What's Blooming

passion

2008-10-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

The term "surfing the Internet" is now long out of vogue, but the concept the phrase expresses remains one of the most powerful aspects of the world wide web. Today, while reading an online newsletter about technical issues with Windows, I clicked an inviting link to a talk about new technology for displaying video information. That talk was on a site (www.ted.com) where I soon found myself listening, watching Eve Ensler, Paul Staments, Michael Pollan and others. Along with all the great ideas presented, I was struck by two things consistent among all the speakers.

First, while many of the speakers talked about some of the very darkest sides of human nature or what we humans have done to this earth we rely upon, they did not dwell on the negative. Rather, they had all moved through the darkness of the storm to find solutions, and through those solutions they became personally empowered. The solutions didn't require massive government programs or giant corporations, they were available to individuals. By making a difference on 100 acres or in a small village or putting masses of information into a form usable by a school child, these people are making a difference and they focus on that difference, on the success and progress and potential.

Something else all of these speakers shared is passion. Yes, they've all had success and will likely continue to have success. But, I rather suspect, the passion came first. Passion is not very common in our society. My orchid and wildflower friends have it when they are in the field behind a camera or talking about their adventures and finds. I see fly-fisherman/woman who have it and golfers and businessmen.

Many people are passionate about this or that, or say they are. Real passion though is probably rare. Or maybe it is just expressed in different ways by different people. Somehow though, I think real passion is rooted in something that Joseph Campbell would call the hero's journey. Real passion goes beyond a personal drive and fanaticism.

Greater pens than mine have written of the lack of passion, the loss of personal focus and integrity, the damage and inevitable ruin of a society when gain and wealth and power become the dominate measure of success. As we experience the biggest (and very much predicted) global economic melt down, perhaps it is time to look not outward, but inward. Are we any different than the wall street banker? Perhaps in scale, but in motive, ethic?

The Bible says "without a vision, the people perish." Later it adds that a vision that is based all on possessions is also poison. Here's a couple of things Aldo Leopold had to say that are worth thinking about. Think about these things and remember, the fix to the worlds problems isn't in Washington or New York. It is in those people with the passion to change their own lives and influence the people around them. Wisdom from Aldo Leopold:

"We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations the important thing is not to achieve, but to strive."

"Do we realize that industry, which has been our good servant, might make a poor master?"

"[W]e seem ultimately always thrown back on individual ethics as the basis of conservation policy. It is hard to make a man, by pressure of law or money, do a thing which does not spring naturally from his own personal sense of right and wrong."

Fall color

2008-10-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

For many people, Fall is their favorite season. I too love the beautiful colors and the first crisp, cool nights after the late summer heat.

This year has been a little different with cool weather in August and September and down right cold weather this first few days of October. The weather seems so unusual and yet it is probably closer to normal than the past couple of fall seasons. I can remember seeing a couple of inches of snow fall in Blacksburg on September 15 back in the dark ages of 1968.

When I first moved to Bath County 16 years ago, a September or early October frost wasn't that unusual. Much of this area is likely to see frost tonight which will speed the change in color. Already many maples have changed and all have some color. By this weekend, the mountain roads will be a living painting like this photo taken last year on the road over the backside of Warm Springs Mountain to Clifton Forge--the road locals call airport road.

This weekend I plan to head over to White Sulphur Springs to the National Fish Hatchery for the annual Freshwater Folk Festival. The people at the hatchery are doing some amazing work in trying to save our freshwater mussels in addition to all the trout they raise. Now they are planning to add hiking trails, an amphitheater and other educational facilities.

If you plan to wander into the mountains this weekend for some leaf peeping, add a stop in White Sulphur to you trip. There are other festivals in the area and any road you take coming and going will be beautiful. I plan to head up to Cranberry Glades and across the Scenic Highway Saturday afternoon. A favorite fall trip for my daughter and I.

I see that another bog is slipping off a mountain near a wind project in the British Isles. But still, the focus on opposition to commercial wind turbines is on bats and birds and view sheds. More on what I see as an equally big issue next week. Enjoy your weekend. If you can't get out to see the mountains in fall, message me and I'll point you to some photos and short video clips we'll take this weekend.

Walking on the wild side

2008-09-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

Already I often carry too much gear into the woods when I go for an evening hike, but now that I'm trying to blog regularly I'm thinking that having my laptop along would be convenient. As much as I enjoy being out in the mountains, often off trails and wandering through hollers and over hills, there is much that I experience that I would like to share.

It would be much easier to sit down on a log or rock and write the moments at the time than it is to make the time to relive the experience in words when I get back to my computer. In this respect, I can understand how Blackberries and cell phone texting have become so popular, especially among young people

But there is much to be said for letting moments mellow and age. Our immediate culture wants everything to be now. Being in the now has become a strange and twisted image of the old Zen concept of the same name. The old way implies an acceptance, an appreciation. The new way is demanding and living with an expectation of the next moment, next gratification.

Those who know me, know that I have a tendency to immediately expressing my thoughts, especially in writing. Email and texting give an opportunity for passionate pleas or angry outburst that are seldom productive. Thought I know the danger, I still occasionally fire away.

