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Archive for the ‘Wildflowers’ Category

Brisk Morning

Posted in Misc. Nature, Wildflowers on April 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Suzie, my diabetic Springer spaniel, awakened me around four in the morning. Efforts to fall back asleep were futile. I signes an executive order to myself…GET UP and head for the woods!                                                                                                  

   The skies were emmersed with darkened and heavy clouds and a brisk  wind forced me to wish I had worn a little extra clothing.

My walk wasn’t long when I heard that increasingly rare sound of a woodcock “sniping” his mating call.  I miss hearing those call. I stopped to listen as the sky lightened a bit. The bird would ascend making a certain whisting call. Shortly, he would decend making a completelydifferent call until he landed close to begin making the raucous snipe-like call.  On one of his decnds I actually could see him until he was almoost on me. The bird detoured twenty feet, landed and began calling. They are an interesting little bird!

I heard two very distant gobbles as the wind diluted the volume. I approcahed a listening area and failed to hear any gobblers. Maybe the gobbles were absent this morning, or maybe, the lusty calls were out of my hearing.

I enetered a pine area and watched a great-horned owl exit soon to be chased by angry crows. I saw , at least, four different white “flags” of deer in the gray and dismal woodlands. I heard and saw one grouse flying from an old fallen log. I saw a Cooper’s hawk and a red-tailed hawk too.

The dogwood blossoms were early to bloom this spring for the warm weather that had become the norm over March and most of April. The leaves were rapidly emerging too…as are the allegies!

Before the morning was completed I saw four gobblers crossing near to a house. Later, I saw a struuting tom with 4-5 hens. While traveling home I saw three longbeards with one hen. I am wondering if hens are going to be an issue while hunting. You can bet on it!

Virginia Bluebells

Later I took some photos of wildflowers I have growing around my creek area.  The Virginia Bluebells are really out in force as are the Harebell flowers. Tomorrow, Bob Miller (my step-father) and  I will try my luck with gobbler chasing.

Greek valerian (Harebell)

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Memories, Trout Fishing, Gobblers and Bikes

Posted in Misc. Nature, Wildflowers, Wildlife on April 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I love rural roads!

I, once again, headed for Cherry Run to enjoy

Cherry Run

some   quality time with nature. I elected to fish a mile long section of Cherry Run that isn’t stocked with trout.  This decision was made for a couple of reasons. I have many memories of this section as a boy.  My great Uncle Charly Yount and Great Aunt Hazel owned a small farm here. I have memories that I cherish. Oh, how I wish I could spend a day with these two… the salt of the earth!       

A corn field stood here many years ago. Today small trees  cover the field. We would come here for great home-cooked meals. I helped butcher chickens here. My dad and I gathered ice along the creek to make home-made ice cream. These two wonderful people died around 1975. Like I said, I sure would love top spend a day with them again!!

Jake

I fished this section as a boy enjoying many hours catching chubs and a few trout. Today, I cast a line into this section maybe eight times. The water was clear and low. I could see no trout, but seriously I just wanted to walk along and remember. I returned to my vehicle by walking higher up the hill through the woods again searching my thoughts.

Dwarf Ginseng

I drove south and parked again. here I could see a couple of brown trout. I caught both and released them. One, however, went belly up so I retreived it and dropped the fish off at my relatives for consumption.

  The weather was rapidly warming as I walked about the steep hill destined for stripping  for coal. I dug up some Hepitica; ferns and Sweet William to replant at home.

Wood Turtle

I managed to see some critters today too! I saw mockingbirds, 1 deer;  a red fox; Wood Turtle (Commonly known as a Land Turtle locally.) three groups of turkeys; squirrels;  pileated woodpecker;  towhees; mallards; wood ducks; geese and many small birds.

Old stone foundation.

As the evening approached I spent two hours riding bike on the Rails To trails from Kittanning, Pennsylvania to Rosston.

