The First Real Blooming Wildflower of 2014 (other than Skunk Cabbage)

March 31 2014 My sister Marie, and I went for our weekly outing to wherever we want, within reason.  We headed for Allegan State Game Area, planning to walk the Swan Creek foot trail.  Here in Michigan we have had a long, cold, snowy winter so as we suspected there was too much snow to hike this several mile trail.

We made many stops - starting with Hamilton and the park there with the beautiful wood railroad trestle over the Rabbit River.  Always a cool sight to see, and a crew came along the tracks to make repairs.  We would have stayed and watched but we had places to go.

On down the road we went to Happy Boots Corner near M-40 and M-89 in Allegan County.  We have been stopping here for several years now, it's just a bit of wet woods along the road, and it is public land.

Here we did find Skunk Cabbage blooming, okay that's nice but just wait until later in the day!  It is a beautiful Skunk Cabbage.

 We wandered a bit here.  We saw several green cotyledons of various plants coming up, most too small to identify.  I like this place. 
Back in the car we traveled past dams and crossed several bridges.  We ended up in Otsego, Michigan and stopped at the township hall for information and a map.  Marie talked to three very helpful people there, and came out with a nice map. 
We visited two of their parks and their library.  The Otsego library has a wonderful children's section, with a bridge and a large tree filled with birds, bats, spiders and other creatures.  It also includes a "house" complete with a roof, windows, and door!  I'd like to take my granddaughter there but it's 55 miles from home. 
We drove too a site where a dam had been removed and work was being done there too.  I really don't know much about Otsego, but it seems like a nice place.

On our way home we visited Allegan, stopping in at their library.  It was the first warm day that we have had in a long time so we walked on the boardwalks here in Allegan.

 It was getting on in the day but we decided to check on one more special place, 133rd Avenue.  This section of 133rd Avenue has a south facing slope so it catches the sun.  It is a dirt road and has lots of wildflowers.  This is what it looks like.

 I wasn't seeing any green, - none, zip, zero.  My lip starts to drop but then wait - I spot the old leaves from last years hepatica!  Marie backs up, I pick my lip up and jump out of the car to get a closer look.  And there just for us is our favorite spring wildflower, Round-Lobed Hepatica!  Life is good.

A few places around Michigan

May 2012 Just a mixed bag of photos from May in Michigan.

Rycenga Recreation Area, located in both Spring Lake Township and Fruitport Township at 16401 Hemlock Road, is a good place to find Pink Lady-slipper, orchid.

Creek in Rycenga Recreation Area

 At Riverside Park (Ottawa County) we found Virginia Waterleaf.

Trail at  Riverside Park.

   Wild Geranium,

                          and Yellow Iris

A toad trying to hide.

A few shots from the Truth Cam here in the woods (Grand Haven Michigan).  First a woodchuck posing for the camera, he's a regular.

 A deer wondering what's going on.

Marie and I went to Allegan County Michigan on May 14, first to 133rd Avenue.

 Railroad bridge over 133rd Avenue.


Along that same road we found this giant Green Dragon! 
The plant was  ~ 30 inches tall.

    Green Dragon (Arisaema dracontium) Arum Family

Also along 133rd Avenue,

someone was walking on my jacket!

                 Horsetail

                    A beautiful Wild Columbine.

Daisy Fleabane with bug. 

We made a stop at Happy Boots corner, M-89 and M-40 in Allegan County.

 Tulip Tree leaf

Some sort of caterpillar?

Then on to Allegan Forest,

                             Wild  Lupine
and more purple, Bird's-foot Violet

We came to where
American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) Gentian family, grows. 

Its green and yellow with purple dots flower will show in June.  These plants are big - growing to 6 feet tall.

We saw Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)  Borage family. 
Now there are other puccoons, Hairy or Plains, but it is puccoon.

To end this mixed up post here is a road in Allegan Forest.

There are many more fun trips in May, more wildflowers and fun adventures!

4 1/2 hours on 133rd Ave and More!

2011 05 16 Yes I know I'm behind on the blog and I might just stop it because there is so much going on outside! 


Marie wanted to see what was blooming along 133rd Avenue in Allegan County.  Remember we have been here many times and there is a railroad bridge that you drive under (built in 1908).


As soon as we went under the railroad bridge we could hear the Amtrak train coming! We have wanted to see the train travel over this bridge for years, and today we saw it!

Marie and I spent 4 1/2 hours on an 8/10 of a mile stretch of 133rd Avenue.  We found many wildflowers just off the road on State property. 

                               Golden Ragwort

                                      Wild Geranium                  

                                       Marsh Marigolds

                                     Wild Columbine

        Horsetail, Scouring Rush, Take apart Plant

One-flowered Cancer Root (One-flowered Broomrape) Latin name Orobanche uniflora.
Wow I have only seen this plant one other time at Jubb's Bayou, these were growing right along the graded gravel road!

Cancer root is parasitic on other plants, so it has no need for green leaves.

Off we went to the place we now call Happy Boots,  M-40 and M-89.  Very wet woods where lots of wildflowers like to grow.  Again, remember we were here earlier this spring and I circled the Skunk Cabbage plants on one of my pictures? 

April 25 2011 Skunk Cabbage

Well this is that same area with the Skunk Cabbage done blooming but growing huge green leaves.

                                 Spring Beauty still hanging on.

 Purple Dead Nettle filling the fields, well this is just one.

   As we were on our way along some dirt road we came across these  lovely Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis ).  We also saw blooming Large-flowered Trillium, Dwarf Ginseng, Prickly Gooseberry, Aniseroot, Solomon's Seal, Cow Parsnip, violets, Miterwort.

Oh we also saw a Bittacomorpha clavipes!  See picture below.

      Common name is phantom crane fly

I hope you enjoy this post, it was fun thinking back to that day.