Hamilton then Happy Boots

2012 03 12  It was a very dark rainy but warm day, we had planned to go to a new place along the Grand River but figured the road would be too muddy and on radar it looked like the rain would clear to the south first, so we went south to Allegan County. 

M-40 on our morning drive to Allegan County.


We made a quick stop at a park in Hamilton Michigan.

Train trestle over the Rabbit River at the park in Hamilton.

We went south to the place we call Happy Boots.  Allegan State Game Area, Allegan Forest...  I can't get enough of these wet woods, and we always find interesting things here. 

 The Skunk Cabbage were coming along fine.

They like the water.

   My "Happy Boots"

This time we walked farther west and north than ever before.  At one point we were walking through cattails, we only have knee high boots on and we were pushing the limit on them.  We could hear something in the distance.  We stopped to listen, Spring Peepers!  A whole chorus of them.  As we got close to some woods we heard another call, it was a Wood Frog.  We just listened and enjoyed. 

I found this centipede on some unusual plant.

There are some American Sycamore trees here, Marie also identified a Tulip tree, lots of pines, maple, oak, and Spicebush.

Pussywillow

Cotyledon, "seed leaf" this might grow into Touch-Me-Not.

We went far enough west to find the snowmobile trail, with the bridge over Sand Creek.

This is part of the snowmobile trail, not only wet but very muddy.  We made our way back  to the car, I  think we had been out almost  three hours, of course it seemed like maybe 30 minutes.  Yup it was a very nice time to be  out, and it only rained on us a little.  Perfect, thanks Marie for taking me, I would never get to go without you.
 

 On the way home we drove on 133rd Avenue  looking for an early Marsh Marigold, but nothing yet. 

There were still clouds that afternoon but we did see a bit of blue sky.  That was it for this adventure, hopefully next week will be as fun, except the weather report is for temps in the 80's, that is way too hot for me.