Slug

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Loving Nature

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildflowers, Wildlife on April 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Hen turkey

I didn’t sleep well! Suzie, my 14-year-old springer, needed to go for nature calls twice. Laurie had forgotten to turn her cell off and, for some reason, she had two texts. of course I was wakened both times. (One text was a sale ad and the other was a wrong number!) Unfortunately, when awakened, I have difficulties falling back asleep. This night was no different.

Golden ragwort

Chickadee

Although, I wasn’t very lively, I decided to either fish or hike. The walk took priority. I elected to return to my beloved Cherry Run area to inspect the timbering project and future stripping sites. I walked along Chery Run wich is an approved trout stream. I noticed a few trout left over from the April 14th opener.  I could hear the shrill din of mating toads in a local wetlands too. Always a joy for me, is the sight of spring wildflowers. Today would not be disappointing.

Brown trout

The three or four mile hike covered steep hill, fields and timbering sites. I heard three different gobblers gobbling during the mid-morning hours. I watched a hen walking about unconcerned over my presence. A nest was, no doubt, close.

I could hear a drumming grouse as I approached the summit of one hill. I almost was able to see him on his drumming log prior to the flight.  A few steps farther and the white dancing tail of a deer was viewed through the woodlands.  A hundred yards farther and I witnessed a male sharp-shinned hawk perched on a low tree. I almost was able to get a photo… almost! I saw a mockingbird and a red fox in a field. The fox was carrying something.  I saw a gobbler in a field too.

Red Fox

Pete and Donnie

Eventually, I climbed down the hill to walk a secondary road heading towards the Cherry Run Gun, Rod and Reel Club where I was parked and a member. I was within sight of my vehicle and could see my cousin, Donnie Smail fishing. At that time, another friend drove past and chatted. Our plan was to stand on the bridge and toss rocks near Donnie. Donnie, apparently, smelled mischief and quit fishing. We spent an hour talking and carrying on some!

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Last week, on April 12, my step father, Bob and I went for a couple of mile hike. We heard two gobblers and later watched two strutting longbeards with hens. Towards evening, I visited a new acquaintance for a walk. We saw two hens and two deer. While heading home, I saw a small flock of turkeys on the back side of a hill near my  homestead again.

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Beautiful Morning

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildflowers on April 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Lock # 8 looking south.

My friend, Larry Delaney and I planned a hike last week, but the chance of rain forced a “rain check.”However, this morning proved just the opposite with a cloudless blue sky beckoning to be walked in.

Back-water Reflections

The site we chose this fine morning was the Armstrong Rails To Trails area from Mosgrove, Pennsylvania north to Templeton. The morning had a stiff breeze flowing across the river hitting us both in the faces. In a short time, the warmth of the sun cancelled any coolness we felt.

Purple Trillium

As we walked along we were always watchful to seeing wildlife and spring wildflowers. We weren’t disappointed! We passed Lock Number 8 on the Allegheny River along state game lands. The game lands is rich in trilliums, both the white and purple varieties. This specie is a personal favorite. The first three letters of the specie name says much. There are three leaves and three flower petals per stem hence the “TRI”..

Some of the waterfowl we saw along the way were Canada geese, mallards and wood ducks. The woodies were found in back water areas along the Allegheny. A beaver dam helped make the waters higher, but calm. We, also, could see some ducks far off on the river. We suspect either buffleheads, scaups or goldeneyes.

Coltsfoot going to seed!

eggs!

A couple of early spring vernal ponds were along the trail too. here we could see frog eggs and some small tadpoles already hatching.

Turkey vultures were always viewed. The steep river hills provide great nesting areas for these carrion loving birds. A few gull could be observed flying around the river too.

The highlight for us was the sight of a bald eagle and a mature one at that. The beautiful emerged from the river’s bank and flew across the water. Geese were scolding and the flock of far-off ducks took to the air with the eagle’s sight.I mustered a couple of photos, but unfortunately the quality wasn’t there for a post here.

The beauty of Pennsylvania was all about as we looked at the high country and the river and the flowers. We were blessed!

