Early Summer on the Orange Trail

I haven't been walking.  And, both physically and mentally, I can feel the difference.  So, yesterday, I started up again.  I walked the Orange Trail because it's an easy trail.  And, I made all 1.7 miles of it.  But, boy, did it take me a long time, with lots of rest stops.  That will improve, in time.  And, I did enjoy every step along the path, seeing the familiar sights along the way.

The trail starts out in the woods.  It was a sunny day, and the sun filtered through the leaves, making very peaceful scenes, including the first, where the floor of the glade is covered with ferns.

Deep in the woods, a Robin found a tasty treat.

 As the woods started to thin, this small meadow gleamed in the afternoon sun.  Wild roses edged it with white.

Along the trail, the Christmas Fern raised their fronds.  The undersides of their fronds are almost totally covered with spores.  I'm not 100% sure that I have these named correctly.  Ferns are hard.  But, it's the only one I could find with the correct spore pattern.

While, along the lighter parts of the trail, Herb Robert blossoms.  It's a pretty invader.

And, everywhere, the Wild Rose blooms.  The air was filled with its fragrance.  Most of the flowers are white, but, every now and then, you'll see a bush where some are colored a pale pink.   For all its beauty, it's a virulent invader, choking out native plants and making large areas impassible.

Once you're through the woods, you come to the Great Meadow.  The entrance is like a gateway to another world.

Here, the Turkey Vulture soars.

And, high in a dead tree, a Red-winged Blackbird sings his heart out, proclaiming his territory.

But, of course, what characterizes the Meadow is the flowers.
I don't think I ever saw the Common Milkweed flowers when they were just budding last year.

 And, I'm glad I haven't missed the Butterfly Weed.  It's late this year, just budding and getting ready to bloom.

Other flowers are in the height of their bloom.  This Blackberry blossom was in a shaded spot, and, so, behind most of its relatives, which have already set their berries.

Bladder Campion

Hawkweed

Deptford Pink.  I despair of ever taking a decent picture of this flower.  My camera just can't seem to catch the delicate beauty of its interior, or capture exactly the right color of its brilliant pink.

Cow Vetch

Buttercup

Fleabane

Ox-eyed Daisy

Red Clover

And, everywhere, Yarrow

Then, out of the Meadow and into a few more scrub woods, before I hit the connecting trail for home.  There, I found one last treasure.  Red Osier Dogwood blossoms.  They're not as showy as the Dogwood we grow in our yards, but they have a delicate beauty all their own.  They're almost done, so I'm glad I caught the last few blooms.

It was good to be back on the trails again.  I can show you the pictures, but I can't take pictures of the sounds of all the birds, that I tried to photograph in vain.  I can't take pictures of the smells of flowers and green growing things, or the way the sun beats down on you, warming the last of Winter's cold away.  I've missed this.