From the time I started taking wildflower photos 20+ years ago, I've been drawn to capture images that combine a sharply focused flower with a similar flower slightly out of focus in the background. Not mirrors exactly, reflections of sorts but of flowers that are not the same. Perhaps I'm drawn to try to capture the way we live and see life.

In that respect, taking a laptop along on a hike would probably be a mistake. For one, more gear would make the whole experience less pleasant for me and thus I'd have less to write about. (A great metaphor there for all the baggage we carry through life, but I'll leave that for another post.) More importantly though, I wouldn't have the advantage of time to filter the sounds, sights, smells and touches of my time in the wilds.

Time and distance begin to blur memories. The image softens and no matter how hard we try, details are lost. No one has a perfect memory, although we all tend to claim perfect recall when it seems necessary in an argument. However, we are only fooling ourselves.

But like my photos, that soft, slightly distant image is an important part of life. There is a beauty there different from the immediate, in your face, here and now. The past lives as an ever present background to the present. Maybe that is what I'm trying to capture in some of these flower images. The present, while clear and distinct, will fade. But as the new flower depends on the seed from the old, the present depends on those faded wounds and glories.

Tilting at windmills

2008-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Somehow, two years have gone by since I last posted to this blog. I know what happened between early '07 and late spring '08. I went to work for The Recorder newspaper and kept very busy at board meetings and around the county. I also revived the What's blooming column in the newspaper which reaches a much wider audience than does this blog. But now I am back on my own and it is past time to get this blog back up and running. And who knows, perhaps I can get as many people reading this as did my newspaper column. I know I cover a different range of plants and view of nature than does the person currently doing a flower article for the paper.
A brief recap of the summer: I Saw many great native orchids this year. Some Bath populations have taken a beating, including the S. lacera in Douthat State Park mentioned in my previous post. Weedeaters allow people to mow down to bare dirt and I guess people think that is a good thing since it keeps them from having to mow more than once or twice per summer. Meanwhile, wind and water erosion eats away the soil, the grasses and plants like the laddies tresses die off, and all that will seed and live in the bare soil are invasives and plants no one wants. Rather counter productive in the long run. But then we humans are very good at the counter productive in the long run type of decisions.
On the first of August, I found a small population of an orchid never recorded here in Virginia. It is known from a number of sites in WV and further north. There is a lot to tell about this particular plant, but I'll let that wait until after October when a major journal article about the species may come out. What I find most interesting about the new site in Virginia, is that it is in Highland County, less than a mile from the proposed wind turbine facility.
This is not the only rare orchid in the immediate area of the wind turbines. Nor are the orchids likely to be the only rare plants on or near the property. However, the big current argument the state is having with the developers is over the view shed of the civil war battlefield on Allegheny mountain. Every one seems to be most worried about the ruined view and the possibility of bat and bird kills.
Now I don't want to minimize either of these concerns, but I wish people realized how much damage is done just cutting the roads and building the pads for the giant machines. To me, the damage is done long before the towers are finally in the air. We humans just don't seem to care about the fragile nature of the soil and plant communities on which life depends.
A wind turbine project in Ireland caused 450,000 cubic meters of peat bog to slide down a mountain in 2006. The slide took trees and soil from the mountain along with it, eventually to a river and lake. Tens of thousands of fish were killed. Certainly a real tragedy, but no one seemed concerned about the rare and fragile bog community that was lost and will take centuries to rebuild. The river and lake will be clean in a couple of years and the fish restored by stocking, but the bog community, home to orchids and critters, is centuries old.
I don't know of any bogs on the mountain near the Highland County wind turbine site. There are some seeps and wet areas that I know harbor some rare species. I suspect there are many rare plants and animals yet un-known. When the big trucks are gone, they'll spray grass seed grown in the Pacific Northwest on everything and when it turns green call it--all fixed. How stupid and short sighted can we be?
But at the same time, I haven't seen solar photovoltaic panels going up on the roof of The Recorder building in Monterey. That business operates mostly during daylight hours and since the paper isn't printed there any more, the main power use is computers and lighting. The whole operation could be run with solar power. What a statement that would make about priorities and putting resources into things that matter long term.
Until we are all willing to make those statements by changing our lifestyles and investing in alternative energy sources, complaining about our view sheds at old battle fields really is Quixotic. There is an old saying about putting your money where your mouth is. Few of us really do. We rant about people mowing orchids we love or putting towers in the landscape we cherish, then we drive our big vehicles an hour to save 10 cents on a can of beans and load up on fads we won't even remember next year.
As much damage as wind turbines do to our mountains, they are far more a symbol of what we do to our own bodies, our relationships, our communities, our environment and the world we live in when we continue to plow through life proudly riding on our white horse, blinders firmly in place, lance in hand, charging forth as the hooves of our faithful steed tear up and sling aside clods of the very fabric upon which our lives and happiness depends.