Cattail Down

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Cherry Run Hike

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildflowers on March 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

    

Cherry Run

  My friend, Frank Maus and I elected to travel the Cherry Run area for a hike. (Armstrong County, Pennsylvania)The weather was like spring and to not utilize such a day would be a sin!  The hills at the area I chose to hike are destined to be stripped for coal soon, so I felt the need to travel and enjoy.                                         

Skunk Cabbage

    

The lure!

   We parked along a bridge by the trout approved waters of Cherry Run. We laughed at the site of fishing line and a lure hanging from a tree limb. The recently stocked trout, apparently, proved to much of a temptation for someone.

The travels began walking uphill along Wright Road until we reached the top of the hill. Cherry Run has some ruggedly steep and high hills for the county.These were the hills I grew up crawling over from a lad until now. I have grown to love this country.

We walked along areas of fields bordered by big tracks of woodlands. We expected to see turkeys strutting in these fields, but the big birds were absent. Some of the critters we saw included a squirrel and red-tailed hawk. I noticed a few bluebirds too.

 

Crow

  Eventually we completed the ridge and began the trek downslope to the road that parallels Cherry Run. The truck traffic was growing as gas wells and stripping jobs are becoming reality and more numerous.

Coltsfoot

  I had some firsts for the year. I saw my first red-wing blackbird; coltsfoot blooms and later I saw seven turkey vultures flying over the house. Spring is here. I saw Grackles on March 1 and heard killdeer serenading the skies a week prior to the grackle sightings.

The walk was approximately 5 miles and we enjoyed the day very much. While traveling along a very rural road, Frankie said, “Did you see that?  It looked like guts of something.”  He saw it coming off of the bank to the ditch-line of the road. I stopped and sure enough a groundhog skin was laying there. We pondered  about this and figured someone has skinned a ‘hog to eat and some critter must have carried the hide to the pine. We suggested the breeze caused the hide to fall at that precise time as we drove past.??????                  

ATV erosion damage along northbranch of Cherry Run

 

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Late Season Wildflowers

Posted in Wildflowers, Wildlife on September 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

    Last Wednesday, I was to help my cousin, Donny with a task of netting numerous goldfish from his landscaping pond. The pond is five feet in the center and around 12 feet long and 6 feet in width. The pond features water lilies and water iris plants. The net we were to try was a 6 feet by 4 feet  net with strings attached. Needless to say all attempts failed to catch any of the 2-3  inch long goldfish.  A number of unforeseen obstacles occurred allowing the fish to avoid capture. Donnie said he is going to drain the water!  

   Gobblers!  Anyway, I covered some back country roads en route to mu cousin’s home and saw a number of deer and turkeys. I actually saw some longbeards in a field. Later, I hiked at a local state game lands. Wildflowers are everywhere!                                                              

Behind the house a saw a fairly nice buck and a flock of 18-22 turkeys feeding on grasshoppers.

With the autumn season in the early stage the flowering will soon be over until next spring. Some of the flowers I noticed were: the New England Aster; Ironweed; Queen Anne’s Lace; goldenrod; White Snakeroot; Pennsylvania Smartweed…

New England Aster

  I have many of the New England Aster growing along my creek. They are a pastel blue in color and are quite numerous. They reach over 6 feet in optimum conditions.           

Foxtail

The foxtail is a valuable grass. This plant is not a wildflower, but I decided to take a photo anyway. In my youth, one could walk the corn fields and see foxtail everywhere. The seeds are a favorite food source for many specie of wildlife. I used to hunt doves in such areas.                                                             

Ironweed

                                      

 

 

 

Fall wildflowers tend to be predominately whites and yellows to my thoughts. However, the ironweed flowers are a deep pink-purple in color standing out dramatically within the yellows, white, greens  and beige of overgrown areas.

A Goldenrod Specie

  Call me weird, but wildflowers are a blessing to me. I enjoy following their progress from late winter to early winter. The annual cycles continue and the flowers are always right on schedule!                           

