A Walk

They were predicting pouring rain on Wednesday (and they were right) so I walked the trails Monday and Tuesday this week. Monday, I had a lot of errands to run, so by the time I got to the trails it was quite late. I decided to forgo the largest part of the Red Trail, and did some short cutting.

Blue Trail, Yellow Trail, Part of the Red Trail, Part of the Orange Trail.

I started out on the Blue Trail. I haven't posted a picture of this before. It's the old smokehouse that the original owners of the property used back in the day. It was refurbished a few years ago by a local Girl Scout troop.



Looky what I found near the smokehouse. Daylilies! These look yellow in the picture, but they really aren't yet. I suspect they are common road lilies, but won't know for sure until they come out. If the deer don't get them first.



From the Blue Trail, I diverted to the Yellow Trail. This trail is very similar to the Red Trail, but not nearly as long. I found this bunchgrass there. It's so pretty that I almost wouldn't mind having it in my garden.



There are some lovely trees along this trail, also.



From the Yellow Trail, I jigged onto the Great Meadow part of the Red Trail.

All of the berries are setting now.

Blackberries



Honeysuckle



Elderberries



The Common Milkweed is in bloom.




As is the Privet, which is yet another invasive, this time a hedge bush gone wild. I'm beginning to think that you can always tell an invasive, because it's so pretty.




And, a turn onto the Orange Trail, heading back towards the Trailhead.

I found this tiny plant. The picture isn't good enough for me to be able to identify it, but I thought it was so pretty, with the seedpods forming a translucent halo around the tiny flowers.



The grass is heavy with pollen.



And, my find of the day was on the Orange Trail. On the many times I have been trying to identify flowers, I had come upon pictures of Butter and Eggs. I thought it was so beautiful, and I wondered if I would ever see it live. Monday, I did.




Then, it was back on the Blue Trail.

Here is the mystery plant of this trip. I don't even know if it's a very small tree, or a very large plant. But, it's been catching my eye every time I walk this part of the trail.



As I reached the Trailhead, I could hear some bird who was obviously very upset at all of the people around. I stood still, and hoped that it would appear, but there were too many other people around and the bird stayed hidden. I was scanning the tree where the bird was, and I did find the reason it was so upset. Can you see the nest up there in the branches?



So, my attempt to shorten my walk was a failure. I ended up staying there almost two hours, and was very tired, and hungry, when I got home.

You know, I was going to do both walks on one post, but this is getting long. I think I'll save the Tuesday walk for tomorrow.