Highlights From Our Early June Hikes

I generally walk/hike at least a couple of miles each day, no matter the weather. My best friend usually joins me; but sometimes I'm on my own. He's a great trooper, and now that he's a little more mature (2 1/2 years), he's very patient when Mom stops to take photos. We take breaks in the shade on very hot days, like we've had for the past week.

No matter what stage of the growing season, there are always interesting plants. But I'm always quite curious about the blooming and developing plants during the transitions between seasons.

As we move from spring to summer, some native plants are winding down, though still beautiful.

Geranium maculatum

Maianthemum racemosum

Dodecatheon meadia

The Geraniums and Shooting Stars have been particularly stunning this year. Other common natives are just hitting their stride.

Baptisia alba

Prairie filled with B. alba

Iris versicolor

Anemone canadensis

Zizia aurea
(Interesting beetles!)

Asclepias syriaca
(Do you see the monarch egg?)

Arnica spp.

Yarrow millefolium

Potentilla simplex

Viburnum dentatum

The insects are fun; I love all the flies, caterpillars, and bees.

In a couple of weeks, the fruity snacks along our paths will be ripe.

Rubus occidentalis

Rubus allegheniensis?

I'm looking forward to that refreshment!

I also usually notice plenty of nonnative, invasive plants.

Hieracium aurantiacum

Hesperis matronalis

Heracleum sphondylium?

While problematic, it's hard to deny the beauty of many invasive plants; if only they wouldn't take over.

We also frequently encounter wildlife during our hikes. Fortunately, the pup wasn't with me when a family of geese walked right up to me.







The papa hissed at me, but when he backed off and re-entered the pond, I snapped a few photos of the goslings.

Every encounter with wildlife is special, but we try to give them space (the telephoto lens helps).

Red-bellied woodpecker

Red-spotted purple

Viceroy

Every hike is fascinating, fun, and a new, unique adventure!

Wordless Prairie Six Weeks After Prescribed Burn

May 31: prairie at end of spring
[Click on images to enlarge for detail.]

April: prairie following a prescribed burn

March: prairie just before snowmelt

December: prairie before the snow

Wordless Wildflowers, Shrubs, and TreesAt the State Park

Prunus virginiana

Maianthemum racemosum

Geranium maculatum

Geranium maculatum

Arisaema triphyllum

Viburnum lentago

Dodecatheon meadia

June Weather in April; April Weather in May

The Trilliums are OK: l. to r., T. erectum, T. grandiflorum, T. recurvatum.

I realize that no season, month, week, or day is really "normal." But we've had a truly unusual spring this year. Yes, most Midwest springs feature unpredictable weather--popping back and forth between cold and warm; and snowy, rainy, and mild. But I don't recall a spring with truly summer weather for several days in April, a drought mid-spring, and then an extended period of cool weather into the middle of May. Most years, we have many spring days in the 60F-70F (15C-21C) range, while this year, most days have had high temps on either side of that, with a couple of days in April approaching 90F (32C).

The outcome? Many plants had an early start, and then simply paused for weeks on end. It's been a beautiful season for spring-flowering bulbs and Trilliums, because they're lasting longer. But it's changed the flow of the garden and the comfort level of the gardener.

I've seen very few migrating birds in my garden, and no orioles, rose-breasted grosbeaks, indigo buntings, or scarlet tanagers. I don't know if I missed them or if more might pass through the area with the warmer weather ahead.



The Ostrich Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) were up and uncoiled before I had a chance to harvest some for sautéing.



Meanwhile, the Redbud (Cercis canadensis) blooms are lasting longer than they usually do with "refrigeration."



I'm wondering if the early leaf-out of the Shagbark Hickories (Carya ovata) is hiding the bird feeders and oranges I put out for the migrating birds.



The Lily of the Valley flowers (Convallaria majalis) seem unfazed. (I need to remember pick some for a few vases.)



The Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) patch emerged early, and seemed to have an extended budding period.



Now, the Mayapples are blooming. :)



The Bugbane (Actaea racemosa) plants are farther along than I would expect. They generally don't bloom until midsummer, so it will be interesting to see how they progress this year.



The Crabapples (Malus spp.) had a short bloom time (drought, then heavy rain). I wonder how this will affect the local orchards.

And now we're entering the Lilac-blooming (Syringa spp.) period, one of the best times to visit Southern Wisconsin, in my opinion. The weather looks to warm and normalize a bit in the days ahead. Time to plant the annuals, edibles, and a few perennials!