Summer orchid season

2006-07-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

Here it is the end of July already. Summer is zipping by. The good news is that last week and the next couple of weeks will be peak time for summer native orchids. I have seen seven species of native orchid in bloom or near bloom during the past week.
First the bad news. This hasn't been a good year for orchids along the roads. New types of mowing equipment and the need to keep the road sides clear have meant the end of some nice orchid patches for this year, perhaps longer. Those of you who have been waiting for the Yellow Fringed Orchids along what we call airport road between 220 and Clifton, aren't going to see any orchids there this year. The VDOT crews of cut from the road edge to the forest edge right down to the dirt. They don't normally cut so much and the orchids escape beyond the reach of the sickle bar. But this year they mowed the entire bank. If they had waited two weeks we would have had the blooms and if they had done the clearing in the winter the plants would have escaped. But I know they have to do the mowing periodically or the road would soon grow over. Just sad to see old orchid friends get chopped off so close to bloom. Let's hope they return next year.
The Yellow Fringed near the top of Wilson Mountain along 220 are just about ready to open. You have to look carefully since the flowers are back up the bank. Let's hope VDOT doesn't get to this patch this year. There should be more Yellow Fringed around the county. Look in wet sunny areas along roads and fields. Also watch for Purple Fringeless Orchid in wet fields and fence lines. I know of three locations in the county for Purple Fringeless and there are probably more.
Other orchids to see include the most common native orchid in our area, Rattlesnake Plantain. And the most rare orchid in non-tropical North America, Bentley's coralroot orchid. The Plantain can be found in just about any woodland around the county. The leaves are distinctive and the spike of white flowers stands out. Take a hand lens and look at the tiny flowers. Or take your digital camera and then enlarge the picture on your computer screen.
Bentley's coralroot is going to be more difficult to find. There are now five known locations for the little plants in Bath County, two of them found this year. However, among the five locations there might not be as many as a total of 100 plants or so. The plants are seldom more than six inches tall and even people who know them well and look right past them in the woods. Would be great to find more and to find them in Highland County.
Also blooming is Spotted Coralroot and Club-spur orchid. Both should be found in many locations around the county.
There are eight or more orchid species blooming in the county right now. Plus other pretty flowers and even a few Rhododendron still to be found.

Natural Wonders

2006-07-17T04:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I finally had an opportunity to go on one of the hikes up on The Nature Conservancy's Warm Springs Mountain Preserve. Once again I am amazed by the wonders protected on the mountain. Brad Kreps, the local TNC director, is a great trail guide and picks varied locations for the monthly hikes that highlight the wonders on the mountain. OK, so I'm using the word "wonders" over and over. But what more can be said? While the evidence of human use of the mountain for the past few hundred years are obvious, nature is doing an amazing job of holding on to some habitats and reclaiming others. The views from the old stone overlooks perched on the side of the mountain are breath taking. We saw a huge bear tracks in the sandy road. In a wet area we found Liparis smallii, Small's Twayblade Orchid, a new species record for Bath County. The orchid was in bloom, which is weeks after the plant blooms in Giles County to the south.
I highly recommend these hikes. You can call TNC office in Warm Springs to check the schedule. There is a hike each month, open to the public. Also, don't forget the public trail that starts at the overlook on Route 39. And if you have a little extra time and/or money, the Warm Springs Mountain Preserve still needs help to pay off the debt and to help fight invasive species. Few places in the county are as special.
Not exactly nature, but don't forget to visit the Bath County Art Show this week at Valley Elementary School. Two-hundred-forty-three artist are showing 637 pieces of excellent art. You'd have to travel to a big city to see a collection as varied and as high in quality.

Mowing

2006-07-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

There is an old saying that ignorance is bliss. But then old timers also say a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. I don't know that I would be happy with the kind of bliss that goes along with ignorance, but yesterday I was reminded how knowledge can be dangerous in the sense of bringing some emotional pain that we wouldn't have had had we stayed in ignorance. And yes, this does relate to wildflowers. Doesn't everything in some way?
Two weeks ago, my friend and nature mentor Stan showed me a site in West Virginia not far from where I live for tubercled orchid -- one of those pretty little orchids with the spikes of greenish flowers that tend to get overlooked. The flowers were just beginning to bloom two weeks ago. I returned yesterday to find the site mowed to bare earth by some hard working and well meaning government employee. And I am serious about the employee being well meaning. Driving a mower along roads on hot summer days is a thankless job that we all take for granted. But one does hope that they get a little information about sites for rare plants before they just reduce the site to bare earth.
On a happier note: Along the top of the mountain on 250 west of Monterey, there is still Mountain Laurel in bloom. At lower elevations and all around Bath, the last of the great mountain shrubs is blooming -- Rosebay Rhododendron. The flowers I have seen are mostly white, but the blooms can be from white to dark pink. This weekend and the following week look to be peak.
This weekend will also be the last chance to see grass pink orchids in the Cranberry Glades. There are a few sites for these orchids in Bath and Highland counties. And probably many more sites in wet fields and wet corners of yards that have never been noticed. This is a wonderful little flower (see photo above) and worth hunting for. Over in the Glades are many thousands of Rose pogonia orchid and these too will be gone in the coming days.
Yesterday I saw five species of native orchids in bloom. So, keep your eyes open especially in wet woodlands, fields and roadsides. And maybe take a walk through those field and roadsides before you mow. Never know what wonders you might find.

