Our days have been relatively temperate this summer. Sunny, warm (on occasion stifling hot after a few dances with the heat dome sweeping the country) and for the most part, lovely. We've seen a lot of haze from the Canadian wildfires so the sky hasn't been terribly blue and we've had a couple of rain storms but overall, a good time to be north.
I have two or three walking loops, basically around the same area. There is a basic one-mile circle, another that is 1.8 miles (round trip), and another that is 2 miles even. (Back and forth to the cousin cottage is about a half mile each direction.) Every year I pay attention to the roadside blooms.
I confess, I don't have the app that tells me what all of these are. (I know -- I should get it. But I have enough crap on my phone already.) In large part, it doesn't really matter to me. I'm no botanist. I just like the way they look!
And of course, I always see something interesting -- a downed feather, perhaps?
Sometimes it might just be bugs on a bloom. I think this is Queen Anne's Lace but it might be the hemlock or another look-alike.
There is plenty of milkweed. At least I think this is milkweed.
And I love these little pink guys that I often see at the ditch at home, too.
The Tiger Lilies seem to grow wild, as well as the spots cultivated by mailboxes. These were in a marshy field.
I should remember the name of these berries. Our friend Eric told us while visiting and even tasted one but I can't remember. They're just pretty! And I'm sure the birds love them.
Carole recently had a post where she used the Japanese word shinrinyoku, which literally means taking a “forest bath." When I turn onto this road, that's exactly what I feel. There's a big breath in and a big breath out and every bit of tension is released from my body.
When I'm walking I look for more than blooms. I continue to see new spots in the woods where trees fell during the ice storm. The other night we went to dinner and on the ride home saw even more damage. The storm was brutal, relentless and expensive. Of course, because we are a purple state, no federal emergency was declared despite our governor's requests, therefore no aid or assistance. The area has really taken a hit, though foliage on the standing trees covers up much of the damage. Trust me -- this photo doesn't look bad. What I saw does.
And sometimes you see something that just makes you smile. Peeking between cottages I noticed a convention of geese. I counted 25 of them but may have missed some a bit farther out of view.
Better their beach than mine!
29 comments:
That is such a beautiful forest path in the sunshine. The older I get the more marvellous I think nature is.
Hi Jeanie, I am like you. I often take photos of flowers ð and plants ðŠī ☺️ and I have absolutely no idea what they are called. If I like the look and colour I take the photo. I don't mind if my knowledgeable visitors mention in a comment what they are but there is no guarantee I will remember...who cares? LOL!I absolutely love ❤️ your photos here. And I laughed about the goose convention. They sure do get around and make their presence known. I love Canada ðĻðĶ geese. I love all nature.
Thank you ð so much for sharing.
Your walking loops around the lake sound so peaceful, even with the haze! It is neat how you enjoy all the roadside blooms, even without knowing their names. That "forest bath" feeling is so lovely when you walk in nature. It is sad to hear about the ice storm damage, but seeing all those geese must have been a funny surprise
You live in such a nice place. Thanks for sharing the beauty.
I have that yellow plant among my groundcover. I love it, it's creeping Charlie or lunging Lucy or something.
I commented already but now I'm back. That yellow flowering plant is creeping Jenny. But who's counting.
I would love to walk in the forest again. the sense of peace filled me. Now I can walk in really hot California climate. There is beauty all around, but nothing like your forests.
Among blooms, berries, and broken trees, you’re finding beauty, release, and truth in the landscape, even when the damage runs deeper than the eye can see
...those little pink guys appear to be yarrow. Those red berries are the fruit of a honeysuckle. Thanks in part to the birds, honeysuckle is an invasive plant. May the forest be with you!
Lucky you to have some mild but beautiful summer weather. We've had so much hot weather, and I am missing my walks. But I did enjoy going along with you and looking at the flowers as well as having so forest bathing. Your walks look super. hugs-Erika
It's been stifling hot here too. Would be nice to be in a lake or woods. These are pretty flowers. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
I love how you have these regular walks and notice the plants and wildlife that inhabit them -- reminds me of something I used to do with my students: mark off an area and notice what is there; and then return to it regularly to see how it changes.
And... a forest bath? What a perfect description of how walking through the woods makes me feel -- thank you!
What a lovely path in your paradise.
Oh how I would love to have a place like that to walk my dog. It's absolutely beautiful, thank you for sharing.
My "phone" is from 2017 and I really need a new one. I read you. Mine is "packed" and tired....
Yes!!!! Look down! I learned after Ingo reminding me constantly: "Dog-poo!!!!" but I see nice things, too, now.
Hmmmm, to summer (hope still we get one! 15C/59F is not really my idea, cloudy, too...). Enjoy yours!
I love seeing the wildflowers along a country road. Especially the wild carrot (queen anne's lace) and chickory. Janice
I felt peaceful standing in the forest via your photo :-) Beautiful. I also love looking at the flowers along the side of the roads and lanes. I particularly enjoy watching the fireweed (also known as rosebay willowherb here) bloom upwards. I'm like you--I don't know what flowers and plants are called, but I love looking at them. The tiger lilies remind me of my Nana--she had them growing all around her house. Hope your day is wonderful.
I love seeing all the beautiful flowers in your part of the world!
One of the nice things about using iNaturalist and other nature apps is that scientists can use the information collected around the world to learn more through citizen science. This week, for example, is the 9th Monarch Blitz where people are asked to document milkweed and other Monarch-related life. It will help scientists know how nature is doing. It was a delight for me to see that milkweed is doing well there. Here's a little more about this project: https://www.fws.gov/story/2025-07/join-monarch-blitz-july-25-august-3-2025
I love the term forest bath!
Your strolls are obviously enhanced by these blooms, so just enjoy them and don’t worry about their names. Otherwise, you’ll become just like me!
It’s so wonderful for you to have this retreat. The weather there, however, must be a little milder than here. Having said that, it is better here again.
Michigan is really a beautiful state. I wish we had the energy to see more of it! I haven’t been north of here (Ann Arbor) in a few years and that’s silly!
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
That glimpse of forest path melted the stress off my shoulders even via photograph!
Beal Gardens provides me with some free botanical education--because they have all of the native species helpfully labeled :).
What a beautiful spot to walk. You know me -- I'd want to know all their names, just like I do with people. I figure if I want to be friends with them, I ought to know their names! One of your other readers got the spread of yellow flowers close enough; it's called creeping Jenny. I think the 'little pink guys' are common yarrow, as in Peter Yarrow, and the milkweed is called common milkweed (which doesn't grow down here, but I saw it in Kansas). I can't wait for August to be over -- I want to be out more, but it's getting harder to force myself out!
What a beautiful forest path to walk. I can totally see how you can feel the shinrinyoku in this place. Lovely wildflowers, too. It is wonderful to slow down and observe, in the Japanese style of appreciation for the little things.
I love nature noticing and the concept of forest bathing. What beauty you see on your walks. Just lovely. Sad to hear your state isn't getting help in storm recovery.
A beautiful stroll with plenty of pretty blooms. Looks so peaceful and calm.
That's milkweed, all right. It's been a fine year for tiger lilies; the first year I've had one (my mother tried to bring them in twenty years ago). I don't know what the others are, though I do know I've not seen them here, which may help if anyone wants to look them up.
I don't know when or why I got so focused on the names of flowers and plants, but I did. I wish I could just shrug off the identities and enjoy the blossoms, but that's not the way my brain works. :) The "little pink guys" from the ditch are yarrow, BTW. :)
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