Wildflower Fest – Hepatica

While pleased to find the early blooming Bloodroot from yesterday’s post, I was quite excited to find these Hepatica growing close by. I was prostate, head down hill on this good earth when I found them to get my shots. I couple of other hikers passed me by while in this earth bound position and told me they were quite relieved to see me move and stand up. This all ended up in a little mother earth nature lesson. Amazing to me how people just pass on by never seeing what is really on this earth along the trail.

I do wonder if they would have left me if I really wasn’t moving?

Hepatica is named for the 3 lobed (like our liver) basil leaf which I do not show. Lying down hill has some mobility limits.

Earth is this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge of the week. Check out the other entries.

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The Upward Look

 

The Upward Look

Another Wordless Wednesday

 

Against the Odds

The odds of such a beautiful weather in Northeast Ohio today was a good start. Trail comradery matched the day as I perused the trails with many birdwatchers sharing what they had seen and where. Coming out of the woods to cross the dam of the 10 acre pond at The Wilderness Center, I spotted an unusual sight swimming with the Canada Geese. Another birder was similarly focused. Neither of us knew what we were looking at, so a little teamwork ensued. Using my camera to freeze some detail and her birdwatching app, our discovery was a Blue Goose. Or, the dark morph of the Snow Goose. It had been adopted by this flock since, according to All About Birds, it does not migrate through Ohio. Snow geese are the color of their name. So, you get the picture; it was a day Against the Odds WPC challenge of the week. O, and the birder? turns out she’s from our neighborhood. What are those odds?

Blue Morph – Snow Goose

Little Friday Friend

 

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Along with this Tufted Titmouse, Ohioans will be enjoying some nice early spring weather this weekends. Fresh air and sunshine forecasts are always welcome. Have a great weekend!

 

Ice-ographic Contours

Wordless Wednesday

Matte Finish

I’m reposting for this weeks Weekly Photo Challenge. I guess I was ahead of my time, but this photo of shadows fits the theme perfectly.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Shadow

Matte Finish

Each reflection shows it character.

Repurposed: O & E Towpath Trail

One of three hiking trails I weekly walk is the Zoar Valley Trail, part of the Ohio and Erie Canal Tow Path corridor. The trailhead I use begins near the Historic Village of Zoar and accommodates hikers, bike and equestrian traffic. The river increasingly is used as a recreational waterway. Eventually this trail which begins near Cleveland, travels through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and 4 county park systems will reach the Ohio River following the old canal route. The portion I routinely walk has served as canal, fish hatchery and a sawmill trace. It has been nicely repurposed , which is the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge theme of the week.

Zoar Valley Trail

Step up to walking bridge over the Tuscarawas River to the Village of zoar

Ohio and Erie Canal 83 mile marker. Old foundations in the background.

Remains of Old Saw mill that used part of the canal.

Signs on State Route 212 near the restored historic village of Zoar.