Happy holiday weekend

2006-06-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

After a long week full of much needed rain, many people will have a long weekend to enjoy. Part of that weekend will mean cleaning up from the storms and for others mowing grass that will grow rapidly after all the rain will be part of the holiday. But this is also a good weekend to be out hunting for orchids in the central Appalachian mountains. The large purple fringed orchid I found in Bath County is well past prime, but other cooler locations in Bath and Highland may still have fresh plants. The large purple fringed orchid over in West Virginia around the Williams River and the Cranberry Glades should be nearly perfect this weekend. Indeed, this is probably the best weekend of the summer to make a trip over to the Cranberry Glades. Look for Grass Pink Orchids, Rose Pogonia and Large Purple Fringed Orchid. Also the pitcher plants will be in bloom and the board walk at the Glades is always a wonderful experience.
For anyone traveling between Bath and Covington, watch for the patch of cone flowers along the east side of 220 about half-way over the mountain. This flower is rather rare in the wild in the east and is a nice little treat to break up the drive across the moutain. You have to catch a glimpse as you go by since there isn't a safe place to stop. But these flowers are a good reminder that nature has little treats and surprises for us even on a windy mountain highway.
On another note, during July in the Mountain View room of the library in Monterey will be an exhibit of my nature photography. Forty-plus photos of orchids and other wildflowers along with some landscapes, trees and other nature shots. If you get by, I'd love to hear what you think. Happy Fourth of July.

Solstice

2006-06-21T03:57:00.000-07:00

The first day of summer has arrived and many places around the world people still celebrate this longest daylight of the year. While days will get warmer for a few months, the length of daylight will shorten. So its time to get out after work and tend those gardens and roam the woodlands. If you want to see and interesting little native orchid, check out the Lost Woman Trail in Hidden Valley. Stay on the trail (recently cleaned and cleared by the Forest Service) and when you get to culverts and wetspots, look along the mud and undergrowth for spikes of tiny green flowers. If you are lucky you will see Platanthera flava. Many of our native orchids and other wildflowers are very beautiful, but very small. The flowers on flava are no exception so look closely and watch out for poison ivy. And again, stay on the trail. Wet areas are especially subject to habitat damage by soil compression.
Normally I don't play around much with my photos using computer software. But since I had a decent photo of a rattlesnake and a great photo of a red salamander, I decided to create a fictional species relative of this gentle creature. Well, they look gentle anyway. Salamanders have a poison in their skin to discourage predators -- and humans that handle them. So here is a shot of a rattlemander.
Look for the goat's beard along Warm Springs mountain along route 39 to fade this week. Also it is time to start looking for Grass Pink orchid in wet areas and Large Purple Fringed orchid in wet cool climates. I'd love to hear about any you find. And please don't pick. Beautiful, but rare.
Have fun.

Time flies....

2006-06-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

My post last week fell prey to internet connection issues and now another weekend is almost over. The Mountain Laurel has peaked along airport road but there is still plenty of it to be seen through out the highlands. Also this is a good time to remember that between southeastern Bath County and northwestern Highland county even this time of the year there can be two weeks difference between the plants that are blooming. For instance, the pink Lady's Slippers are in peak bloom in areas along the Highland/WV border while they are long past in most of Bath County.
For orchid hunters, the twayblades are in bloom in Bath County. I've seen some nice patches of Lily leaved twayblade on the east side of Warm Springs Mountain. There should be other varieties of twayblades in bloom in Bath and Highland, but the Lily Leaved is the only one I have found so far. Let me know if you spot any of the others.
As June progresses it will be time to look for Grass Pink orchid in wet and boggy areas. Be sure to plan a trip over to the Cranberry Glades around the end of June or first of July for an amazing orchid show. More on that later.
And we need to continue to pray for rain.

rattlers and rhododendron

2006-05-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Wow!! That doesn't even begin to describe the past ten days or so and especially the past three days. Catawba Rhododendron is in bloom all around the county. There is one who hill side along Dry Run Road along the creek that is magnificent. Also nice plants on the east side of Warm Springs mountain along route 39. I really love the buds of this rhododendron. They look so much like a big brush dipped in paint ready to spread glory across the landscape.
One of my favorite shows of the year continues along Route 39 from the Jackson River bridge over the mountain to Blowing Springs. So many variations and colors of Flame Azalea with some that clearly live up to the flame name. I don't think the Parkway can match the show along 39. But with warm days and warm nights here at last, flowers won't last long
including the azaleas. Some Yellow Lady's Slippers and a few other flowers have held on longer than normal with the cool nights last week. But all the early orchids will be gone in the next few days I suspect. We are beginning to show the need for rain again, so hopefully some mid-week showers will arrive. The Lily Leaved Twayblade orchids are just beginning to bloom. Over the
weekend I saw plants with the lower flowers open. Like many orchids that have multiple flowers on a stalk, the twayblade flowers open from the bottom up. Also blooming now is Puttyroot orchid. You might still see the leaves of this orchid that appear in the fall and die back as the plant blooms.
On Friday, while walking out a gated Forest Service road to check on some orchids, I was reminded of a couple of things. On my way back I met a couple of fishermen heading up the road to tangle with the native trout in the small stream. A worthy challenge I'm sure given the thick rhododendron along the stream. However these men had chosen to take a short cut to their quarry and were riding motor powered dirt bikes. While I'm sure they didn't think two little motorbikes would do any damage to the gated part of the road, the fact is the road is closed to motor vehicles this time of the year.
These gates make life hard on all of us who enjoy the forest at one time or another. But they are closed for good reason and should be respected. Two of the reasons are the tiny little flowers I went out to look for which could easily be destroyed by a passing vehicle a bit too close to the edge of the road.

