Kirk Park and Rosy Mound Natural Area, Ottawa County Michigan. November 1 and 2, 2021

 Both of these parks are along the shores of Lake Michigan, which means there are lots of stairs over forested dunes to get to the big Lake.  First Kirk Park.  I went here November 1, I counted 466 steps over the wooded dune.  Some of the stairs were eroded away last year with high Lake Michigan water levels.

Kirk Park

This is the map from my walk I didn't really go out into the lake. 

The next day I met my daughter at Rosy Mound Natural Area.  We walked all the trails and stairs!  It was a wonderful walk. 

I hope you enjoyed these walks. Thanks for stopping by.

A fun find on the first day of November 2018

 November 1st  My sister, Sugar, and I decided to meet up at Rosy Mound Natural Area, an Ottawa County Park.  The leaves were so bright and the temperature mild, we took advantage of the opportunity. 
I walked at this park the end of September and found several Autumn Coralroot Orchid plants growing here but they were done blooming.  Or so I thought.
 
 As we walked along I kept an eye out for the orchid, wondering if I could even find the tiny plants again.  Then, there one was, an Autumn Coralroot!  And it was blooming!  We saw several more of the plants although no more that were blooming.   

The petals are small and quite hard to see.  I put a leaf behind the flower for a background and to make it easier to focus on the tiny petals.  I know it's not much, but those are petals, so yes it is blooming. 
 

Here is one of the clusters of coralroot.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed our walk, the beautiful trees, and each other's company.  I am so luck to have family nearby to get me out there.  You just never know what you might see on a walk, even if you have been to the same place many times!

The End of September 2018

Hemlock Crossing is another place to find Closed Gentian this time of year.  Betsy went along for this walk, and was properly impressed by the Stunningly Beautiful Gentian

"Hemlock Crossing offers 239 acres of woods and wetlands along the Pigeon River. Over six miles of trails meander through bottomland and upland forest, old pine plantations and along the river."  Ottawa County Park

  Pigeon River

Mike and I took a two hour drive to Silver Creek Pathway near Luther in Lake County, Michigan.  We started at the Silver Creek State Forest Campground and walked the
 ~ four mile loop clockwise.  This trail runs along the Pine River, it crosses Silver Creek near the trailhead.

 Pine River

Lincoln Bridge over the Pine River at the north end of Silver Creek Pathway.

 The sky over Sterns Bayou on our way home from an evening walk at Connor Bayou Park.

After participating in a Jog-A-Thon fundraiser for Rosy Mound Elementary School,  with my granddaughter, Vivienne, I took myself for a walk across the road at Rosy Mound Natural Area. 

"Rosy Mound is a classic Great Lakes dune system including high wooded dunes, foredunes, beach and a dune blowout. A 0.7 mile hiking trail from the parking area to the Lake Michigan shoreline includes 1,000 feet of stairs up and down the dunes and scenic views. A unique shade canopy, dune boardwalk trail and rustic toilets are located near the beach."  Ottawa County Park

 Lake Michigan

 I found many Autumn Coralroot Orchid that I hadn't seen here before, but they were all done blooming.  And yes, in the next couple of days I paid the price for walking up and down all those steps!  I did see plants blooming.  Mostly asters, goldenrod, and Queen Anne's Lace.

Barry County is one place we find Fringed Gentian blooming.  It was a cool and cloudy morning, so most flowers took their time waking up.

 

 

    

    Larch, lots of Larch!

September was a beautiful month for being outside.  I hope you enjoyed these adventures as much as I did!  Thanks for stopping by.