Pennsylvania Smartweed

 

 

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Late August Interests Around the Yard

Posted in Butterflies and Insects, Wildflowers on August 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Phlyox

    I have had a week with many aspects of it better off forgotten. However, I have some positives as well

My last entry, I wrote of, my upcoming trip to Old Bedford Village. The prints, of “The Wheatfield-Whirlpool of Death” were later being completed than we had expected. I rushed to sign and prepare packaging. These prints and the original were scheduled to be with Civil War historians and reenactors at the village. Plans were soon  changed!

I was approximately 15-17 miles away from Bedford when I stopped to enter the woodland area for a “nature call.” Upon returning to the car nothing happened. After some thoughts and time the car started , but, with flashing lights and a loss of power. I exited Exit 10 towards a small community . I stopped and the car wouldn’t start. I flagged down a state trooper and was given contacts. To be brief, the auto man couldn’t find out what was wrong. After discussions of options I elected to have the car hauled to the dealership near my home of Kittanning, PA.  The main computer modem had failed. Insurance only covered a third of these costs.                                

Boneset

   

Turtlehead

  Today, after a tooth was repaired, I walked about my park-like yard examining the wildlife; flowers and insects. Late August and early September see the final flowering of many specie. My yard is no exception. One flower of interest is called the “Turtlehead”. The flower actually appears to be an unopened bud.

The “jack-in-the-pulpit” of spring is now yielding its bright scarlet berries. They are quite attractive.   

"Pulpit" seeds

“Boneset” is a white cluster flower that my dad told me was used as a tea for a number of ailments in our histories past. I have never tried making a tea. As I age I might need some of that tonic!

Jewelweed

   The “jewelweed” is in bloom now. I have the common orange and brown specie with a few yellow and white varieties along my stream. The hummingbirds enjoy these flowers. As a child, I would touch the ripened seed-producing pods to watch them explode their contents for next year’s plants. It didn’t take much to entertain a country boy! Some use the plant to soothe poison-ivy.

I planted a winterberry shrub some time ago. I like the deep red berries that hang on well-into the snow season. This allows for a nice contrast against the dreary grays or whites of late fall and winter.

Monarch caterpillar

  I planted milkweed plants years ago too for the monarch butterflies to eat. This year is no exception for I have the colored-striped caterpillars eating the leaves. They will eventually be those bright orange and black butterflies.

Let us hope a better week is in store!    

Winterberry

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Short Walk At The Homestead

Posted in Hikes, My Family, Wildflowers on June 30, 2011| Leave a Comment »

     Bob and I went for a short walk down the road where I grew up along Silvis Hollow Road. The very comfortable summer weather was inviting.  I pointed out some initials carved into the rocks that border the old “Joe Blair Hill”. This is the name we locals call this hill since a lawyer by the name of Blair lived on the flats just prior to going down slope on this hill. I am sure the initials were of some relationship to the Blair family.     

   Along the way, I showed Bob where I had earlier taken the photo of a buck and doe. The photo turned out better than I expected due to the darkness of the early morning woods.

We later turned north onto the Rupp Church Road and shortly exited to travel along through the woods. I showed Bob some of the areas I trapped, hiked and hunted as a younger person. I found it great to see old haunts again.

Milkweed blossom

  Later I dropped off some rocks at my friend RandyTost’s home. He wasn’t home so they were left on the porch. Randy is wanting to make some tomahawks for his grandkids. He plans to insert the rocks into live trees and allow the ends to grow together to engulf the rock. This was a method used by Native Americans in the past. Whoops… he now knows where the rocks came from.   Me and the river!

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Memorial Day Thoughts

Posted in 2011 Spring Gobbler Season, Historical, My Family, Wildflowers on May 30, 2011| Leave a Comment »

  

Morning

  I spent the very early hours of the morning of Memorial  Day in the woods.(In fact, I wrote this blog during that time too.) What a great place to reflect! Of course, my thoughts, as they so often do, drifted back to some early years of my father and I trekking over these same hills and hollows. Further thoughts took me back to the time when my dad pointed out his name on a, long gone, memorial along the street in Elderton, Pennsylvania.  My little chest puffed out with pride! This was a big deal for a five or six year-old as it is today!

      Although, I can’t recall these memories, but, I was told I would stand at attention, when I first could do so, anytime the “Star-Spangled Banner” would be heard.