And the other reason is the critter pictured here. I was busy looking down the hill on the right side of the road when a bit of movement caught my eye off to my left. And there ten feet away was this beautiful rattlesnake. I was about two miles from my truck on foot and my truck was two miles from the state road, so I kept my distance. But a motor vehicle could have been quick death for the snake. Out in the open like this, even poisonous snakes are no match for humans anyway.
A big part of enjoying the wild outdoors is respect. Seeing the rattler reminded me of a simple rule I was taught many decades ago -- always know what is around where you put your feet and hands.
Just as important as rules for personal safety and respecting the dangers in the wild, it is important to remember that humans are the guest. We are much more dependent on these wild creatures than we realize. And even the most careful of us cannot go into the wild without having some impact. Enjoy, be careful, be respectful.

When it rains....

2006-05-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Two weekends of rain yet I was out taking photos at some point during both weekends. Many spring flowers are currently in decline and the next couple of days may be the last chance to see them for this year. Bleeding Hearts here, in Highland and over in West Virginia put on a good show this year but are now setting seed and fading away. There are some amazing sites for these flowers in the area. This is a good time to begin a notebook if you haven't already so that next year you will know when and where to look to catch Bleeding Hearts and other flowers at peak bloom.
I was surprised yesterday (Mother's Day) to see the Marsh Marigolds are still in bloom along 220 and 84 in Highland County. I think the cool nights have helped extend the season for these and some other plants. But again, the early part of this week could be the end of the season for these beauties that love water.
Pink Lady's Slippers should be looking good most places this week after a bit of a late start. Large Whorled Pogonia and Showy Orchis will both be in decline. The Showy Orchis remained spectacular all week last week. I photographed all white flowers to almost all purple flowers and most combinations in between. The site on Forest Service land over near Douthat State Park is truly amazing.
Some of the Leather Flowers are still around but not for much longer.
Keep an eye out in the edge of the woods for Pinkster and Flame Azalea. These showy flowers, called honeysuckle locally, are some of our most spectacular. The colors range from almost white to dark flame red and many combinations in between.
And if it is raining when you want to head out, take an umbrella or enjoy the view from your vehicle - but don't miss the chance to see the flowers.

Cinco de Mayo

2006-05-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

Keeping up with anything this time of the year seems to be impossible. This year I get a break from mowing grass and trying to get a garden planted. One I miss, one I don't. I'm going to have to find some garden fresh tomatoes some place this summer.
Last weekend in WV was wonderful. The Greenbrier River Trail is a treasure in many ways. Our group of nearly two dozen people including two Ph.D. botanist who provided identification skills managed to find and identify over seventy flowering plants. The plants ranged from the little one-flowered cancer root to some wonderful patches of Showy Orchis. And we covered only about ten miles of the trail.
Over here in Bath County the show continues and expands everyday. The Yellow Lady Slippers at my traditional site haven't even opened yet. But up the road on Pig Run the patch has peaked. The odd little orchid Large Whorled Pogonia (pictured) began to bloom this week on the east side of Warm Springs Mountain. This flower is almost impossible to find unless you already know where to look. If you want to see this flower, the next seven days will be your opportunity
around here. Contact me for directions if you don't know a site.
Showy Orchis is at peak at some sites in the county this weekend. The patch on Forest Service 194, Lime kiln Road, doesn't seem to be as big as last year. I'll be there this weekend taking pictures if it doesn't rain. Speaking of rain. We had a few showers, but this part of the state still needs rain. So I won't complain if I get rained out this weekend. I'm sure I'll see lots of interesting things even if I can't get out with a camera.
One of the nicest spring wildflower drives in the county is the ten mile Lime Kiln Road, Forest Service 194. This is a forest service road, gravel, dirt and mostly single track. There are two small stretches that get really messy if we have a lot of rain. When the conditions are dry, these two places can have some pretty deep ruts. So I don't recommend the road for a family van or other low vehicle. But many cars and all trucks and SUVs should be able to manage the entire ten miles. The road begins and ends on State Route 629, Douthat Park Road. The north couple of miles of often have hundreds of Pink Lady Slippers mixed in with the low huckleberries. I didn't see any in bloom on Friday (May 5). But it shouldn't be long. Next week probably. I was surprised to see that the Lupine is still very fresh with some still opening. There are some nice patches along the first few hundred yards at the north end. Along the road look for bird-foot violets in many colors. Also vernal iris. Near the southern end is a large are with many Showy Orchis. And there are plenty of other things to see. The Pinkster is just opening and it is really amazing.
And don't forget the Leather Flower along 615 below Hot Springs. There are three separate species scattered along the shale barrens on the north side of the road starting across from the water treatment plant and running down to across from Moe's. Most of the plants are the more common White Haired Leather Flower. But I also saw a few of the rare Millboro Leather Flower and a couple of the C. ochroleuca. This coming week will probably be the end of the season for these flowers.
Remember to enjoy the flowers where they are. Please don't pick and especially don't dig. Plants like orchids and Leather Flowers aren't going to make it in your garden anyway.

