A Puzzle from Piper

The last puzzler was so difficult Piper and I thought something that could actually be solved might be in order.  It seemed like it might be an enjoyable way to kick off the weekend and hope you think so, too.

As we set off for our morning ramble, Piper saw something quite exciting and was instantly transfixed. She didn't want to budge. 

Do you see what she saw?

Forests, Fungi and Furniture

While out hunting for sneaky and elusive morel mushrooms with my brother, I ran across some other fun fungi.

These first specimens were quite close to home and I found them as I took Piper out for our morning ramble (we also found morels on our morning walks, but those have been documented elsewhere).

They fell into the general category of LBMs (little brown mushrooms), being quite small and of minimal interest from the edibility standpoint. Cute, though, and always worth stopping to appreciate.

While down on my knees harvesting morels, I discovered this little rascal hiding in a fallen snag with a hollow to snuggle into. It's a dryad saddle (perhaps being used as interior furniture in a small magical dwelling?).

There were a number of others growing nearby, as well. Although they are edible, we have been told they are not choice, so we've never bothered to collect them. The dryads can continue to use their furnishings without fear from us.

A Difficult Mystery Solution

As usual, here's the first mystery picture. 

The thing we're looking for is pretty close to the center of the image - both top to bottom and side to side.
 

Again, it's pretty close to center, but just a little to the right. (And still very difficult to see, due to the backlighting.)

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This is what we were looking at, and the lighting still isn't the best, but at least it's possible to see what the subject is!

It's a red-shouldered hawk sitting on her nest. If you look really carefully, you can see a couple little yellow fuzz balls.

She glared at me for my impertinent intrusion and I left her alone with her little ones.

Being the nosy, impertinent soul that I am, I came back the next day, when mom was out hunting and one of the fuzzy heads popped up for me to see. I tried to get both of them, but the second one was almost always behind the left-hand fork of the tree. 

The nest isn't too far down the trail from the barn on our family property, so while I was down there hunting for mushrooms and helping with gardens, I would check on progress every day. This was the first time we had seen the little tykes peering out at the great, wide world.

I hope it was worth the extra effort of trying to find the hidden treasure. And kudos to BetsyLee for spotting a nest in the forest. :)

A Difficult Mystery (Part 2)

Here's the recap. Our first clue was really tough. 

Let's get closer and see if it helps!

I can see it here, but I know where and what it is, so I have a huge advantage! I think it's still almost impossible otherwise... But you have all really surprised me in the past, so I know you have sharp eyes.

Don't forget that you can enlarge the picture by clicking on it.

A Difficult Mystery to Solve

Well, I thought this mystery photo would come out better than it did. I warn you it's hard, but there is something pretty cool to be discovered in the trees.

We'll slide in closer to our target tomorrow, but you guys are so good at this you may see better than I can!! 

Don't forget that you can click on the image to enlarge it. Take advantage of every bit of help with this one!

Searching for Snacks

Piper and I walked across what will forever be known as Baloo's Big Field to the more developed part of the park, where the grass on the soccer fields and the surrounding areas recently got mowed. 

There was a very active pair of killdeer sticking close together as they went about searching for food. I'm sure they have a nest somewhere nearby, but they weren't being as protective as they often are, so I suppose that means we weren't close enough to alarm them.

Piper did a good job of staying still as I snapped pictures of the two birds weaving back and forth across the grass.

The markings on killdeer are so striking. I love the sharp contrast between the dark stripes and the lighter bands. It really helps them disappear into the weeds or sand when necessary.

I'm sure there will be more of these cuties appearing along the way, as I seem to be unable to resist photographing them whenever they cross my path. :)

More Flowers that Bloom in the Spring

As promised (or threatened, as the case may be), here are a few more wildflowers for a Monday morning. 

Wild grapes are blooming, looking like the tiny harbingers of grape clusters to come. Maybe some wild grape jelly might be in order this fall... We'll see.

Phlox are always delightful to spot. There's something so fresh and innocent about those simple, open petals. They might be uncomplicated, but they're still beautiful.

I love trillium flowers. The one above had a nice tree trunk as its background, helping it stand out especially well.

Not that they really need any help standing out - their bright, white blossoms make a bold statement in the leaf duff and spring grass, too.

And I'll always have a soft spot for forget-me-nots. They're prolific, growing along the edges of the woods, where they stay in partial shade, but there's just something about the tiny, soft blue flowers with the yellow centers that always bring a smile to my face.

I have a feeling that still more wildflowers will be cropping up before too much time has passed. Brace yourselves!

The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring (Tra La)

Spring wildflowers blooming and brightening the forest floor are always a treat to see. They don't last long - I guess that's why they're called spring ephemerals. 

