October Forgotten

October wasn't really forgotten, just busy.  There are no rules with a blog like mine.  I would like to do a post for every adventure, even a short post, but there are always other more fun things to do!  In an effort to "catch up" (I'm not really behind - remember no rules), I am going to put several outings together in this post, mostly pictures.

2013 10 14 Marie and I took a trip to Grand River Park, Ottawa County, Michigan.  Remember this is mid October, I thought this year the color of the leaves were a bit subdued, more yellows and tans than red.  Still the trees were beautiful.

Staghorn Sumac

 Grand River

There was some red, like this maple.

Grand River Park, Ottawa County, Michigan

Jeweled web

The next week October 21st, we went to Kent County, Michigan to Roselle Park.  We were here a few years ago but didn't explore, this time we walked the whole park.

We started with visiting the silos, one silo you can walk up inside to the top.  You have a nice view of the park and you can just barely see the Grand River.

Roselle Park
 
Roselle Park - Ada Township, Michigan



More of Roselle Park

After Roselle Park we went to Ada Township Park where there is an arboretum. 

Here is a glimpse of Ada Township Park.

 A neat little observation dock...


Ada Township Park really has so much to offer, the trees with identification signs, ponds, a water fountain, nature trails, ball fields, tennis courts, benches, picnic tables and more!  Since this was October 21st we didn't expect to see many wildflowers, but what a surprise we had! 
We were wandering the nature trails and came to a small weedy field, the soil was fairly damp, and I found a Fringed Gentian!  Then another, and another! 

We have found Fringed Gentian in about 4 locations around Michigan so this was exciting to have another place to find this beautiful wildflower growing, and still blooming late in October!



I have asked the question before, why don't I find Fringed Gentian and Bottle Gentian growing together?  They both like damp soil, I guess we do usually find the Fringed Gentian in wetter areas than the Bottle Gentian, but still why not in the same damp place?

Just about the time I asked myself that question and just after I had found several Fringed Gentian...I found a Bottle Gentian only 10 feet away! That was so exciting!

The plants were a bit rough but they were definitely blooming.  I will visit Ada Township Park again.

October 28th, Marie and I made a trip to Barry County to check out a few of our favorite places.  The end of October is quite late in the year for wildflowers in Michigan, but the weather had been mostly mild so we did find flowers still blooming.

 The morning sky, a very pretty start to the day and sunshine!

One of "our" very special places in Barry County...

 Land of the Larch, the beautiful golden-yellow needles of the Larch trees as they get ready to drop their needles.

We found Fringed Gentian here.  Being the very end of the blooming season, they were a bit sad looking.

Kalm's Lobelia was still blooming nicely!

Biennial Gaura (Gaura biennis) Evening Primrose family was still blooming, along with asters, Queen Anne's Lace, Bouncing Bet, golden rod, and a few more flowers.

Toward the end of the month, Mike and I visited the cabin up north in Manistee County, Michigan to celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary.  Of course we hiked the Manistee River Trail, one of the best hiking trails in Michigan. 

View of the Manistee River from the Manistee River Trail

 Slagle Creek bridge along the Manistee River Trail.

We stopped at the overlook at Hodenpyl Pond, unfortunately the whole weekend was cloudy with some rain.  The colors of the leaves were still fairly bright even without the sun. 
We also visited my sister and brother-in-law (Sugar and Rick) in nearby Copemish, Michigan where they happen to be camping.  Also in Copemish, we walked the First Creek Nature Trail.  Nice little trail.

 Boardwalk and leaves at First Creek Nature Trail.

Mike and I continue to visit Riverside Park in Ottawa County each week.  Before the snow fell we took a few bike rides, one was a twenty mile trip on the bike trail from Ravenna to Marne. 

AND we have added a 2 1/2 mile stroll around our neighborhood every evening!  Yes, even in the snow and when it is only 15 degrees outside.

 Riverside Park in Ottawa County Michigan

One week we saw a pair of eagles in a tree across the Grand River, look close - see the dark spot about in the middle of the picture?  I didn't get the best close-up shots since I only had Mike's shoulder for a tripod.  (I do own a tripod just didn't have it with).  I still think it is cool to see  Bald Eagles right here along the Grand River!

These were the best close-ups I got of the eagles.