Take a hike....

2006-04-28T07:48:00.000-07:00

This is a great weekend to get out and take a hike in the central Appalachians. At Greenbrier State Forest in White Sulfur Springs you can select from a variety of hikes starting at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday with a guided bird walk. The Show-Me-Hike program is now in its 42nd year with 135+ species of wildflowers identified during previous hikes. This is a great opportunity to learn about wildflowers and birds from experienced naturalist. There is also a program Friday night with speaker Dr. Steven L. Stephenson. Also on display will be 65 of my wildflower and nature photos. Call Greenbrier State Forest for more information: 304.536.2500.

In Bath County, the Warm Springs Ranger District will hold its excellent Spring Flower Hike at Blowing Springs Campground on route 39 between Warm Springs and Mountain Grove. This is a beautiful and easy hike along Back Creek with lots of things to see. The Forest Service guides are always knowledgeable and entertaining.

Cool temperatures and sunny skies should make for a great weekend to put on your boots or just some comfortable shoes and hit the trails.

Special places just around the corner

2006-04-23T03:41:00.000-07:00

My original plan was to post to the blog on Friday so that people would have an idea of what to look for over the weekend and where to look. But recently I haven't done such a good job of getting online on Friday. This past week has been full of nice treats. I saw Yellow Lady Slippers in bloom over near Arcadia. Probably a few more weeks before we see them here in Bath. And I saw Wister's coralroot also in Botetourt County. So two orchids in bloom already. Wister's has not been recorded here in Bath County, so you should look for it during this coming week near streams flowing over limestone.
After spending hours driving around the eastern part of the county looking for leather flowers on shale barrens, I found two locations within a couple of miles of Hot Springs. There is a nice patch along 615 just 2.2 miles from Hot Springs. Some plants are low enough to see easily. This site is on private land, so respect both the fragile shale habitat and the property owner's rights. You can also see Leather Flowers on the shale at the lower end of Dunn's Gap. The plants are across the creek and some are on private property. So bring binoculars. A trek around the Forest Service trails and cross country to the top of some of these shale barrens might give a closer look and also might yield a view of Kate's Mountain Clover, another shale barren endemic.
Showy Orchis should begin to bloom this week. Plenty of bluebells still around.
Two great wildflower hikes coming up on the 28th. The 42nd annual Show-Me-Hike in the Greenbrier State Forest begins with a program Friday night and offers a variety of hikes on saturday. Also on Saturday is the Warm Springs Ranger District annual spring wildflower hike at Blowing Springs. Excellent guides are provided. I'll be in WV for the Show-Me-Hike with a selection of wildflower photos on display. Have a great week.

April Showers

2006-04-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been full of much needed rain showers starting with a series of serious storms Friday night. What a light show. A couple of the storms had what the weather people call near continuous lightning. It is the season for showers and there is plenty of opportunity to see wildflowers in between cloud burst. There is color now everywhere clear to the mountain tops. Redbud and serviceberry and fruit trees and some dogwoods. Any place you go you should see some wildflowers in bloom. The Virginia Bluebells are at peak along the Cowpasture River at the Walton Tract. The trilliums are just coming out across the county. A couple of special sites worth the trip are just north of Bath in Highland County. As you head toward Bolar on 607, look for Marsh Marigold in and along the creek. When you get to the new bridge, it is worth a stop to see a huge patch in bloom. Marsh Marigold is considered uncommon, but Highland County has some amazing patches. Just up 220 a little further, look for route 611 on your left. In the exposed shale cut are some Bleeding Hearts just coming into bloom. Go around the corner on 611 to see some big patches of this pretty flower. This is also the time of the year to be pulling up Garlic Mustard. With the ground wet, you should be able to wiggle the plants and get tap root and all. Be sure to bag and destroy the plants since they can set seed even after being pulled. The leaves and taproot are edible. Check the bathcounty.org website for some links and more information on this invasive alien plant.

Shale barrens

2006-04-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

As of late in the day on Monday the 10th, the bloodroot is about done at the Walton Tract. The Twin leaf and Trout Lily have also passed. However, the trillium are just coming out with some pretty dark red trilliums right along the entrance road. Also, a special treat of shale barrens are about peak right around the old shale quarry on the main road in the Walton Tract. Just after the road forks a couple of times and crosses the creek, start watching on the right for an amazing variety of Bird foot violets.

