Driven Inside Early

We were outside early intending to complete some garden cleanup ahead of the promised rain.  Unaware that the temperature was a mere 36 degrees, cold hands soon ended that activity.  Riding about in the warmth of the truck took us up the lane and onto the back meadow.  Stopping near the Arbutus patch, we quickly spotted a ruffled grouse.  Usually they are seen scurrying away from us.  This one instantly spotted us but decided to wait while we passed.  This is the first picture that we have ever taken of this elusive bird.  As is usually the case, flight soon followed.

Passing close to the garlic planting revealed that nearly every planted clove was sending up new growth.  Our battle with root rot seems to have been finally won.  We continue to peel every clove before planting in order to remove the occasional infected clove.  A vodka soak follows.  This is time consuming but we simply must not reinfect our ground.

Becky discovered this unknown to her plant growing on the root mass of an upended tree.  We have spent 25 years walking on this land and I was certain that she had identified every plant growing here with the exception of the ferns and mosses.  She is presently searching her books but some time for the plant to present its summer growth may be needed before this plant is identified.

This body of water was impounded before this land became ours.  A group of horses spent their summers here and this was their water supply.  Glacial till was dropped here and the bedrock ridge hidden behind the trees disappeared into it.  Several springs drain onto the flat surface leaving the uneven ground wet in places.  All of this water seeps into the gravel soil left behind by the glacier before lower ground seen in the distance can be reached.  Later in the year wet feet sometimes result when I try to move into the forested ridge from the meadow.

All of these downed trees fell on our watch.  When we first came to this land it was possible to step from the dam across water to the ridge soil at he base of a now fallen tree.  Walking among these trees while so close to the impounded water was a thrilling experience for us.  That wonder has been replaced by a jumble of uprooted trees.  The thinness of their root masses show that these trees were growing close to the ridge bedrock.  Solid footing was simply not available here.