SUMMER IS ON OUR DOORSTEP

CELEBRATING FERNS

On a walk the other day across the creek we spotted fresh wolf tracks in the soft ground after recent rainfalls.  Makes you wonder what the wolf is up to as new whitetail fawns have been appearing with their mommas here and there.

As Hubby and I continued our walk into the white pine forest to the south I marvelled at the ferns making proud stands everywhere.  Ferns are a favorite of mine and I'm glad to see and appreciate them all around our woodland home.  At least four kinds of ferns appear here and there and my favorite are the maiden hair.

Maple seeds blown helter-skelter dotted the forest floor on our walk, and I spotted another special plant that only grows in this white pine woods, rattlesnake plantain.

Years ago a local child who came to visit did not know what a fern was and that made me feel sad.  How could anyone who lives among ferns not teach their child about them?  Take for granted a blade of grass, or a dandelion, but for heaven's sake... don't take for granted a fern when it grows right at your doorstep.

This first week of June the gnats and mosquitoes were plentiful as I watched the sun setting on this calm evening.  I could hear and enjoy so many sounds; deer snorting, the mighty pileated woodpecker wrapping it's beak high up against a distant tree, red winged blackbirds and warblers making their beautiful sounds, and tree frogs singing loudly in our pond.

Every living thing seemed so busy!  A Wisconsin summer is at our doorstep.  What mysteries it will bring to me are unknown... but it is sure to be a grand summer ahead.

After resting a bit I decided to go investigate what tree the pileated woodpecker was wrapping on. 

Well, no pileated woodpecker pictures today, but thought you'd enjoy Aunt Lydia's Iris growing on the pond dike this week!