The busy season begins

2006-04-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

We finally got some good rain Friday evening and Saturday and it looks like the air will be calm for a few days so that the moisture can soak in rather than blowing away. The ground has been very dry and we need plenty of April showers. Continue to pray for rain.
Warm weather forecast for this week will have flowers popping out every where. I've seen patches of bloodroot along Rt. 39 just east of Warm Springs and along 220 in a number of locations. The Walton Tract continues to be spectacular. The bluebells are getting a good start at the canoe launch. The Marsh Marigold are in bloom in the wet areas near the canoe launch. The big patch of trillium at the bottom of the hill should be open this week along with many trillium along the road.
Our native orchids will begin to make an appearance in the coming weeks. A good find in this area would be Wister's coralroot which hasn't been recorded from Bath County but could be here. Showy Orchis will be around by the end of the month.
For those of you heading out with a camera, here are a couple of tips. Most digital cameras, even the less expensive point and shoots, can take good flower photos. Look for a macro mode setting which will allow the camera to focus when very close to the flower. You may have to move back and forth from the flower a bit to get within the focus range. You can always crop a bit later when make breaks. And don't forget that the most important piece of equipment you can carry with your camera for good flower photos is a tripod or monopod. Either of these will also help with those great shots from the overlook of the fog hanging low in the valleys in the morning.
Look for Dutchman's breeches to be blooming in many locations this week.

April Fools

2006-04-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

April really starts to bring out the fool in those of us who love nature and especially wildflowers. You'll see me parked along the road, leaning against the hillside with a camera or perhaps even laying in the ditch trying to get a closer look at some beauty of nature.
In this area, the Walton Tract off route42 in southeastern Bath County is still the best place I have found for flowers. I understand there are some nice beauties on the Gorge Hike at the Homestead. I'm sure there are many great spots around. Trout lily, Hepatica, Bloodroot, Tooth wort are the most common flowers that I see.
Virginia is starving for moisture right now and we really need those April showers. So when ever it rains this month, instead of complaining I'm going to celebrate and hope that we get lots of moisture for the spring and summer flowers. The weather report said Virginia only got one tenth of the precipitaion normal for March. That is not good for the plants, streams or rivers. So pray for rain.

oops... March surprise

2006-03-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

Cold air poured over the mountains from the north and west and settled in the valled along 220 from Warm Springs south to Hot Springs. An upper level low pumped moisture up and over the mountain tops from the south and east. A chance of snow showers turned into snow showers with an inch accumulation which turned into a winter weather advisory of up to four inches which turned into eight inches of nice wet spring snow. I guess the trees and ground and wildflowers were all so hungry for moisture that they would not let this little storm escape.

So wildflower walks and drives will come to a pause for a day or two while the ground refills with the fresh drinks of spring snow. But this early spring taste of winter should help make sure the next few weeks are full of color.

Humility, wonder, disappointment

2006-03-22T06:37:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was an excellent example of all the emotions the study of nature can bring. On saturday I had the privelidge of joining a group of native orchid and nature photographers for their annual beat the winter blues get together. For the first year, many of the photographers brought their images from the past year in digital form. I rented a digital projector which we hooked to a laptop. After a bit of trial and error to get the projector color adjusted, most of us felt that the images projected from digital files were as good as any from the more traditional slides.

No matter the media, the photography was amazing. These men and women travel and photograph for the love of the experience, nature and the photos they capture. The images they produce are as good or better than any professional photos one would see in any publication. My own work seems amateurish in comparison, though my mpeg video of shots from last year was well received. I plan to post it online when I find a suitable broadband host. I'll let you know.

Sunday I spent traveling around West Virginia and Virginia. If you haven't seen the New River Gorge from the overlooks at Grandview, it is well worth the trip. I didn't have a wide angle lens with me so I don't have shots to show. But I'll be back when the trees are green.

Along the way I got to see a rare Saxifrage along the rocky roadside near Thurman. This is one of those amazing plants that seem to be able to grow out of nothing more than a crack in the rocks. Indeed, the name means "rock breaker" since it appears the plant is actually breaking up the rocks with its roots. Perhaps it is. There is an interesting time lapse sequence about one member of this family in the BBC video "The Private Life of Plants."

Along with waterfalls and plants and rivers and wide open spaces came a big reminder of the impact our insatiable hunger for comfort and technology has on the planet. My use of digital cameras, computers, high speed internet, heat and lights contribute to the demand so I must admit to being a part of the cause for what I saw. I was traveling with a friend who is one of the most knowledgeable naturalist I have ever known. He was the one who was driving and showing me the amazing sites around the Appalachians between Flatwoods, WV and Pulaski, VA. Of course we only touched on a few locations.

Our next to the last stop was in Carroll County, VA to look for a tiny relative of the Indian Pipe called Pygmy pipes. We scrambled up a shale slope and began to dig around carefully in the leaf litter under some pine trees. After some cold searching we decided that we were a few weeks early and headed off to the last site.

Trilliums are a favorite spring flower of many people and some of my native orchid friends like trilliums second only to the orchids. One of the slide shows on saturday was of nothing but the many varieties of trillium found in our part of the world. Down in Wythe County my friend/guide/naturalist had found a big patch of natural hybrid trilliums. Instead of the common whites and pinks and reds, these flowers have crossed to produce a rainbow of colors. In the same little area were huge patches of Puttyroot orchid and Crane-fly orchid and other wildflowers.

The location is along a little traveled dirt road on private property. A couple years back VDOT wiped out some plants with routine ditch work. An ever present hazard for plants that venture onto the open sunlit and often moist road edge. But we were not prepared for what we would find as we rounded the curve on Sunday. Gone were the trees that provided shelter and shade. Gone were the plants. Gone was much of the soil. Actually, many of the trees were still there, lifeless trunks laying in piles on the ground blocking any brave remaining flowers that might strugle to the surface.

