Respite day

I finally got the cot I ordered and set it up. It looks pretty cute where I put it. And it is handy. I have a nice light to read by and it is almost comfortable.

I ordered a more comfy cot mattress as this one is a bit thin. I can feel the supports underneath me as I sleep.

My friend Jason showed up early on Saturday morning. For him to come out, it is a 2 hour drive. I should say now...our friend as he and Rich really enjoy each other's company. The guys shooed me out the door and Charlie and I took off.

I hit the trails walking. Charlie and I stopped once to talk to a dude with an extremely impressive long lens and a shiny new tripod attached to his shiny new Canon with a huge flash on its top. He was by one of the ponds I'd been to last month that had been filled with a variety of ducks and Canada Geese. I said hello and asked if he'd seen any cool birds.

He said he'd just seen Canada Geese in the ponds. I said that he'd see turtles in the afternoon once in warmed up and perhaps he could find more birds if he took the field trail towards the river. He said he was staying on the old 131 trail so he wouldn't get lost.

I asked if he'd seen the Virginia Bluebells yet. I'd passed some walking towards him. He said no, they weren't up yet. 

He commented that it was a nice sunny day. I commented that my favorite days were slightly overcast as the sky became a softbox.

He asked me what a softbox was and then he shrugged and said "I'm new at this." I directed him towards where I'd seen the Bluebells and the Virginia Beauties next to the trail and bid him good luck.

Charlie and I were headed for a deep narrow valley to look specifically for wildflowers.

We were not disappointed. This valley has a tiny creek running through it. It is perfect for producing massive growths of Skunk Cabbage plants.

Once we made it to the south facing rocky hillsides, we found Virginia Beauties everywhere and a huge area [s] of Dutchman Breeches. 

I was literally in heaven. 

As always, my sidekick and photography assistant helped me out...

I didn't care, I was in a huge patch of these beauties.
Ever try to walk through a huge patch of wildflowers and not step on one?

Before I left this valley I found Blood Root, Dutchman's Breeches, Skunk Cabbage, and Virginia Beauties and a plant I hadn't found before. 

Here is a Cutleaf Toothwort. Now there is an odd name. I saw large patches of this on what used to be a county road over 55 years ago. The road is gone, but these plants grow all over the place.

My regret is that I won't see them flower, but will add their location to my list of places to see next year...I hope.

[cell phone shot]

I may or may not get to see the Trout Lilys flower this year, but I did get to see some buds. I think they are some of the most beautiful little flowers.

After explored this valley, I climbed the bluff and went to the pine forest on top to explore. I'll save that for another day I think.

Hopefully this monster storm will leave us intact. I have a few things to take care of to prepare for it. The Hospice Team called today [Sunday] to see if we were prepared for bad weather with all the meds and O2 tanks in case the power went out. She assured us that we could call their number if we needed any assistance at all and they'd send someone to help.

I assured her that we had a plan and I was dealing with that at the moment by moving the things we could need into the basement along with a way to get my husband down the stairs and back up the stairs safely.

Overflo...

 Charlie is really one heck of a champ. 3 inch front legs, with a low slung powerful chest and then he stretches out to be a long dog.

Yesterday we caught some time to run  hike walk down to our valley. I could tell the snow melt was running off. I could hear it in the run off to the west of us on our west neighbor's land.

There is one thing I try very hard to go enjoy. Mini flash floods [I'm not a fool] and snow melts. The sound is music to my ears. Our creek used to have quite a bit of water in it. But for the last few years, we've had a bit of a drought.

I used to go down to the valley and sit on a rock or log and just listen to the water. It soothes me. 

Last week this area was solid ice with water running slowly underneath the ice. The water from the ridge west of us drains down through their land and into the spot where the creek actually starts at a spring. It gathers water from the hillsides and two large south facing dry runs and heads down the valley and through us.

The brownish colored water is typical of run off. It is dirt, sand, clay, and debris that gets washed off the top of the soil on the ridge. Erosion. It is more fierce in the winter as the land underneath is frozen and cannot soak in.

It was sunny yesterday afternoon and nearly 60 degrees out. The water was icy cold with ice slush in it. That tough little dog made his way back and forth and over rocks to assist me in exploring.

