27 May 2018 Ridgeway Game Lands

We planned to spend the afternoon hiking a gamelands in Ridgeway. The area had a number of geocaches listed and offered a longer hike. We enjoyed a fun walk up to the ridge with a salamander spotted in a pool, plenty of pyrola in bloom and a long distance spotting of a fire tower by Ali.

Our luck changed when we reached the ridge and realized there was a timber cut in progress.

Our caching day and hike were over as the trails were gone with the timber cut.

26 May 2018 Elk State Forest

It had been a few years since our last visit to Elk State Forest. We were happy for another opportunity to hike the loop visiting the large rock formations and overlooks.

Lizzie looks out at Huckleberry Vista.

We weren't expecting to spot orchids, and were surprised to spot a couple Lady's Slippers in a relatively open area alongside the trail.

We stopped at a popular elk viewing spot hoping to see them moving from the woods and across the field. We were likely too early as the field was empty.

We were treated to a good view from this high spot.

Our last stop was for a cache in a small streamside park near this old double truss bridge. These seem to disappear monthly in Pennsylvania. This one appears to have some future left as it had a fresh coat of paint.

24 May 2018 Eastern Kingbird

An eastern kingbird outside my office was a nice break from the work day.

21 May 2018 In The Yard

2017 was a terrible summer for me. Work was stressful and completely unrewarding. It dragged me down. I decided this year was time to play in the yard. I bought some tree seedlings. I planned some pruning. It put me in a happier place. I am not so sure our Mazda 3 shared my enthusiasm.

I lost a Japanese larch during a windstorm. It was my favorite tree. I planted it at about two feet. It grew strong and was beautiful. For Christmas, Ali ordered a new one. Today it was planted. Hopefully this one will grow to be just as beautiful and outlive me.

There's some nice spring color in the yard.

I had all but resigned to losing out multiple viburnums to viburnum leaf beetles, but last year they seemed to hold their own. This spring their growth is strong and blossoms plentiful. I have enough confidence I have started reshaping the worst hit rather then figuring any bit of green was too vital to risk by pruning.

Grow Japanese Larch! Grow!

20 May 2018 A Quiet Day Outdoors

We spent the early part of the day planting the items we had purchased at the Holden Plant Sale. While working on the new plants, we were enjoying the wildflower blossoms of the woods under the watchful eye of a chickadee.

Starflower blooming on our property means the painted trilliums and orchids of nearby woods are either blooming or very close.

The fringed polygala was past its prime, but still plentiful.

We usually come upon a morrell or two at our home. This year we spotted the most ever.

We left time at the end of the day for a visit to Anders Run before driving back to Ohio. Anders Run was moving quickly today.

The red and white trilliums were past their prime but still plentiful.

We were a little early for most of the orchids. The round leaves had not sent spikes and most of the lady's slippers were still opening.

A few were open for us to enjoy.

19 May 2018 Allegany State Park

Allegany State Park is on our May calendar each year. This year was a perfect spring day to be with friends on the trails. The company was great as were the views and the wildflowers.

18 May 2018 Holden Plant Sale

we visited Holden Arboretum for the plant sale. I needed to take a business call so I wandered off into the crabapple collection while Ali waited to pay for our wildflowers. If you need to take a business call on a vacation day, it is nice to be able to take it on a sunny day wandering through trees in blossom.

16 May 2018 Followed By Ducklings

I've never been followed by ducklings before.

I was caching at Ohio Northern University and headed toward a foot bridge over a small pond.

They followed me across the bridge.

I was surprised the duck parents weren't alarmed.

It was fun. It was a bright spot on a frustrating, late-afternoon visit to Hardin County. The ducks were much more fun than the geocaching.