What happen to May 2015?

Michigan's month of May, spring green month, when everything turns green. 

Marie and I started the month with a trip to Ottawa County Grose Park and Kent County Long Lake Park.  Here are some things we saw that day.

 Marsh Marigold

 Violets, purple, yellow, and white violets.

Fun swamps!

 Miterwort, above close-up - below the taller plant in the center of the photo.

 Bellwort, no it isn't thirsty that's just its posture.

 Trillium

A forest full of Trillium!

                          Dwarf Ginseng

                           Liverwort

                        Creeks

         Swamp Saxifrage in bud.


 Twin Jack-in-the-Pulpits!

           Goldthread

               Wild Geranium
So that was the first week in May. Very nice.  Many spring wildflowers I was happy to see again. 
 
I was missing my granddaughter, Finley Rose, who lives in Texas.  She is only 5 months old.  I needed that contact with her.  A real hug, not a virtual hug. So I bought a ticket to visit from May 16 to 23.  Leaving Mike at home to work.  I really like home, it is nice here.  But then there is that strong pull in my heart to go see Finley before she grows out of babyhood. 
Well, on Mother's Day our son Andrew (Finley's Dad) called me and said the babysitter was going to be gone unexpectedly for that week!  Half joking he mentioned having me come out a week early.  So that's what happened.  I left the next day, May 11, for Texas and stayed through May 23rd!  Unheard of for me to go away from home, alone, so long.
It was the most relaxing vacation I've ever had!  I spent my days with Finley. I didn't cook, or drive, or grocery shop!  It is two weeks that I'll treasure always!

   Finley after she heard grandma is coming from Michigan!

 

Finley sporting a new hat.

After two weeks it was difficult to leave that sweetie in Texas but it was time to go home.  Mike picked me up at the airport.  He made a yummy steak dinner, got me flowers, and had the hot tub ready for a soak!  So there is a sweetie in Michigan too.

Back to more adventures in May.  Toward the end of May, Marie and I went to Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve about 60 miles south of Grand Haven.  We went in deep, through the thickest woods and marsh.  No trail here.

 

  Young Tulip Tree

Cinnamon Fern

Nest with eggs

Then back out to the trail.  We met some people from the Nature Conservancy who talked about changes coming to this place.  Pine forests removed and paved for a parking lot.  Here is what we found in the pine forests.

   Pink Ladyslipper Orchid

At one of the many ponds, we saw tadpoles and violets.

Mike and I went to a couple Ottawa County parks in the last days of May.  Here is some of what we saw.

                     Orange Hawkweed

 

 

 Wild Geranium

 Spring Beauty

 Pond at Crockery Creek

 Squawroot

That was my very merry month of May!