In the shots below, the light color that looks yellowish under the water is ice that is still frozen. 

The white streaks are foam that comes from oxygen in the snow, debris, and dissolving organic matter. It is complicated science but pretty cool stuff. I never understood why there was so many bubbles during a snow melt and run off.

Now I know a little more.

Foamy:

And photographed with a 3 second exposure. 👇

The foam does literally spin in circles in little eddies. I just love to 'catch' it in a longer exposure. It makes so many interesting patterns.

I tried something I hadn't ever done before. I took a very strong ND filter and stuck it on the lens. I literally faced towards the west and set this shot up for a very long exposure. I wanted to highlight the foam streaks.

Charlie and I sat on a log with the water running around us. He was patient with me while I fiddled with the camera and the exposures to try something different. In the shot above, there is a leaf, snow, and stick jam just in front of us.

I like it. It is weird enough to be different and highlight the foam. 

I get geeked out over the foam in the water. Sorry, can't help it.

the log...today.... 👇 nice place to sit right?

The shot below is where I'd taken the video with Morris a few years ago. The water wasn't charging down through the boulders like in years past, but it made for some cute little water falls with bubbles!

This morning, the sunrise was spectacular, when I went out on the porch to watch it, I could hear the water running again on the neighbor's land. 

After getting ol' hubby settled, fed and whatnot. I walked carefully down to the neighbor's valley and took this shot. 

The walls of the creek are steep. I took this shot so you could understand what it looks like. Getting in and out of that bottom can be tricky sometimes. I didn't go down at all this morning as the banks were all ice.

I did eventually find a safe way down a bit later and spent a little more time enjoying the sounds and sights of the creek.

I just can't stay away from water. Give me a river, a creek, or a lake to be near and you can color me happy.

I spent all of my free time at the creek today. Hubby napped, I 'creeked'...not creaked.

Side note. He says he is too sick to see a doctor. And again refused to go. I think that should be my Stress Test, not some machine, right?

Well that was something!

Three days ago, I found myself seated on the rocks at the bottom of my creek, creating a 'space' story against an 'interesting' backdrop. 

The creek bottom was my chosen spot, thanks to its cool rocks and mosses. I like this spot and use it often. I gives me a chance to get away from the house and enjoy some peace and quiet in the forest.
For the past 28 years, this area had water flowing through it. Not deep, just a few inches of water flowing over the rocks.

Now?

Anyway, I was literally able to sit on the rocks and arrange my setup in a dry section. Recent rains have cleared many weeds and rocks from the creek's bed.

24 hours later, the scene had changed.

And then, another day passed...

A boulder was moved along with several logs. It was the result of 3 inches of rain for the day's total along with one downpour that dropped an inch and a half in less than 45 minutes.

Yet, the rain performed its intended role in the Dry Runs. It cascaded through the boulders and 'washed' into the creek.

We call this event:  A Gully Washer

The heavy rain sweeps out the dry runs of old leaves and debris, also cleansing the creek beds.

I can't wait to return and discover the creek's new appearance once the water recedes. Observing the valley's subtle transformations over the past 28 years has been remarkable and it feels like Mother Nature puts on a show just for me. 
[not one other human aside from myself explores this region]

I presume the township will also have considerable work, given the damage the rain caused to our gravel roads. 

Welcome to the start of a new week.

Perfect ~ A lesson in a spring fed creek

Andrew Wyeth says it quite beautifully, but I do have to disagree with him on one aspect. Winter doesn't give me a Dead Feeling. Winter in the woods is not dead.
Winter gives me a feeling of wonder and awe.

Nature can throw blizzards at us whipping up beautiful windswept carvings called drifts. The snow can adorn trees and they bow their branches to nature. Winter creates frost on windows in exquisite patterns that no human can replicate.

Winter can literally take your breath away when you step outside. Things freeze. Cars won't start. 

In all its brutal behavior, it also creates infinite beauty.

Under the dark looking waters, creatures still stir. Tiny pouch snails are feeding on algae. Caddisflies are in their tiny stone houses are waiting for spring. Trout are eating nymphs and aquatic sow bugs that are hidden under pebbles and mud.