I am old enough to remember when McArthur and Churchhill passed away. These were a couple of the “big guys” from the WW2 era. I recall hearing of the passing of the last Civil War veteran, as well as the last World War 1 soldier. Now the World war 2 veterans are rapidly aging followed quickly by the Korean and Viet Nam vets!    

Our native Columbine

I remembered some details of war stories from my father. Some of the places he was and the things he witnessed could easily ruin good men. Biblically speaking, there will be a time when all things old and present will be gone and there will be no more war. What a day that will be! The way many things are falling into place I suspect the terrible times coming will not be far off before that time of PEACE.

On Sunday,Pastor Wayne Sawyer of the Kittanning Free Methodist Church had the beginning moments of the film “Saving Private Ryan” shown. I turned my head to avoid watching the man and his family at the gravesite of the captain responsible for his life. I know my results. Powerful!

Song Sparrow

  

Cherry Run

    Later, Laurie and I will cook some burgers on the grill and I will, no doubt, watch some war movie.In most recent years I would dress in my 18th century apparel and walk the Memorial Day parade. The man in charge of that event too has passed. Another great patriot named Herman Rupert. I had him as a teacher in high school too.

Native Iris-Blue Flag

   I did see a few squirrels and some deer. I saw a woodcock too. I left the woods after 8:00 A. M. The woods were quiet as was I. It was a good morning!

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Short Hunt

Posted in 2011 Spring Gobbler Season, Wildflowers on May 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 

Wild Geranium

   The gobble exploded only 80-120 yards below me. I had crept in quietly prior to 5:00A.M. to await this exact moment. My plan was right on thus far. I was close and above the gobbler, the forest was open and obstacle-free. The turkey was outside of the posted land.

As the minutes continued on towards daybreak I softly called and was answered! Soon a jake exploded  his presence. Fifteen minutes later a hen began to chirp too. My heart sank as I heard her calls. The woods became silent. The longbeard only gobbled 10-12 times all morning.

Buck

  Suddenly, I saw it.. a turkey tail only about 60 yards away. These birds were closer than I had believed. The foliage had slightly muffled the sounds. Two birds flew out and dropped down behind the posted line.  A third bird followed. I had the shotgun across my knee in anticipation. Two more birds departed the roost. A saw three of the five birds land.

The wait was long and none of the turkeys came up towards me. I expected the hen (s) lead the gobblers deeper into the posted land. They had all landed just behind a slight rise in the land so I couldn’t see them on the ground. This is something hens often do. They don’t want the competition of the heard but not seen hen…me!. I began to call excitedly in hopes of angering her for a return. The plan failed.

Whay's causing this on the mayapples?

   I later departed  to another hunting site. I had walked and called about one mile from my vehicle when it started…an allergy attack! What misery I felt. I had the itchy, burning, swollen eyes. I had sinus swelling with the need to blow my nose often. I was sneezing. I had red, itchy welts on my arms; neck, upper chest and forehead. What torment!

I started the long and miserable hike towards the car. Fortunately, the symptoms abated as the distance was closed. I was at te car at 10:00. As I type this, I am completely exhausted with swollen and watery eyes. The other symptoms are gone for the moment. I have slept for over two hours. Tomorrow, if I hunt turkeys I will be medicated as a precaution. How did people manage without pills 100 years ago?

I saw many squirrels and several deer including two different bucks. Of course, I saw three turkeys out of five. I, also, saw one adult and one red fox kit.

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One of the Orginal 200

    Another box call from my collection is “One of the Original 22” from Kicking Bird Game Calls. This is a gift for doing their art and logo some years ago. Tim Murphy is the owner and Howard Meyers is the founder. Their site is: http://kickingbirds.com

Wayne Williams call

  This aluminum call was a gift. The late Wayne Williams made and signed this call. Wayne passed away in 2008. great siounding call!

The box call shown here is one of many I have from the Dale and Jody “Putt”Rohm.  This call is personlized by Dale Rohm. A great looking and great sounding box call.   

Personalized Rohm Box call

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