5/30/12 Bangor

Rained most of yesterday and last night and more predicted for today so we headed downtown for an hour and a half. Mostly walked in neighborhoods hoping for flowers in peoples yards but many were sodden from all the rain and not very attractive. We did meet lots of friendly folks and this made Kelley happy along with all the smells of a new area.

                                           

A couple of cats that were keeping an eye on us

                                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                            

5/28/12 Sklar and Marsh Island Pond

Supposed to rain but little wind so we headed to the pond in Orono at the Marsh Island area. Road was blocked because of the parade so we turned around and went to the Sklar trails from the Boy Scout office and just wandered for an hour. When we got back to the car Kelley didn't want to leave but finally got in the car so  I decided to try the pond again and this time the road was open. I wandered around the pond looking for insects to photograph and she did a lot of swimming.

Don't know this beetle looking fellow

               
The dragonflies were not very cooperative in their posing

                     
This one gave me a really bad background but I liked that it seemed to be grasping the blade of grass

                                                                                                                                                                                            

5/27/12 City Forest

The garden is calling again so off to nearby City Forest for two hours and then back to work. We followed a trail we had not taken before but then mostly did the old rail line and the West Trail. We met some friendly people ( no dogs) and there was lots of water for Kelley. A very pleasant day with lots of flowers and insects but it was fairly breezy and not a good day for close ups. Kelley tended to get impatient as I looked for sheltered spots or waited for the wind to die down. We did manage to get  a few  anyway though many others were blurred.

These are damselflies- I just learned to tell them from Dragonflies

I don't know the name of this plant

           
I also just learned that maple seeds are edible.

                   

Another damsel

                                                                                                                                                                
     And a dragonfly   

   
Hoverfly

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

5/26/12 Moose Ponds

Mostly sunny day with temps around 70- time for something we haven't done for awhile and a day off from the garden. Little Moose  Public Reserved Land is about 75 miles from home so the drive and the hike will take up most of the day. We started from the trail head for the Moose Ponds.

           
There were lots of these white trillium

                   
And this apparently double version

                                                                                                                                      
Big Moose Pond                                             

                 
The trail follows along the pond for awhile and there is an old concrete structure-seems to have been a dam or lock of some kind- that Kelley will not walk across. There are old trees and branches backed up against it- no problem Kelley just swims out around the whole mess.

Not long after that the trail starts to climb to the ridge ( nothing Kelley can't handle) and the trail that is part of the long main trail. The section along the ridge is up and down with no large elevation changes but also not a walk in the park.

There is an overlook that offers some of the best views of the surrounding country.                    

When we got back to the junction with the Loop Trail we continued on to Papoose Pond. It seems to be filling in and there was not good access for Kelley.  We turned back to our original route.                                                                                                                                                                                            

                     

When we got to Little Moose Pond we met two guys fishing and catching Brook Trout. At both of the Moose Ponds there are a couple of camp sites with a fire pit and table- of course you have to pack everything in.

                   

                                                                                                                                                                                             
One last good swim before we take the trail back to Big Moose and then on to the trail head.

                     
A very nice day and hike 3  1/4 hours.

On the way home we passed this large field full of { mostly} old tractors and farm machinery.

                                                                                                                    

5/24/12 Black Mountain

Enough garden and dodging rain- time for a real hike. We had not been to Black Mountain in awhile and  I had forgot how difficult some sections are for Kelley. We started from the trail head on Black Mtn.Rd. And the section to the first intersection has some elevation gain but is not difficult.

This is the first open view.

And I made my first panoramic shot ( stitched together pictures)    

Waiting for me again

                                                                                                                                                     
Nearing the first intersection. We turned right at the intersection and this turned out to be very difficult for Kelley ( yellow section on map). There were places she needed to work around, places where she needed a boost, and one spot where we needed to do a major bushwhack.  She was a good sport about the whole thing and we eventually made it to the East Peak.

 

                                                                                                                                                          

     
Another panoramic shot

           

And one of a view from the top

                 

                                                                                                                                                                     After sharing an apple we headed back on the other trail which leads toward the Black Mountain Cliffs. This was a much easier trail for Kelley with no boosts or bushwhacking. When we reached the intersection with the Black Mtn. Trail we took that back down.
                

                                                                                                                                   
 A good but at times challenging hike. Kelley was a real trooper  maintaining her excitement and she exhibited no signs of distress or lameness even after we arrived home. 2  1/2 hours
                                                                  

5/23/12 City Forest

Still juggling possible rain, getting caught up in the garden, and exercise for Kelley. We went to nearby City Forest for a couple of hours. Early on we met Sophie, one of Kelley's friends, and her owner and they walked with us for much of our hike on the West Trail and the old rail bed. This was enjoyable for all but I didn't stop for many pictures. We left them to take a side trail back to the West Trail and our start near the beaver pond. We only got a few sprinkles and the rain even held off until I got some garden work done.

                                                

            

                   

Bunch Berry flower

                                                                                                                                             
Lady Slippers

                                                                                                                            

5/22/12 Downtown Bangor

Cloudy day ( nice light for flower pictures) with rain predicted and I'm still behind on the garden so we just went for a walk around town. These are some of the things we saw ( there are finally lots of flowers to see ). There were also people about for Kelley to greet.

 

                                                                                                                                                      

   

                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                              We managed to get in an hours walk without getting rained on and I even got  got some garden work in before the rain.