Any trail left in the valley is usually not human. The trails are a mixture of  deer, coyote, and raccoon, plus the occasional bobcat. Once in a while I come across a deer carcass or another carcass. The woodpeckers, blue jays, crows, and other birds are surprising visitors. They too, assist in the clean up of the land. Mice also benefit from chewing on the bones to add calcium to their diets.

Life goes on. It just seems to be so much quieter than in the warmer months. Or perhaps it just isn't as noticeable because rarely anyone sees these things.

These streams or creeks in our valleys are spring fed which means the water coming up out of the ground is about 45 F or 7 C. The water is warmer than the air which creates a moisture that freezes on anything just above the water.

That is why all of the grasses and rocks have beautifully formed frost on them.

Below is a stick that fell from the trees above and landed across some rocks. Frost built up on the stick to decorate it. This is why I go out in the cold and explore. These things fascinate me.

How can it be -7 F and the water still runs? How come the frost decorates the rocks, sticks, and grasses?

It sure took me a long time to figure these things out.

But years of observation have helped.

Perhaps winter is boring to many. Fortunately, I have access to a unique landscape.

Discovery and Explore

 

Hobby wanted a tripod, but she rummaged through the leftovers of Lego pieces and found a Chandelier top which she converted into a Quadpod.

She isn't sure how it will all work out, but for now, she is pleased. She thought she'd also try her hand at Infrared Photography, she was very surprised at how the Skunk Cabbage appeared white!

Skunk Cabbage Patch Below:

Below: Skunk Cabbage Spadix [center bumpy thing], the hooded Spathe is gone from being stepped on by wildlife.

The plants huge leaves will soon appear.

The Big Spring is located about a half mile or so from our house. The hike to get there isn't too bad, as long as you stick to the valley. The spring comes up from the ground and is probably the warmest spot in the valley. Most of the early plants can be found here.

I found the first Cowslip or Marsh Marigold yesterday. The spring is dotted with them, I imagine with the warm weather this weekend, more flowers will open.

Charlie in the Big Spring shot in IR.
The blue colored lumps

are moss covered rocks.

In contrast the rock wall has ice on it. The sun only shines on this section of the valley when their are no leaves on the trees. The rock holds onto the cold. This little pond is a great place to cool off on a hot summer day.

It is only about knee deep but the water stays at 45 degrees F most of the summer.

Just above the wall with ice on it...I found fern curls emerging from the detritus.

Charlie sits and waits for me to make through the tangle of dead trees. He knows exactly where we are going now that he has been hiking this route for 5 years.

Come mid June, we won't be able to hike much further than this spot as the plants and weeds will be waist high and we won't be able to see our footing unless the deer and other wildlife make a trail along here.

In another few weeks though, I can come down and dig up fresh wild parsnip to take home and eat.

Today we should get off to KVR to hike the Jug Creek Trail. I want to get up on the rock formations while I can still see through the trees.

Breathless

 

I thought it would be a good day to walk or just go for a hike. 
I walked the barely perceptible Winter Ice Cave Trail near Weister Creek. 

It was a bit messy and muddy from the August flash floods and heavy rains.

The beaver dam had been swept away too.

I spent some time just listening to the water sweep by me and then I turned and decided to go up over the top.

Here I am standing holding onto a branch to show the depth of the flash flood waters that came through here earlier this summer.

I went up and up and followed what could have been a deer or old trail from days long ago. The land in this area is not like any other place I've been. Up and up a person goes with thigh burning inclines. At the 'top' there is a sharp decline with a gully of sorts at the bottom.

But there are trails if you can spot them. The land has its own wicked and beautiful shapes. Here is where I stopped on a 'point' to have an apple and gaze down on Weister Valley. 

I went looking specifically for fungi and ended up just finding myself breathless at the scenery. I've never gone 'over' the top that I can recall before. I found more potential Ice Caves.

Most of all? 
I think I found myself.

Deep in the forest I stroll

to hear the wisdom of my soul...

The trees still the mind

and the deeper you go....

the more the soul's port widens.

Within that space

wisdom whispers.

~Angie Weiland Crosby

[Most of these were shot with my TG6 pocket camera. And there was some editing for color involved. The rest of the hike ... later.]