Walk in the woods

 Our township owns a forest that is crisscrossed with trails.  We set out to find it one day this week and thought we had when we walked on this trail

It followed the course of this brook (not creek in NH).

There were lots of interesting rock formations,

vernal pools,

and trees.

The trail we realized was either a road or a former railroad bed.  The grade was gradual like rail lines though no signs of old rail timbers.  It soon ended at the road we had turned off of so we weren't in the town forest as we thought.

We did spot signs of spring - skunk cabbage.

And don't these two (above and below) look like alligators?

We consulted the map and did some more driving and found the forest.  Decided to save any walks for another time.  My header photo is a trillium about to bloom on the hillside in the town forest.  We will return soon to see more wildflowers. as you can see the woods are full of them.

Welcome Spring

Purchased these wooden letters for an old shutter redo. 

 On Pinterest saw lots of possibilities though mostly winter themed but figure I can do something similar for spring.

 It's going to be warming up soon so I can take a wire brush to the old wooden shutter, use some spray paint and the letters and make a spring sign for the front porch.

Inside I've got some spring decor out.

Pysanky eggs are on display. Most of these decorated over the years.

 

Signs of spring:  birds singing, sun warming the earth and melting the snow, mud season, and sap running into the sap buckets.  Daughter and family have been diligently collecting it, boiling it down outside and making maple syrup. It is really sweet.

Since this photo was taken the snow has mostly melted in their backyard.

Spring Walk

After lunch today,  Dan and I headed out to walk to see what we could see at the heron rookery.

It's a delightful Spring day, raining pink petals from the flowering cherry trees.

The redbud trees are also in full bloom.

Last summer this route was washed out by heavy rains that flooded many places.  Now the crossing has been reinforced with rocks.

Looking downstream.

Looking upstream.

Some trees are in fuller leaf than others.

We spotted two trees with heron nests. These didn't appear occupied now.  They probably were earlier in March.

The light green and blue make such a nice contrast.

Under foot was a small leaf plant.

It was everywhere which means its likely to be an invasive carpeting the forest floor.

Walking back here's the old road bed now a service road to underground pipelines.

It's lined on either side with old locust trees which are very slow to green each spring.

Locust wood is very hard and was used for fence posts.

The old road would have been from Columbia Pike (now U.S. route 29) to this old home: Oakland Manor, built in 1811.  Columbia Pike got its name for the turnpike company that once owned it.  My city, Columbia, took its name from the road that bisects the city.

This once stately home is now owned by the Town Center Village of Columbia.  Their offices are there and its rented frequently for weddings and other fancy occasions.  It sits directly behind Vantage House where I live.

Just an Assortment

With the one warm day we had last week, the frogs appeared in the pond and left this mass of eggs.

Have been hearing owls' call but no sign of inhabitants of the owl house high up in this sycamore tree.

Down at the bottom of our driveway the wetlands to the right still has not put on any spring coloring.

The small creek in the glen has one spot of green showing.

And the bluebirds continue to stake claim to this box.  There are more than two so I don't know how that will work out.

Just Thought I'd Share Some Photos