So that was a bit of October, better late than never?  Maybe next time the whole month of November!  

Still Lost or ... Found?

2010 11 15    Off we go in search of the missing scarf,  Grand River Park here we come! 


Still nice weather, 40's and sunshine.  We arrived at the park at 9am, geared up with boots and backpacks.  I took a quick scan for the purple scarf at picnic tables, playground equipment, map signs, nothing.  But we didn't expect it to be hanging out there, right.


We headed to the trail where we thought we had ducked into the underbrush near the stream that takes us to the Paw Paw patch.  Mostly browns, leaves and trees.  Remember we are looking for purple.  Marie and I had split up taking separate deer trails so we wouldn't miss THE SCARF.


It wasn't long before I heard her whoop then "I found it!  I found it!".  Of course the scarf was cold and damp from being alone on the riparian forest floor for four long days. 

Found!

We spent almost 4 hours in the woods!  How did that happen?  Marie found a Common Blue Violet still blooming! 

                                  Nice, a blooming violet so late in the season. 
Plants amaze me!              

We also saw Hoary Allysum, a dandelion, a speedwell, and some asters still blooming.  We found beautiful strawberry plant leaves. A pleasant day at the park.

After Grand River Park we drove to Grand Haven to celebrate at Ray's Drive-In with French fries and a rootbeer shake then back home to do research on things we had found at the park.  We identified a Slippery Elm, Nannyberry, looked into beechdrops, and Highbush Cranberry.  We are explorers.  FUN! 

The Day of The Lost Scarf

2010 11 11 Marie and I treated ourselves to an extra day out this week because the weather has been just so nice!  In Michigan it is archery deer hunting and even in many of our Ottawa County parks they allow hunting.  So look out for the hunters. 

 We visited Hudsonville Nature Center, in well yes, Hudsonville Michigan.  NO HUNTING!  Here there are planted prairies, a mixed hardwood forest,  moraines, wetlands, and a flowing creek.  I think the creek is part of Rush Creek by I'm not certain of that.

We were here late in June and we found many plants blooming.  Plants are amazing.

                                                  Herb Robert

                                         Orange Hawkweed


                                                           Red Clover



So these were some wildflowers we saw in June now things are shades of brown not much blooming and soon things will be white with snow.

Next stop on this day was Grand River Park.  This is a great place for a walk.  No hunting and we thought maybe we could find the fruit of the Paw Paw that we spotted on October 18.  We didn't find the Paw Paw fruit, it is probably gone, eaten or rotted or maybe we weren't in exactly the right place.

The day after this Marie called me with a bit of sad news that she had lost her scarf.  It wasn't an expensive scarf, but it was a scarf she thought was just right, soft and purple.

Will she find her scarf next time?   

Grand River Park and later The Super Pier Challenge 300 2010!

2010 10 18  A beautiful autumn day in Michigan at Grand River Park, an Ottawa County Park in Georgetown Township.  This park has just about everything, upland woods, floodplain forest, restored native grasslands, wetlands, the Grand River, and a small lake.  


You can hike, bike, or ski the trails (3 miles) in this 162 acre park.  You can fish in the lake from a boardwalk, use the boat launch at the Grand River, or view the Grand River from an overlook platform.

                                                                     

Marie and I walked here on this day for over 6 hours!  It seemed more like two hours.  We had our boots, so we walked in the streams and found not only several Paw Paw trees but a large bunch of Paw Paw fruit!

 Fruit of the Paw Paw

Stream at Grand River Park where the Paw Paw grows.


We saw lots of flowers still blooming!



Asters



Chicory

Heal All (Prunella vulgaris)

Cheeses (Malva neglecta)

Fall Color Along the Trail at Grand River Park

Grand River where it meets Millhouse Bayou
(this was on the way home from the car window )



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Later this same day I was invited to participate in the

Super Pier Challenge 300 2010, with Betsy, Benjamin, and Ryan!  It was so cool, fun.  It gets dark here fairly early

      ~ 7:00 p.m. so part of the challenge was biked in the dark. 

Here are a couple of pictures that I took while pedaling along the pier in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Grand Haven Pier on Lake Michigan

What a great day! 

Ottawa County Parks Link   

    http://www.co.ottawa.mi.us/ParksVI/Parks/