Thursday, May 21, 2020

My Personal Pandemic Prescription: Get Out

I am very fortunate to live in an area with so many parks, preserves, and hiking trails. Hiking has always been my favorite activity. During this pandemic period I have relied on getting out even more to relax, enjoy nature, social distance visit with friends, and escape for a bit. Here are some photos from the trails. Enjoy Nature!
TIMBER!!!  Judy seems so relaxed!

Horse Head at Stonewall Trail

View down the Hudson River from Stoewall Trail Warren County

Dragon in Skidmore North Woods

Pried Apart

Waterfall at Berry Pond Preserve Lake George

Apart but Together on old jeep road Berry Pond

Berry Pond

Hold up that tree, Dan!

Busy Beavers at Berry Pond

Rainy Day at Moreau Lake

Eeyore's House. I never knew he had a lake view!

Red Trillium at Shenantaha Creek Park

Male Baltimore Oriole in my apple tree

Female Bluebird in my garden

Male Bluebird

Mountaintop Boggy Area Moreau

I Can See Clearly Now. Moreau Lake Overlook

Pond Peek at Moreau Lake

White Trillium in Skidmore North Woods

Friday, April 3, 2020

Out and About: Away From the News

After watching and reading too much about the coronavirus on Tuesday,  I made an escape from the house and visited two local preserves and a park. I felt much better having gotten out and about to enjoy views at Round Lake Preserve, some boot sucking mud at Ballston Creek Preserve, and fast moving streams at Shenantaha Creek Park. Take a look!
Looking east on the outlet at Round Lake Preserve

Looking West  toward Round Lake

Beaver Lodge

BUSY

BUSIER

Just Two Great Blue Heron Nests at Ballston Creek. No GBHs around

Rock Wall in woods at Ballston Creek Preserve

SPIDER

Patridgeberry covering forest floor at Ballston Creek

Shenantaha Park

Meandering Rock Wall

Little Waterfall in the woods

CAUTION

Skunk Cabbage Flower with Pollen Granules

Wood Frog Eggs in  Streambed on Herlihy Road

A Closer Look at Wood Frog Egg Masses

Crocus Color at Lisa's on Prospect Avenue

Monday, March 30, 2020

Out and About: Spring is Here

Despite all that is happening around the globe concerning the coronavirus, Mother Nature continues to provide daily beauty, interest, enjoyment, peace, and a schedule of spring offerings. Signs of spring  can be seen right from our windows or on walks, runs, and bikes around town.  The first wildflowers are up those being skunk cabbage. Ask Samantha Rigney where she spotted one. Hint: they like it where it's wet. The next wildflower out is Coltsfoot. It opens on sunny days, is yellow
Skunk Cabbage

Flower is Hiding

Coltsfoot
and can be seen on Herlihy Road. If you go to look for coltsfoot, give a listen to the Spring Peepers and Wood Frogs in the pools over there too. When it's over 50 degrees they are usually very vocal. You can see masses of frog eggs in the water along the roadside. Garden flowers are up, like snowdrops, crocuses, squill, and hellebores. Walking around you'll hear a lot of birdsong and maybe see birds deciding on nest sites. Bluebirds have been checking out my nest box and Barb Haynes says they have been doing the same down by her house on the lake. Wood Ducks are out and about and looking for a tree cavity to nest in. If you haven't heard Deb Rice's Wood Duck stories you have to ask her! Bob and Linda Connors have hosted these ducks in a tree in front of their property. Two adults and 24 babies! Another story. Bill Ryan has seen the Red Fox around in the mornings and I have seen fox scat in the middle of the road on Janes Avenue. They do that to mark territory. Last week I heard two Barred Owls calling to each other in the woods west of Herlihy Road. I have been out for hikes at Moreau State Park and have found that people are keeping their distance on the trails and are in good moods. Dan and I saw Bennett Haynes on the top of Moreau Lake Overlook! It took me a few seconds to realize it was him. You never know who or what you'll see out and about at a six foot distance. Hope everyone is doing ok and enjoying a bit of spring.
Flat Snow People by the Green Hour Group. When it's not good packing snow

Stream at Anchor Diamond Preserve in Burnt Hills

Stream Ice

Waterfall at Moreau State Park

Some Creature's Hoarding Leaves Like Humans Hoarding Toilet Paper

Snowdrops

Crocus

Daffodils

Spring!?!?

March Twenty-third Snow

Maple Branch

Red White and Blue at Bog Meadow Preserve

Moreau Lake Overlook

Monday, February 10, 2020

Out and About: Crystal Village

Between the sixth and seventh we got rain, freezing rain and snow which delayed schools on the first day and closed many schools on the second day. Ice coated everything making for treacherous travel, downed trees and branches, and power outages. On Saturday morning though the whole village sparkled. Everything was draped, swagged, outlined, and coated with snow and ice. Take a look!
Snowgrass

Outlined

Ice Claws

Crystal Thorn

Weeping Willow

Shadow Branches

White Pine Needles

Swirlygig

Smile

Joe- Pye Crystals

Zim-Smith Trail

South Lawn