Across the road and just above what had been the trillium site stood a giant steel robot with out stretched arms ready to support the steel cables of a 768kva power line. Around the giant structure and down the hill for a far as one could see a clear path of destruction and roads had changed what once had been a garden of wonders into a path for more power for city street lights and home computers. My friend, who has photographed native orchids in 49 states and 9 provences, had rated this site in the top ten of his favorites. And now it is gone.

It is good for all of us to remember from time to time that there is always a price to pay for the progress which we enjoy. In the quiet of the night, tears will come to the eyes of two grown men when they think of that site. Perhaps there is hope for all humans as long as that is so.

Blooming shrubs and proscribed burns

2006-03-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

I'm behind on my post mostly because I have been busy and away from my computer, which are good things for the most part. First some updates.

Last week a couple members of the American Rhododendron Society and I went over to are area in southeastern Bath County along Pad's Creek to look at a huge patch of Pieris floribunda. This is an uncommon shrub of the Appalachian mountains. I know of two sites in Bath County and there are probably more. There are a few plants at the top of the hill going to the canoe launch at the Walton Tract. And the huge patch south of Bubbling Spring Campground. This shrub is of interest because it blooms early and because of the beautiful leather like evergreen foliage. One of the plants on the Walton Tract has had flowers opening for two weeks.

The large patch of Pieris on Pads Creek is within the boundaries of a upcoming proscribed burn by the Forest Service. Right now the conditions aren't right for burning, so the shrubs should escape the torch until the end of March. Hopefully they will be in full bloom by then when thousands of spikes of white bell shaped flowers will cover the hillside. As I understand it, thick undergrowth like the Pieris is one reason the Forest Service burns sections. I suppose there could be endless debate over what sections of forest should be burned and what should be left. While I would like to see the Pieris patch survive, I also realize that all things have a time and a season. Who knows, perhaps fire will encourage a larger patch for future years. Or perhaps some other amazing plants will take their place.

If you want to take a look, drive through Millboro on the road that goes over the mountain toward Little California. About 1/2 mile after the road turns to dirt, you will see Pads Creek Road on your right. Turn right and follow the road. After you pass Bubbling Springs Camp ground, start looking on your left. Some of the Pieris grows right down to the road. Though the road is unpaved, it is suitable for about any vehicle this far out.

Enjoy

Grouse mating and frog croaking

2006-03-13T05:54:00.000-08:00

One of the amazing things about living in Bath County is how many "nature channel" moments a person can have just by walking in the woods. Indeed just by living here. A city friend emailed me over the weekend about his trip out into the country and how he enjoyed hearing the wood frogs. Someone who lives locally also emailed me this weekend to tell me the wood frogs were croaking in the pond in her back yard.

I took advantage of the great weather on Saturday to take a walk part way up Alleghany Mountain on a Forest Service trail off Route 600 north of the Dominion Pumped Storage Plant. The wood frogs in the vernal ponds at the upper end of the Back Creek property were so loud that I could hear them a half mile up the mountain.

The habitat along this trail is mostly dry shale with mixed pine and small oaks. One place along the trail is very much like a shale barren. I will have to go back in a couple of months and see if any of the shale barren endemics like Kate's Mountain Clover or Shale Barren Leather Flower are growing among the pines and bare shale. I'd like to find some local locations for these plants that are on public property but require a little walking to see.

My big experience of the day though was walking up on a grouse mating area. This spot couldn't have been created on purpose any better. An old log, mostly hollow, with an open end was situated in such a way that it was rotting. The base end reminded me of an old victrola speaker and I'm sure the male grouse found it effective when drumming. A couple of old logging roads converged to create an small opening in the woods with big old grape vines and shrubs around the edges.

And in this little eden, a big male grouse had taken up residence. The spot was so nice that he was reluctant to give much space when I came upon the scene. I backed off and watched as he fluffed and danced for the grouse ladies. I saw three females, but never clearly. The male put on a good show, but I did not have a long enough lens for good pictures. I was reminded that the experience is sufficient and that bringing home photos is a plus and shouldn't always be the object of my travels in the wilds.

2006-03-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

Wildflower season is once again blooming here in the mountains of western Virginia. This blog will give reports on the flowers I have seen here in Bath County, Virginia and in the surronding Allegheny Highlands. You can visit www.bathcounty.org for more information about the natural resources of Bath County including trail guides and photos. Happy Hunting.

Over on the Walton Tract, the first Trout Lillies and a few Hepatica are in bloom. Of course Colt's Foot is starting to popup along the roads around the county. Skunk Cabbage flowers can still be found in the wet areas and the winter leaves of Puttyroot orchid and Crane-fly orchid are still around. Puttyroot can be found along the road into the Walton Tract, at a number of sites along the road at Lake Moomaw, along the trails in Hidden Valley and many other sites around the county. Crane-fly orchid is harder to find. A small patch can be seen along the Cobbler Mountain Trail.

One of the best early season wildflower walks is the road into the Walton Tract. Find a place to park and walk along the road. Be carefull where you park. The Bloodroot and Trout Lilly grow right to the edge of the road in many spots. Go over the hill to the canoe launch for Trillium and Virginia Bluebells later in the spring.