The First Hepatica March 18 2019

We visited Hepatica Hill in Allegan County on Monday, March 18 2019.
It was 39 degrees, the ground was snow covered in places.
This south facing hill along the Kalamazoo River was just plain brown. 

We saw green and purple hepatica leaves from last spring, and we found a few new tiny buds.  We took our time walking here, looking closely for an early glimpse of spring...

It was a nice enough day, cool with sunshine and blue sky.  We are just too early to find this favorite spring ephemeral blooming, we weren't expecting anything to be blooming yet.

Then Marie calls out, hmm, what did she see?  She had found it!  The one and only Round Lobed Hepatica blooming on this day!  It was nestled in a bed of green moss, so perfect!  Unbelievable!   

Thanks again to Mark Cassino for sharing this special hill with us.

     Kalamazoo River

We also saw....

 

 
We stopped at Happy Boots to take a peek at Skunk Cabbage.

 

   Happy Boots, Happy Spring

Next time a different kind of adventure from our trip to Moab, Utah!

April 20 2018 Hepatica Hill in Bloom!

April 20 2018 Happy Boots and Hepatica Hill
This was the first warm day this spring and still there was snow on the ground in places.  The temperature was in the low 40's when we started out but later in the day we saw 55 degrees and sunshine.
First stop Happy Boots, a swampy woods in Allegan County, filled with wildflowers.

    Skunk Cabbage

     Marsh Marigold

     Trout Lily in bud

    Round Lobed Hepatica

 A jumble of Round Lobed Hepatica just starting to bloom

    Spring Beauty

We saw this red mite, I saw a Garter Snake, a unidentified butterfly, a few other bugs, and Water Striders.

Water Strider with shadow, Sand Creek Allegan County.

      Happy Boots

After two hours enjoying Happy Boots we were off to Hepatica Hill.  Hepatica Hill is a location that was shared, several years ago, from Mark Cassino (CalArti: A Photographer's Journal)

Here it is Hepatica Hill!  I know it doesn't look like much, until you look closely.
Then you start to see them everywhere!

 Hepatica!  Each one is special, a difference in color from deep purple, blue, pink, even white, some with just a few petals and some with many petals. 
They look very delicate, perched on such a rough and scoured hillside.  So colorful among the dry brown leaves.

 

Well that was probably enough for one day, but after spending almost two more hours at Hepatica Hill, we stopped in at Silver Creek County Park to check on the Trailing Arbutus.  But we found none blooming.

 

We also drove down 133rd Avenue, but found little blooming.  Some Spring Beauty, Hepatica, a Dandelion, and Trout Lily in bud.

It was a great day to be outside, and fun to see my favorite spring wildflower.  Hepatica

Spring Wildflowers in Southwest Michigan

April 17, 2015  We visited Cass and Berrien Counties in southwest Michigan where the spring wildflowers bloom about a week earlier than in Ottawa County.  It is about a 100 mile drive south to see these flowers so we want to make sure something is blooming.  I read photographer Mark Cassino's blog post (http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/index.php) that the spring ephemeral wildflowers were indeed blooming.

 It was a beautiful day, blue sky and lots of sunshine.  Marie and I walked slowly through the woods.  I enjoyed every step.

Outdoor Adventures in Michigan July 2014

There were several fun and interesting outdoor adventures in July, here in west Michigan, especially nice with the comfortable weather.  We took advantage of the concerts in the park, Tuesday nights in Grand Haven and Thursday nights in Spring Lake. Every concert was great, a variety of music.  So if you live in the area I would recommend these free concerts. 

Here are a few photos of some of those adventures.
First was a visit to Muskegon County this time with Mike to see the orchid, Rose Pogonia!

July 7th, Marie and I were able to explore some of Newaygo County.  Camp Newaygo Wetland Trail, Newaygo Prairie, and Sailors Pines.

 The Newaygo Prairie is not far from the Wetland Trail, and it is always pleasant to visit.

After the Prairie, off to Sailors Pines, a new to us place.

"Sailors Pines is  a privately owned preserve of the stately Michigan White Pine where the public is welcome to visit this glimpse of our state's past.  Near Croton Pond, stands a testament to Michigan's past, a virgin old growth forest of stately white pines, towering over 100 feet tall and up to 24 inches in diameter.  A small plaque marks the entrance which dedicates this forest to the original owners, William and Elizabeth Sailors. The Sailors came from Indiana and became engaged in the lumbering business here in Michigan in the late 1800's."

 Mid July, Marie and I went to Bass River Recreation Area to explore a new place I saw on Bing maps.  This is the new place I wanted to go to - wet woods with maybe a pond. What a place!

There were dark clouds but we still had sunshine.

Not sure what kind of caterpillar this is - maybe Grapevine Epimenis (Psychomorpha epimenis)?

Into the third week of July, we visited Farview Park in Allegan County.  Farview is a park that has ponds and wet woods, it's a fun place.  We found Green Wood Orchid, several, but none were openly blooming.

I was walking along in the shallow water, ducking under bushes, when Marie let me know that this snake was in the bush ahead of me.  Harmless snake, but I wouldn't want to have it hanging around my neck.

Mike and I walk at Riverside Park in Ottawa County regularly, here are a few shots from Riverside.

At the end of July, Marie and I explored some places in Allegan Forest.  Including "Happy Boots Corner",  Mark Cassino's Homestead pond, and more.  Here are a few things we saw.

                                            Lizard's Tail

              See the purple?  That's an orchid!  Purple Fringed Orchid.

 We found one very scarlet Cardinal Flower blooming in these wet woods!  Just the one, here in this shady area.  Along the creek we found Monkey Flower and liverwort.  Very nice.

 Down the road and around a few corners to Homestead.  I learned of this place from Mark Cassino (http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/). 

                                                 Hairy Pinweed (Lechea mucronata) Rock Rose Family

Well, Marie not only got a life plant here, Hairy Pinweed, but I found Virginia Meadow Beauty!!  I had only seen this plant one other time at Ross Coastal Plain Marsh in Van Buren County.  It was near the pond, hidden in tall grass.

 That will wrap up July 2014 now onto August!

 1. Ottawa County Happy Trails Camp  with Vivienne (previous post)
2. Muskegon County with Mike
3. Newaygo County with Marie
4. Ottawa County with Marie
5. Allegan County, Farview, and Herrick Library with Marie
6. Ottawa County, Riverside Park, several visits with Mike
7. Allegan County with Marie