Large flowered bellworts often bloom in groups along hillsides or riverbanks.

The flowers are delicate, with long, tapered petals that look a little windblown.

Piper photo bombed my attempt at getting a good picture of the aptly named foam flower. She was curious about what had captured my attention, so she had to give them a sniff.

She didn't find them particularly interesting, though, and moved away so that I could get a second chance at a picture.

I have more spring wildflowers to share in a day or so, since they always entrance me with their beauty and I can't resist trying to photograph them.  

Trailcam Throwback Thursday

Every now and then the trail cameras capture something pretty spectacular that would be nearly impossible to see in person. The candid shots of the animals going about their daily rounds are always enjoyable.

Last fall, though, we got an amazing glimpse of a bobcat returning home with a fat fox squirrel for a breakfast feast. It's rare that we get to see them when we're out in the woods, since they're primarily nocturnal - we catch a rare glimpse of one running across our path, but nothing so relaxed and content as this. The carpet of brilliant maple leaves is pretty spectacular too.

I know, poor squirrel, but that's the way of nature. The bobcat has to make a living, too.

Not the Least Bit Bland

On my way down to the family homestead, I found a Blanding's turtle stalled in the middle of a busy lane of traffic, trying to cross to the other side of the road. It wasn't going to make it with the number of fast moving cars zipping by and barely missing it (especially since it was going to cross into a lane that had a blind hill), so I gave it a hand.

Blanding's turtles are considered endangered in most of their range, so even though I always try to do turtle rescue when I can, I feel particularly motivated to help these beautiful turtles. 

I know they like to be kept in their territory, but there was nowhere in that specific area that would be safe from almost certain traffic death, so I took it a very short way to a pond with good sandy spots for egg laying and a little stream to travel down to get anywhere that might be desirable. It was probably less than a quarter mile, as the crow flies from where it was found and in the general direction it was heading.

Once I put it down in the sand, it slowly came back out of its shell and  checked out its new environment.

Then, it scuttled down into the pond and promptly disappeared. Not an absolutely perfect solution, but as close as I could come, under the circumstances.

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day! Mine left this world way too young and I miss her creative and indomitable spirit.

This is one of the little lilac bushes she nurtured and kept alive in the shade of huge pine trees. It's somehow fitting that it's blooming for Mothers Day this year - and it smells divine already, even though only a few of the flowers have opened.

Piper was with me when I took the lilac picture and sat down very obligingly in front of the little bush for her own portrait. She doesn't hold still much, so I took advantage of the opportunity. :)

There's a Morel to This Story

It's hunting season again. Time to get out and stalk the wild things.

These little beauties can really hide among the leaf litter and matted grasses, so it's a treat to spot the distinctive pattern of true treasure.

My brother and I covered some territory and had a pretty good outcome this year. We hope there will be more to come. Yes, I admit it - we're greedy like that. :)

The old favorite mushroom hunting areas we traipsed through with our parents when we were children succumbed to the emerald ash borer and died out with the ash trees, so we're always looking for new spots where they've decided to bloom.

A couple gallons later, we were pretty happy with our efforts. 

Yes, there were some extras in another bag that made their way into a pan for hors d'oeuvres as a bonus. 

Yum!

The Mystery Bush

Every now and then, I come across something I can't identify. I'm hoping that someone might be able to help with this mystery since my brother and I have hunted for the solution without success. 

These bushes are about eight feet tall, are happily growing among the wild raspberries where hardwoods were clear cut somewhere between ten and fifteen years ago.

Does anybody recognize this plant? We've been trying to figure it out for several years now and I'm really hoping one of my brilliant blog readers can give us a clue.

Introducing...

As you all know, I've been missing my sweet Baloo for nearly two years now. And I still miss him every day and probably always will. He was the most amazing dog ever. However, even though I still have a huge Baloo shaped hole in my heart, I have been looking for the right new trail buddy to come along and she finally has.

So, let me introduce Piper. She's a black lab mix of some kind - just a little over half Baloo's size. She was a stray that never got claimed and was in need of a new start in life, so I drove downstate to meet her and bring her home.

She's a total sweetheart around people, but is very nervous and frightened around other dogs - that will take some work. 

These first two pictures reminded me a little of mug shots, but the worst criminal behavior so far has been the destruction of several toys and a swiffer duster. We'll see what mischief she gets into as she comes out of her shell a little further. 

Here she is snuggled against my sister on her first full day in her new home. She looks very nervous, doesn't she? But, even in her discomfort, she loves to cuddle.

The rescue organization estimated her age at around two years, but her new vet told me today she's probably closer to one. 

Oh, the adventures to come...