A Visit to Plummer’s Hollow April 20, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in spring, wildflowers.9 comments
Plummer's Hollow Road
I can’t remember how I met Dave Bonta. It was electronically, for sure. Maybe I stumbled across his Morning Porch blog and made a comment, or maybe he stumbled across my blog. Or did we first encounter each other at Flickr.com? In any case, over the years we have visited each other’s work now and again and exchanged a few emails. Last year we collaborated on a Spring Wildflower project.
I recently learned that among the many things he does, Dave is president of the Juniata Valley Audubon Society. I found this out when he invited me to speak at the JVAS annual dinner this week. I turned the opportunity into a mini-vacation (very mini) by going down hours early to walk the property where Dave lives and see what wildflowers might be blooming 140 miles south of my home. What a little piece of heaven!
I also got to meet Dave’s mom and dad, Marcia and Bruce. I have been reading Marcia’s blog for quite some time, too, so it was fun to meet the writer in person. I learned a great deal about the Bonta family, each of whom seems to be making a difference in his own way. Bruce’s passion is peaceful societies and he, too, maintains a website.
It is always interesting to visit homes and see how people live. I am always fascinated by the books and artwork, the games and toys, the “stuff” of living. My favorite thing in the Bonta house was the paper on the front of the refrigerator that lists natural happenings – the blooming of various flowers, the arrival of various birds. Marcia has columns for the last several years on this sheet where she records first-of-the-year sightings – and she claims to have similar data going back into the 1970s. From this data she can confidently say that the flowers are fully three weeks early this year.
I learned some new flowers on my walk, and something new about a familiar flower (there is a yellow variant of Trillium erectum!). Here are a few of the photos I took:
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Wildflower Walk April 16, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in spring, wildflowers.add a comment
Cuckoo Flower
It was a challenging day for a Wildflower Photography Walk: the sun kept sneaking in and out from behind the clouds and the wind was brisk most of the time – making lighting and focusing tricky!
I found 20 species in bloom. I’d have to check my photos more carefully to see, but it seems like a lot of stuff is 2-3 weeks early.
Temps near 80 today. Prediction for tomorrow: 40s. Weird Weather!
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Hepatica March 25, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in spring, wildflowers.2 comments
I love Hepatica… one of our earliest spring blossoms. I often find in the woods close by… but always, only in white.
At Allegany State Park, I found a spot where you can find all kinds of colors ranging from the palest blue or pink to deeper shades, some even verging on purple. Here are a couple from my hike…
What’s Blooming? March 23, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in spring, wildflowers.5 comments
I took an evening walk at JCC’s College Park to see what might be blooming (or about to bloom), given this very warm weather.
Click for larger images:
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- Spring Beauty
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- Dwarf Ginseng
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- Cut-leaved Toothwort
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- Common Violet
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- Colt’s Foot
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- White Violet
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- Pussy Willow
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- Red Maple
Who’s Blooming Today? April 15, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in reptiles, spring, wildflowers.4 comments
Squeezed in a quick walk yesterday afternoon.
I’m sure I missed plenty, but here are a few things I did see:
Spring Beauty
Hepatica
Toothwort Buds
Broadleaf Sedge
Leatherwood
Round-leaved Violet
Then there was this little cutie, with colors so bright he (or she?) must have just shed:
Garter Snake
Can you see just the tiniest tips of the tongue?
Hepatica Hunt April 9, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, spring.5 comments
Beautiful weather today. So, I went to look for spring wildflowers… other than Skunk Cabbage and Colt’s Foot. But, I didn’t find any. Sigh.
Here’s what I did find, though!
Watercress
Shelf Function
Moss
Leeks
A Different Moss
Hepatica!!! (but no flowers… yet.)
Vernal Pool Pilgrimage April 5, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in amphibians, spring.5 comments
Morning Staff Meeting. Live Animal Report. “Everybody’s fine.”
“But hey, speaking of live animals, do you think tonight might be the night?”
“Could be. Rain. Temps near sixty.”
“It’s supposed to get cold again, though. And snow.”
Later in the day, we check the hour by hour forecast. Temperatures aren’t supposed to drop until 11pm or midnight. I send an email to the Spontaneous Naturalist list, post a notice on Facebook, and call Wanda. “Tonight’s the night. Dig out your rain gear and your strongest flashlight. I’ll pick you up at 7:30.”
Wanda - dressed for the weather, flashlight ready!
We arrive just as the light is fading. Peepers are singing. Rain is steady, but not unpleasant. We walk out the maintenance road, along the big field, into the woods and find two friends on a bench, clad in rain gear, also waiting for the migration.
We chat a bit, then head for the pond.
We pick our way around the edge, shining flashlights into the water.
All our old friends are here, all anticipating spring, as are we.
Wood Frog
Leopard Frog
Spotted Salamanders
Snapping Turtle
There is also evidence that the reason for coming the pond has already started, if you know what I mean…
Wood Frog and Jefferson/Blue Spotted Salamander Eggs
Jefferson/Blue-spotted Eggs
Spotted Salamander w/ Spermatophores
The amphibians were not as plentiful as I have sometimes seen them, bit it was relatively early when we headed home. We did not hear Wood Frogs singing on the way to the pond, but on the way back to the car, we did. So perhaps it got “busier” at the pool after we left.
I love to visit the vernal pools in spring. It has become a tradition.
Dave’s Been at it Again January 17, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in blogs, photography, spring, wildflowers.3 comments
Check out Dave Bonta’s latest poems. Notice at the bottom of this one – Red Trillium, he has added navigation – so you can click back to Spring Beauties and forward to Painted Trillium.
http://www.vianegativa.us/2011/01/red-trillium/
I’m just so excited about this collaboration that I’m going back to my photos to see if I have more! (Poor Dave… I’ll work his poetry-writing brain cells to exhaustion!)
So Excited January 15, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in blogs, photography, spring, wildflowers.5 comments
Sometimes, all you have to do is ask.
I had this vision of a book – hand made by my friend Deb Eck -
containing my photos of wildflowers
punctuated with poems by poet Dave Bonta.
Prim pink pinstripes
beckon from the wet soil
beside the creek. But like
most beauties, they’re choosy
about their suitors,
unmoved except by just
the right bee visiting
in just the right order:
one day they hokey-
poke their stamens out;
the next, it’s the anther’s turn.
Petals close even for a cloud.
And when flowering’s done,
they do their best
to pass for grass.
Who wouldn’t be wary
with such a large
& edible heart?
And so it begins!…
Deb’s blog: http://dryadart.wordpress.com/
Dave’s blog: http://www.vianegativa.us/2011/01/spring-beauties/
Happy Earth Day April 22, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in spring, wildflowers.4 comments
Early Meadow-rue
Thalictrum dioicum
I loved this flower even before I found out it is dioecious.
(I love that word!)
It means the male and female flowers appear on different plants.
Staminate Flowers (male)
Pistillate Flowers (female)
It would be really easy to walk right past this small, inconspicuous member of the buttercup family. But try not to! It’s a lovely little flower that deserves your attention.
The eFloras website listed below claims that Native Americans made various concoctions from the roots to treat heart palpitations and other conditions. Henrietta’s herbal page reports otherwise… Whether it has medical properties or not, it’s a cool plant. Look for it in moist woods. And don’t forget:
Love your Mother (Earth)!
Happy Earth Day.
Learn more:
