Central Ohio NatureThe Wisdom of The Moment and Time Passing
Posted on November 17, 2018
Recently on a cold blustery day, after a storm blanketed the landscape with ice and snow, we found ourselves walking through the woods along a high ridge where for thousands of years people long since gone, had come with all their hopes, dreams, aspirations, and those they loved, to quarry flint, for arrow heads, knives, and other tools.
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Around now flooded quarry pits, in the magic of frozen crystalline beauty, it was hard not to sense their presence and hear their voices as they spoke the wisdom of the moment and time passing.
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Ice and snow, Flint Ridge State Park.
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First Ice
Posted on November 11, 2018
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Today as we walked along the river,
the hard dry frozen ground
held wilted still green plants.
Out of the north
the wind had a bite
as fast-moving clouds
playing with the sun
and us
giving first
just a hint of warmth
then not.
While ducks swam in frigid air,
small birds hid,
and the river continued its flow
leaving near waters edge
the seasons calling card.
RSP
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A Clifton Gorge Fungi Find
Posted on November 10, 2018
We were hoping for a little more autumn color when we decided to schedule a hike in The Clifton Gorge Nature Preserve but two days of wind and rain took care of that. Starting near the mill we were greeted with splashes of muted color from a few scattered young beech trees. The red of invasive burning bushes was also seen but most of the now faded leaves had found their final resting place along the trail.
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“This 268-acre preserve protects one of the most spectacular dolomite and limestone gorges in the state. Registered as a National Natural Landmark in 1968, Clifton Gorge encompasses a 2-mile stretch of the Little Miami State and National Scenic River, just east of John Bryan State Park.
Geologically, it is an outstanding example of interglacial and post-glacial canyon cutting. At one point, the river funnels through a deep, narrow channel, which was apparently formed by the enlarging and connecting of a series of potholes in the resistant Silurian dolomite bedrock. In other sections of the gorge, cliff overhangs have broken off forming massive slump blocks scattered along the valley floor.
The shaded, north-facing slopes provide a cool, moist environment for northern species including hemlock, red baneberry, Canada yew, arbor-vitae and mountain maple. This is one of the most spectacular sites in the state for viewing spring wildflowers including the rare snow trillium”. (Ref: ODNR)
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No hiking distance records were set, and it wasn’t a great day to capture fall color, but my wife did spot some very interesting fungi.
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Along the gorge trail. (As always, you may click on any pic for a better look.)
The Little Miami, recent rain resulted in good flow through the gorge.
Oyster Mushrooms, (Donna).
In places the gorge is quite narrow.
Perhaps Golden Pholiota, (Donna).
At times it was a challenge to get the picture.
Further down the gorge the river widens.
Beech leaves appear to flow with the river. (This picture would have been much more effective with the camera mounted on a tripod using a slow shutter speed.)
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By far the most fascinating discovery was:
Fluted Bird’s Nest Fungi, (Donna).
Another view, (Donna).
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Hints of color.
A quiet spot along the river.
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It was a wonderful time spent enjoying nature with friends. A visit to Clifton Gorge never disappoints.
Beech leaves with the river far below.
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Thanks for stopping by.
An Autumn Bouquet
Posted on November 4, 2018
The image of a flower bouquet kept entering my mind as I thought about this post. Something enjoyed only briefly and then gone. Perhaps it’s the realization that today images are everywhere and the best we can hope for is a fleeting appreciation before they pass into time. So no iconic Ansel Adams images here, just glimpses of autumn in Ohio. If the reader soon forgets the images but is left with a positive feeling or inspiration the carries them into the day with a smile, we will smile.
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In no particular order, the photos were taken during the past week and are from a hike on a “new to us” trail along the western shore of Alum Creek Reservoir in Alum Creek State Park (AC), and also hikes in Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park (BD), Clear Creek Metro Park (CC) and Griggs Reservoir Park (GR), an easy to over look city park just mile a from our home. The fungi pictures are a reminder that even with most wildflowers gone until next year there is always something to discovery during a walk in the woods.
Beech leaves cast subtle shadows, CC.
Eyelash Cup, GR, (Donna). As with all images click on the photo for a closer look.
Fall color along the Big Darby, BD.
Serenity, GR.
Cracked-cap Polypore, BD, (Donna).
Windfall, CC.
Lemon Drops, BD (Donna).
Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.
White-egg Birds Nest, AC, (Donna).
Cove, AC.
Unidentified yellow mushroom, CC, (Donna).
Dark jelly fungus, CC, (Donna).
Leaves, BD.
Unidentified fancy mushroom, BD, (Donna).
Road through Clear Creek Metro Park.
Creek, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Polypore, CC, (Donna).
Path through the woods, AC.
The beautiful underside of Common Split Gill, BD, (Donna).
The Big Darby, BD.
Bridge, AC.
Orange and yellow, BD.
Alum Creek Reservoir cove.
Tiny “parasols”, CC, (Donna).
Eastern Wahoo, BD.
Fence, BD.
Picnic table, GR.
Trees at waters edge, DB.
Leaves, AC
Shaggy Mane, BD
Leaves on fallen tree, AC
Solitary leaf, BD
Leaves along the shore of Alum Creek Reservoir.
Polypore, AC, (Donna).
Woods, AC
Path, DB.
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Walking a wooded path
with little more than
the colors of an autumn day,
the earthen scent of fallen leaves
touched by rain,
and the sound of a solitary woodpecker,
I awoke in the richness
of the moment.
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Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.
