Skunk Cabbage at Hemlock Crossing County Park in West Olive, Michigan

2020 03 19
Hours before Spring arrives I visited Hemlock Crossing to find the Skunk Cabbage.  They were there just as I expected! 

 

 

 

I walked from Hemlock Crossing Park to Pine Bend Park then back again, adding in some extra loops for a three mile walk!  No sun or blue sky, still it was wonderful to be out in the fresh air.

 



 Pigeon River


 
 
 Skunk Cabbage!

 

 

 
 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 Weaver House at Pine Bend County Park

 

 

 

  I did talk to this guy for a bit!  Oh Hello!

 I hope you enjoyed my walk too!

Stearns Creek Park - Ottawa County Michigan

What a difference a day makes! 
We visited Stearns Creek Park on Tuesday, November 5th 2019.  It was a beautiful day, some sun and some clouds. 

The next day we went back, it was colder, cloudier, and it was snowing.  It was also a beautiful day.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Adventures in Michigan from December 2018

Some walks from December 2018 

 December 6  2018    Southern section of Hoffmaster State Park with Marie. The same day a walk around Black Lake Park.  We saw just a bit of the sun, and it was a nice day for a hike.

Lake Michigan

 .

     Little Black Lake

December 10 2018 Out for fun with my sister Marie, again.  This time we went to Grand River Park in Ottawa County, Michigan. 

Grand River

    Bambi Tree at the parking lot

We saw deer tracks going up this tree.  Must have been the rarely seen Tree Climbing Deer! 

 Some clouds, some sun.  Great day for a walk!

December 17 2018 Southern trails at Saugatuck Dunes State Park
This walk according to the map is 5.5 miles.  You start in tree covered sand dunes and end at Lake Michigan!  It is a beautiful walk, especially when the sun is shining. 



     Cloudy

    Sunny

Turkey Tails

 

  Beautiful Lake Michigan
  

 

 

 Part of the South Trail is a large loop, so going back we were on different trails than earlier.  Marie remembered a bunch of stumps that we came across last time we were here. (probably 2014)  And sure enough it wasn't long before we started to see stumps, lots of stumps dotting the dunes.
 
They are the stumps of Austrian Pine. "Around 2012 the DNR burned the pines to remove the Austrian Pines that were planted by a previous owner of the property to control erosion .  It is an invasive species.  The problem with Austrian pine is that it blocks the sunlight from the ground where native species are trying to grow, there presence tampers with the natural process of succession."


 

 

 It is a long uphill sandy climb on this section of the trail.  Whew!

 

Then back through the woods to the parking area.  It was a good hike!

December 19  My sister, Sugar, met me at Ottawa Sands, the new park in Ottawa County.  We also had a nice walk.  It is always good once you get out there.  Sometimes it is the getting out there, that is the hard part.

 

December 23  We were lucky enough to entertain our granddaughter, Vivienne, for the day.  We took her for a walk at Hofma Preserve.  Look more blue sky!

Christmas Day 2018   Our daughter, Betsy, and her husband Aaron joined us for a walk at Crockery Creek Natural Area. 

 

    Crockery Creek

So that wraps up 2018, well except for a trip to Big Bend National Park but who knows if I will get around to that post.  Hopefully more posts coming soon.  Thanks for stopping by!