Hepatica Hill, Allegan County Michigan, March 25 2022

 Hepatica Hill never disappoints!  

It was a cool yet sunny day.  A great day to be outside.  We did see a few Hepatica sort of blooming. The plants were curled up against the cold, but still catching some of that warm sunshine.  They grow on this south facing hill along the Kalamazoo River.

We also drove along 133rd Avenue, nothing blooming there, yet.

Then a stop at New Richmond Bridge Park and a walk.

Hepatica April 3 2019

 Our first stop on Wednesday April 3, 2019  was Schutmaat Park on the Rabbit River in Hamilton, Michigan. 

Our second stop was New Richmond Bridge Park on the Kalamazoo River located at the historic village of New Richmond  -  Allegan County, Michigan.

 

 
Our third stop was our very own Happy Boots. 

 

 We saw Skunk Cabbage.

 Marsh Marigold Buds

 

And a surprise, Golden Saxifrage!  We have found it here before but not this early in the year.

We saved our special Hepatica Hill for last, hoping that the sunny day would warm the Hepatica and tempt them to bloom.  They were blooming!  What a sight to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Ottawa Sands and Saugatuck Dunes State Park in November

        November 15, 2018                  Ottawa Sands with Marie

   The Sag     

      Grand Haven Board of Light and Power along the Grand River

Walking along a trail I could just see the top of the county building in Grand Haven, about one mile away.  From the same spot I zoomed in with the camera and got the photo below.  The county building through the BLP power lines.

 Goldenrod was still blooming even though there was some snow on the ground.

 From Ottawa Sands looking east to the U.S. 31 drawbridge and the railroad bridge.

   We saw the eagle nest. We also saw the eagle flying high in the sky.

November 19 2018  Marie and I hiked at Saugatuck Dunes State Park, the north end.
"A day-use park along a secluded strip of Lake Michigan shoreline, Saugatuck Dunes State Park offers 1,000 acres of land with two and a half miles of shoreline. The Lake Michigan beach is a two-thirds mile hike from the picnic parking area. In addition, the park has fresh water coastal dunes that are over 200 feet tall. The park's terrain varies from steep slopes to rolling hills. The park, located in Allegan County, is relatively undeveloped."

 These mushrooms were growing in the sand, one had been broken off and the cap flipped over.  The top was edged in purple and underneath was all purple.

Then we arrived at Lake Michigan!

In this photo you can see Big Red the Holland lighthouse approximately 4.4 miles to the north of where I was standing at the beach at Saugatuck State Park.



 

High up in a tree, I could see a dark shape.  A bird?  A Walmart bag?  In the picture above you can just see it on the dark hill....center of the picture then a bit to the right.  I zoomed in (photo below) and I think it was an osprey. 



 

Here I circled the bird (with red) in the tree...



 That same day we also walked at River Bluff Park.

      Kalamazoo River

Some of the trail here is down from the Gerald R. Ford Freeway!  As long as those trucks stay up on the road! 

 Dandelion Blooming!

Witch Hazel blooming!

Some neat lichen?

We drove to Wade Memorial Nature Sancutary, no walk here....

We drove through New Richmond Bridge Park.

And we drove down 133rd Avenue, where in the spring we see so many of the early blooming wildflowers.

Then home past farms, and barns, and through a tunnel.

A wonderful day, I am so glad we went!  Thanks for stopping by the blog.