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A Walk Along The Scioto
Posted on October 31, 2018
Finding autumn in a composition of color, leaves, and trees that speak to us, can be a challenge. Especially when looking for new or different interpretations. On any given day the message can be very different, sunny bright, and cheerful, or overcast rainy, and solemn. Some days we must content ourselves with views through water streaked windows as a windy rain strips branches and blankets the ground with color.
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Autumn is particularly enchanting when the magic is found close home such as during a recent walk along the Scioto River. We felt particularly blessed as Ruby-crowned Kinglets seemed to be everywhere. Two Dark-eyed Juncos even made a brief appearance but eluded the camera’s lens.
Meditation on a rock and fall color.
Distant bridge.
Color slowly makes it’s way to the ground.
A Ruby-crowned Kinglet demanding to be noticed momentarily breaks the autumn color trance, (Donna).
Meditation 2.
Sunlight through Sycamore leaves.
Color across the river.
A light rain falls.
Mist on the river.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, take 2, (Donna).
River rocks.
Leaves come to rest on a fallen log as a light rain saturates their color.
Through Sycamore leaves.
Autumn mushroom “still life”.
Tree along the river.
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Dark, cloudy, or rainy days seldom get creative juices flowing and I’m not one to go out in the rain just to see what kinds of “rain pictures” I can come up with. But sometimes, if you are significantly enchanted by a subject, it may be worth looking at it under different kinds of light and climatic conditions. In dong so it may be more fully appreciated and it’s beauty more completely revealed.
Light rain and color along the Scioto River.
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A Walk Along The Clear Fork
Posted on October 25, 2018
A cool clear quiet morning greeted us as we started a walk along the Clear Fork of the Mohican River in Mohican State Park . My hope is that the few images that follow will serve as an inspiration to spend a little more time being in nature and in doing so experience that which is larger than ourselves.
Trail along the Clear Fork.
Stained glass.
Highlights.
The low sun does it’s best to penetrate the woods.
Subtle color.
Sunlight filters through the trees.
Leaves and reflections.
Autumn graces a fallen, moss covered, tree.
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Pause for a moment, breath in the cool air, listen to the wind accompanied by the distant call of a wren, feel the warm rays of the autumn sun, soon passing.
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Autumn Reflection
Posted on October 16, 2018
As I write this the temperature has finally arrived at more normal levels for early October. Until just a few days ago it was much warmer and the season betrayed by the calendar was having a hard time getting started with leaves still reluctant to show their autumn color. That wasn’t all bad as we were treated to sightings of butterflies and other insects not usually seen this late in the year. Given the above average rainfall it continues to be a great time to see fungi which seems to be almost everywhere. Below is a celebration of some things seen over the past couple of weeks. Missing is “the picture” of me paddling the Scioto River, fishing for Smallmouth Bass, as two mature Bald Eagles circled overhead. Oh well, some things would be hard to capture in a photograph and must just be experienced.
Leaf.
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The above experience prompted me to consider things that can be photographed, which in this case happens to be landscapes. Specifically, it has to do with the difference between how a scene is seen and how the camera captures it. Or putting it another way, after we have been enchanted enough to take the picture, and after a preliminary look are happy with the results, does the image convey the desired message as shot? This then will have a lot to do with the kind and amount of post processing used and it’s limits for a particular photograph. Such things are often a matter of opinion or taste, there being no right or wrong. With that said, we’ve all seen the over saturated colors in autumn landscapes which risk devaluing the place and experience as if to say it wasn’t beautiful enough. Things worth considering I believe.
O’Shaughnessy Nature Preserve.
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As already mentioned it’s been a great year for fungi. Apparently chicken Fungi and puffballs are edible but I think we will just enjoy looking at them. At their peak the colors of some fungi are no less spectacular than the loveliest wildflower.
Turkey tail.
Rosy Russula, Emily Traphagen Park.
Puffballs, (Donna).
Unidentified fungi family with lot’s of character, (Donna).
Shaggy Mane, O’Shaughnessy Nature Preserve, (Donna).
Dead Man’s Fingers, (Donna).
Wrinkled Peach Mushroom, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Close up.
An emergent shelf fungi competes with puffballs and fallen leaves for our attention.
A polypore shows off it’s gills.
Chicken Fungi
Bearded Tooth fungi, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).
Dryad’s Saddle, note the different stages of development in this cluster, (Donna).
Orange Mycena, (Donna).
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A hint of autumn color along the Scioto River, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Tree roots and fallen leaves.
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Despite our recent fungi fascination other things have been hard to ignore. A number if years ago it took a really spectacular insect to make an impression but as I’ve spent more time looking at them my appreciation has increased. With greater knowledge and understanding it has become much harder to consider them a lower life form less noble than ourselves. They have become part of the beautiful tapestry of life where boundaries between self and the natural world disappear.
Bee on Calico Asters, (Donna).
We had to wait until fairly late in the year to start seeing Common Checked Skippers, (Donna).
Common Green Darner, (Donna).
Yellow-collared Scape Moth is very similar to the Virginia Ctenucha but is slightly smaller, (Donna).
A bee enjoying the same flower gives an appreciation of the Eastern Tailed-Blue’s size, (Donna).
Chickweed Geometer, (Donna).
A beautiful but tiny Gray Hairstreak, (Donna).
Orange Sulfur
A not often seen Variegated Fritillary, (Donna).
Giant Swallowtail, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.
Eastern Comma
Meadow Fritillaries were very common at Griggs reservoir Park this year, (Donna).
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A leaf is framed by reflections In a stream side pool.
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Pausing at water’s edge, rippled reflections dance to the rhythm of wind and light gracing us with a new vision and an invitation to a new place.
Tree branches reflect on the water’s surface, Griggs Reservoir.
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