8/18/16 Branch Lake

Supposed to get to 85 today and so we headed for the coast. I wasn't enthusiastic about the long drive and so we stopped at Branch Lake which was much closer ( it was only 70 degrees at that point).


Right at the start two butterflies - I have seen few this year.

White Admiral

Viceroy - thought I had my first Monarch of the year but when I looked on the computer saw it was the mimic

The first little stream still had water

But when we came to the larger stream it was dry.

Where's the water?

In the lake

We went to the point where the loop heads away from the lake and turned around. We had been looking for the canoe launch indicated on the map and never found it. Looking up the lake we could see what looked like canoes so we decided to check it out. This involved bushwhacking off the trail for awhile and Kelley was not very enthusiastic. What we came to was someone's house. The man was outside and surprised to see us but introduced himself and was very nice - said no one else had ever come through there and congratulated us.  He had a different map which showed the launch in a slightly different spot. Kelley wandered off and found lake access .When  she returned we headed back the way we had come.

A section of bog bridge on the way back.

Another little pool

Tiny flower - about 1/2 inch across.

A little adventure with some unexpected aspects. Kelley did well and there were very few bugs. 80 when we got back to the car and it would reach 85 a little later. 2 hours 

8/15/16 Partridge and Ducktail Ponds

Mix of sun and clouds with temps in the 70's but quite humid. Last time we were here deer flies were fairly numerous and annoying - today there were none and few mosquitoes. Kelley was off to a slow start but got into it as we proceeded.

Seems too early

I'm not crossing that. Usually she just finds a way around but today she sat down first.

There are a couple of small streams that cross the trail a small pool. Today they were all dry.  and this was the first water she found.

Section of trail

Partridge Pond

The dry area in the picture above is usually a small stream that we walk through to get to the ledge on the other side.

and usually have an apple break

and more water

Wintergreen in Reindeer Lichen on the way to Ducktail

Ducktail Pond

Last water for today

Pretty good hike. Kelley did OK after a slow start but I think the humidity bothered her- it did me. 2 hours 

8/14/16 Garden Pics for Sue

Rainy weather so we aren't hiking. Sue has asked for garden pictures a couple of times ( I've seen her's) so today is the day. I have a city lot with not much room and much of that is shaded. I use pots and grow lots of things vertically to use what space and sun I have. It still surprises me how much you can grow in a small area. Please click for larger pictures

Looking up the drive. On the left on the stakes are 24 tomatoes and in front of them pots of peppers. On the right are cukes and some leftover kale.

Walk to front door - 11 pots of eggplant with cukes behind them

Small front deck has mostly potted herbs that I bring inside in winter: rosemary, lemongrass, ginger, Mexican oregano, thyme, and columnar basil.

Better view of cukes along the walk and some squash that grow out over the lawn- I just mow around them.

 Squash growing up front of house next to garage

Kale bed with tomatoes behind the kale and pole beans at the end of the bed.

Bed with summer squashes, cukes behind, and pole beans at the other end

From the other end a couple of tomatoes in pots, some cukes that were supposed to be bushy but are running everywhere and a winter squash ( bush butternut)

Back deck -  ( the sun came out !) another bush butternut, 5 husk cherries, peppers, parsley, basil - regular, thai, and columnar, and a couple of large marigolds.

 Salad greens at end of deck - the netting is to keep out the squirrels who would otherwise dig it up.

So far a pretty good year in spite of the lack of rain-(lots of watering)- no cucumber beetles this year and few slug, more bees than I have seen in a long time. Tomatoes just starting to ripen (have had a few) , have also had Asian vegetables ( more started), pole beans, summer squash, cukes, salad greens, kale, and green peppers, and eggplants. 

8/12/16 Branch Lake

Cooler today but rain forecast later so we got an early start. The last time we were here there were a lot of  deer flies; we would check it out and if still a problem go on to Acadia. There were only a few at the start and once we got in the woods none. There was little wind so a good day for close ups and water for Kelley, so lots of pictures.

Kelley found a small stream

Too soon

a bit behind- I keep going when she is sniffing around and she sometimes keeps going when I stop to photograph.

The lake shore is very rocky and mostly brushy, so it's not always easy for Kelley

but we find place between the rocks

And while she is in the water I look for things along the shore

A little further along the shore

Reflected reeds

The woods are fairly dense so not much grows on the floor: but once back on the tote road there was lots to see.

Lunch time

Same stream other side of the road

Waiting for me- she kept going a bit while I got the grasshopper

Don't know what these are

Pretty good hike. Kelley did well. few insects, and bearable temps.
Took longer than usual with my picture taking and tromping through brush looking for Kelley spots. She also stayed in the water each time longer than usual. 2 hours