A Rainy Day Walkabout

Irene does some damage on Market Street

Good morning, Friends! It's raining, it's pouring and the old man is definitely snoring. After Irene, I didn't think we'd see much rain again for a while, but it started yesterday, and hasn't really stopped. 


I went for a rain walk yesterday, and I picked some moss for some terrarium building. I spotted a few interesting things along the way, too! Unfortunately, the photos didn't turn out that nice because I was so worried about getting my phone wet while I was trying to focus. I'll show you what I found, anyway. 

First, these flowers at right smelled soooo good! I was walking down Penn Street when I got a whiff of a sweet, mellow perfume. I looked around and saw this flowering vine on several different fences. As I walked closer, I realized that it was also the source of the scent! I love these flowers anyway because of their resemblance to a starry sky at night, and they always seem to grow with such wild abandon. I hadn't actually caught the full strength of their power until recently! Their heady fragrance is enough to lift me off to another planet!

Gingko saplings

When I got to the edge of the woods by the cemetery, I started looking around for some nice moss. I saw some gingko saplings that I took note of for a future excursion with K. He's been doing some serious bonsai research! He's amassed some of the more common accoutrements, and is ready to start controlling those little trees... so we've been keeping watch for some starters. A little maple tree planted by a squirrel would work fine, but people tend to pull them out as soon as they find them. Squirrels don't always choose the best locations for their plantings.

A baby bunny!

I also saw something that I at first took for a squirrel hunkered down in the grass. It turned out to be a baby bunny! It was pretty well hidden for a while, then as I stood there, it resumed eating and I could tell exactly what it was. I had to do serious digital zoom to get a close enough image... so it's a bit pixellated. Sorry! It was so cute!! I just adore rabbits, most especially after finishing Watership Down!


I did see lots of squirrels cavorting amongst the trees and hedges. They seemed to be very busy, but at what, I can't imagine.


The birds were singing overhead, and robins were bob-bob-bobbing along beside me, looking for some fat worms brought out by the rain. I never feel lonely when I'm out walking! There's just too much going on around me!

Ferns? Could be nice in a terrarium...

I saw a few plants that I considered for my future terrarium... things that looked like tiny ferns, but which could end up being some type of weed. It could have been a kind of yarrow... I'm not that familiar with all the wild plants of Pennsylvania yet. I took photos and noted their locations if I decide to return for them. They were growing all over the place and wouldn't be missed.

I lifted up some segments of moss, and placed them in my plastic bag that I'd brought along inside my canvas bag. I also picked up some litter as I walked. I figured that I was taking something, so I should also give something, even if the giving was a taking of garbage. K and I both try to help out by picking up litter on our walks. (If we don't like to look at it, then why not pick it up and throw it into a recycle bin or garbage can? Makes sense, right?)

You all know I love seeing wild mushrooms when I'm out walking... and I wasn't disappointed! Of course, I was looking for morels! but alas, I found a few interesting little shrooms in a patch by a tree. K's parents have a little trailer for their truck out in their backyard, and underneath are growing these same little mushrooms. It looks crazy there because they only grow in the shade of that trailer, and no where else... like a white shadow! I should've taken a picture, but forgot.

Sorry so blurry...

And I saw this one, bright, lone tangerine dream. I tried to get a good picture of it, but with the rain coming down, and me not wanting to ruin my phone, I didn't succeed. Still, you can see how it contrasts brilliantly with the green moss! So pretty! Less blurry in person. Ha ha.

And the last thing I wanted to share with you all today is this little gem that I took on my way to work a couple days ago. The sun had been out since Irene hit, making the world a bright place for all... and drawing out Mother Nature's smaller creatures... including two monarch butterflies that I haven't seen here until that day.

It was feeding on the nectar from  this wild butterfly bush (doing its job!) and let me get quite close to it. Its partner was up too high for me to try to photograph. But this one was right at my level... and it was stunning. I felt so lucky to get close to these colorful butterflies! I hope you enjoyed the little nature walk with me. I'm off to get ready for work, and take a walk in the rain! I'll have my yellow boots on, of course!

xoxox

Hiking to Sunfish Pond - Part 1

We finally made it to Delaware Water Gap, to hike to Sunfish Pond! It was a balmy day, temperatures were around 75-80 degrees F, and the humidity was around 70%. Warm, but not brutal. We decided to go for it.


