout lily, disappears after flowering.
The Virginia Bluebell. I am not sure why it has 'Virginia' in it as it is a native species...but there you go...

I was happy to see that there were still quite a few plants even after the huge flash flood this valley had last year.

One last thing about Tainter Hollow.
If you are there Trout fishing, pick up after yourself.
If you are hiking, don't leave trash.

Respect our public lands.

And expect the unexpected.

Finding Spring Wildflowers

Oh how I love searching for the very elusive Blood Root! In the surrounding woods they are sometimes very few and far between.
On my way to town yesterday I took a back road and a wee detour to Tainter Hollow where Tainter Creek runs through Public Hunting and Fishing Land.

When I pulled in I didn't see much to look at. I decided to get out and take a good look around.
There they were dozens and dozens of Blood Roots covering a fairly nice sized area.

I danced a little jig and got down on the ground.

The Blue Bells were just emerging in different areas and not flowering yet. Cowslip dotted the area as well.

Wild White Anemones were scattered and soon would also cover the area with their bright white little flowers.

These little flowers are smaller than a pencil eraser. If one didn't look hard for them, they would be missed.

I saw the leaves of Trout Lilies dotting the undergrowth too. I made a mental check to go back today to see if they have flowered.

The ferns are beginning to emerge also in certain parts of the forest. I hiked along the top of the hillside near the house yesterday and didn't find anything popping up until I got midway down the hill.

I don't know all of my ferns, but these were coming up. Morris and I walked around them and several mayflower plants that were just poking their tips up.

I even found a spot where Trillium leaves were coming up.

The bright green leaves belong to the Trillium plant, the other leaves in the photo are Virginia Waterleaf.

Even though the fern is not really a flower, I love finding them too.
This one is a Maidenhair Fern, I know this because in the spring time they have dark red stems.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the conventional spring garden flowers. I have daffodils and tulips beginning to flower in the yard and hostas emerging along with irises and other flowers.
But finding the wild ones seems to be my favorite thing to do.

It is always some sort of adventure finding them.

Busy as a Bee...Blood Roots!

I didn't expect to find anything coming up in the woods at all.  But it was warm on Saturday and I was taking a break from working on cleaning up the veggie garden so I took a walk and found these on one of the rock outcroppings.

These Maiden Hair Ferns were just barely above the moss!

I cut across to the place where I figured that the Blood Roots would come up and Lo and Behold!

The Blood Root was up and looking very good!  I'm sure after this rain we'll have more popping up on this hillside.

We have Barberry growing like crazy in the woods.  Personally I dislike it.  It is sharp and an invasive species.  I clip and dig up all that I find on our own land.
But this is the first year that I've seen Barberry keep its little fruits while leafing out.

It is pretty but it sure is sharp!  I hate trying to wade through these when they are intermixed with berry briers...unless there is fruit on the berry briers!

My short interlude into the forest brought me some much needed 'peaceful' time to collect my thoughts and attitude before returning to the vegetable garden and transplanting perennials so the would be out of the way for when the house is re-sided.

However, I do love Nature's Gardens even if they are not always so easy to locate.

Today we have much needed rain so it looks like a good day to pack up things for Good Will and finish cleaning out the extra bedroom.

Hubby will be in Madison for a procedure and will be back some time on Tuesday.

Our elder Subaru is taking a quiet and slow road to engine death and our Jeep has a lot of miles on it.
This summer looks to be a real crazy one as far as travelling.

Hubby suggested that I get something new or near new because of the miles we will be putting on this summer.  Plus he felt I needed a 'better' vehicle for getting back and forth to work.

Hmmmm.  I haven't had a car that was less than 10 yrs old in I don't know how long.

Looks like the rain will jump start our tulips and daffys into blossoming.

Well off to chores and some whirlwind cleaning inside the little house!