Oshawa Second MarshMay 25th, 2016

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.”     ~ Rachel Carson

Went to the marsh today. I usually take a quick shot on the way in to check my camera settings.

The shot looked nice... too nice in fact, because of the white balance setting the camera was on.

Although I liked the look of it, it's not what my eyes were seeing. So a quick settings change and the result is more realistic.

The first thing I spotted. Intriguing... but puzzling. What? Who? Why? Cool though.

A splash of green.

Dryad's Saddle fungus... one of my favourites.

The inside view of an Ostrich Fern.

Another of my favourites... Mayapple. Their umbrellas are wide open now, sheltering their lone blossoms.

They're another of the spring ephemerals, so they'll soon be gone.

Mushrooms under some greenery.

The main reason I went to the marsh today was to see the Ladyslippers, after a fellow nature lover tipped me off that they would be out.

I love 'em. Their shaggy hair-do, their tiny rich-yellow slippers. The first ones I see each year always give me a lift. Spring springs eternal.

They're not rare, but they're not common either, so seeing them is always a treat.

Garlic Mustard is an invasive, but a pretty one en masse.

Cones beneath a spruce. Will a seed or two get a start in life?

Mosquitoes quickly reminded me that I didn't have repellent on, so they cut my visit short. I did get to see my Ladyslippers though, so I was happy.

The Friends of Second Marsh web site...

http://secondmarsh.ca/

A direct link to a map of the paths/trails in the marsh...

http://secondmarsh.outdoorontario.ca/Recreation.html

A link to a page that has my past posts re the marsh, in one place rather than scattered throughout this blog...

http://rgbell.ca/2/

- fini -

A few garden pics May 24th, 2016

Is there a more laid-back bird than the Mourning Dove? They find a comfortable spot, plunk down, and watch the world go by for hours.

We've had a few birdhouses over the years.  The only creature to ever use one of ours was a bee one year. No signs of a bird being interested in this one either.

Our "Garden Boy". Makes me think of Tom Sawyer.

Squirrels & birds come & go but our resident chippies seem to always be around... scrounging under the bird feeders (or eating directly from them), scurrying across the patio under our chairs, generally just having a ball. We love watching them.

I do love Forget-Me-Nots. Jane has them scattered around the border of the lawn. Gorgeous.

Apparently there are hundreds of varieties of Hosta.

Their curly leaves can form some artistic designs.

Purple Sand Cherry.

May 24th is traditionally the date when frost is no longer considered likely. I hope so. 

Happy gardening everyone.

- fini -

Trillium TimeMay 8th, 2016

I was wondering if I'd bother going out to see the Trilliums this year. After all, I've tons of shots of them from other years. But I decided I didn't want to miss them, so I went to a local area known for them.

If you pick the right spot and the right time, our provincial flower can put on a real show. There were thousands of them.

Stretching off into the woods in all directions.

I went out just after a short rain shower. I timed it perfectly this year. They were all pristine. No holes in them yet from bugs. No petals half eaten.

 
Leaves were all in good shape too.

Mayapples share the forest floor with the Trilliums... sometimes in their own private patches. They pretty much all have their umbrellas open now.

Other times they share the same ground as the Trilliums.

Reaching for the sun.

In wet areas you can find Marsh Marigolds.

This Ash tree is/was infected with Emerald Ash Borers. They make a good meal for woodpeckers, so there are lots of woodpeckers in our area this year because of them. Almost all Ash trees in our area will be cut down, and there are thousands of them. They quickly pose a hazard to people.

I did see three red ones but they were shy and were hiding their faces.

Trilliums are one of the spring ephemerals so they'll be gone in a few weeks when the tree canopy is in full leaf. 

If you live in the area and you want to see the show, now's the time.

- fini -