The drive to Delaware Water Gap only took us about an hour, which is great! The other place we hiked, Hawk Mountain, takes a little longer to get to. This was a surprise for us. Also, not a lot of traffic. (It's still strange for this California transplant to drive places and NOT be stuck in traffic for a while.)
Anyway, we had our veggie sammies in a pack, along with some plums, yogurt covered raisins, salted almonds, and a couple of energy bars, since we didn't have a big breakfast beforehand. We were ready!

We decided to take the Appalachian Trail only as far as Dunnfield Hollow Trail, then take that up to Sunfish Pond. Due to the heat, it seemed a good idea because we'd follow Dunnfield Creek almost all the way up. The entire trail was pretty much under the cover of trees, so we didn't get too hot or sunburned, even! Also, there was a strange phenomena going on that we still don't understand... there were these glistening rocks all embedded in the trail... when you touch them, you can feel that they're cold with condensate dew on their surfaces. Why are they cold, though? Other rocks were normal, dry, about the temp of the surrounding air, even in the same area of the trail. Specific rocks were COLD, though; so cold that they were condensing in the heated air. Weird.

Cold rock in the trail... sorry it's blurry

The trail was intensely green, with fields of ferns off to the sides, and towering birch trees, oaks, tulip trees and other deciduous trees... it was stunning! The creek that burbled alongside the trail was over mostly smoothed rock, with moss growing all around.
I loved when the sun would shine through, lighting up the undergrowth and making the treetops glow.

K near the creek bed

There were small waterfalls and chilly pools along the creek, which beckoned us in. We didn't stop to play, though. Maybe next time...

Lovely waterfall!

You could tell that people would stop and swim in some of the pools, because there were piles of rocks here and there (and some random initials carved into a tree.) There wasn't too much litter, although there were bits of broken glass along the trail.


There were blackberry, raspberry and wild blueberry bushes all along the forest, which we indulged in. Delicious, too.

We found bear scat in a few places, which made us nervous, ha ha. Never did see any bears, though. I'm not sure if I'm glad, or a little sad, about that. 


We were attacked by bugs along the trail... for anyone thinking of doing a summer hike, best to have a bandanna to tie around your head to cover your ears. They like to try to enter your ear canals. Freaks me OUT. Also, I had several bugs go into my eyes, so even though it was shaded under the canopy of trees, I had to wear my sunglasses to prevent anymore of the little buggers from going in my eyes. That was pretty annoying! Luckily, it wasn't for the entire trail, just through some stretches of it. Here are some views along the trail... there were a couple places where we had to ford the creek, but since it hasn't rained too much lately, that wasn't difficult, as you can see.

Fording area

Mossy rock being hugged by a tree 

The sun peeking through the canopy

Rocky steps along the trail

We walked four miles up trails like that (above) as well as less ordered rocky areas like this...

It wasn't easy! My legs are so sore today! Here are some of the goodies that we saw along the trail... so many mushrooms and fungi! It was amazing!

There were even more than this, but after a while, you get tired of squatting to take photos, especially when you've been walking straight up for a few hours.

These plants were especially intriguing to me, as I've never seen them before... they were very white, almost translucent, but with golden designs inside of them... I have them in the collage above, but wanted to share these closer shots with you.

Ghostly plants

Tomorrow, I'll share Part 2: Sunfish Pond and Back. I think you've had enough of this hike for today! I hope you enjoyed your trail walk with me!

Morels...

On one of our woodsy walks, K and I found some morel mushrooms. I confirmed their authenticity, and then took them home. (Leaving one behind to spore and make more!) Has anyone cooked these before? If so, how do you prepare them to make the most of their flavor? When I looked them up online, everyone seems to be deep-frying them, and I don't want to do that. I only have a few of them, not a whole lot, so I want to really savor their flavor.


Does anyone have an outstanding recipe to share with me? I'd love to know how to cook up some morels! Aren't they the weirdest looking mushroom? I currently have them soaking in salt water in the fridge to kill anything living in/on them. I may have to store them a day or two until I can get ingredients for cooking them... so send me your recipes, please! 


I know that they're a delicacy in France, and used in lots of French recipes. I've never eaten them before, though, so I don't know what the best way to serve them is yet. I've got my fingers crossed that someone will help! :-)


xox