Spring began while Mike and I were on the Manistee River Trail. It was a cool day with sunshine and blue sky. A perfect day for a walk on our favorite trail.
There was no snow at home but as we drove north 120 miles, oh boy there was snow and ice!
Luckily, I’m getting smarter, and I brought my boots with spikes. We hiked from the Hodenply Dam south to the waterfalls. It was about a 4.5-mile hike that took about 2.5 hours walking time. Roughly 80% of the trail had snow, ice, and slippery clay so I was glad to have those spikes. It really was a nice day.
On March 23, 2022, Marie picked me up for a day of fun. We went to Hager Hardwood Park, an Ottawa County Park. We were looking for Harbinger of Spring, a very tiny little plant. And there it was, blooming! Even though it was a gray and wet day.
We also saw the Vernal Witch Hazel, Spring blooming Witch Hazel.
We stopped in at Grand Ravines Park, another Ottawa County Park, for a little more walking.
We had a good day. I’m so glad Marie got me outside!
Thanks for stopping by.
6 comments:
That was a fun day! Never know if the Harbinger-of-spring are blooming or not. They are so tiny, you really have to look intently. Soon you get "eyes" that see them more easily. Right along a picnic area where the park workers leaf-blow in the fall. The Vernal Witch Hazel is always a sure thing. A native of the Ozarks growing right here in Michigan. Grand Ravines does have a high and wide view of the Grand River. Thanks for the photos! M :)
I didn't know know that you had vernal witch hazel growing naturally there. Lucky you!
Someday I'm going to have to go west into New York so I can see harbinger of spring.
Your rivers look so mush wider than ours!
I hope you aren't getting snowed on anymore. Won't it be nice to not have to worry about ice for a while?
Marie I should have put a quarter next to the Harbinger of Spring. Oh well we were having fun finding them! I guess our eyes are still pretty good if we can spot that little plant, it doesn’t look like much until you look closely. So the Vernal Witch Hazel was planted at Hager right? They do good though blooming ever year if they are native to the Ozarks. We will have to stop at the Ravines in fall and you can try another PawPaw.
Hi Allen, actually Hager Park was planted with different trees, Marie mentioned that the Vernal Witch Hazel is native to the Ozarks. Still it blooms ever year so it must have adapted. Those tiny Harbinger of Spring are fun to find. They were along the edge of a cleared area, mostly just at the edge of the leaf litter. I have a few Harbinger of Spring here in my wildflower patch, but I put them there. And they do flower year after year.
We do still have a bit of snow on the ground and the temperature tomorrow is forecasted to be in the 20’s. Mike and I were stacking firewood so we are plenty warm. You know how many times firewood makes you warm, when you cut, when you stack it, when you burn it.
Hello! I love your pictures! I tried to contact you earlier, and by email. I would love to be able to reach you about using one of your photograph for a book I’m writing! Its nothing controversial. It’s science fiction, art/drawings and photoshop. I’m sorry to bother you here in the comments. Feel free to delete my comment if it’s inappropriate. I totally understand!
MilleCuirs No thanks.
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