Dogwood Afternoons and More
Last weekend, in between bouts of rain showers, we had three hot days in a row with temperatures in the upper 80’s. That was more than enough to wake the remaining trees still slumbering in their winter hibernation. Early Spring wildflowers are dying off with the increased heat and the flowers of May are taking over. Spiderwort and irises and even the wild blackberry bushes are in full bloom now in Jefferson Forest. These attract lots of butterflies and it looks to be a good year for them, especially with the Japanese honeysuckle starting to take off.
At Bernheim Forest this past Sunday with my mom, the Canadian geese with their babies in tow seemed to be everywhere there was water. The hills in all of the area parks have taken on the pastels of spring as flowering trees begin sprouting their leaves and start maturing to the lush deep greens of Summer.
It’s a great time of the year to get out on the trail, I hope you get to soon. I have two new photo albums entitled Dogwoods 2009 and Tortoise on the Trail filled with lots of flowers and wildlife. I hope you enjoy them.
A word of warning to hikers in the area: Ticks! Be sure to check yourself when coming off any trail in the Kentuckiana area, especially right now. Ticks are abundant thanks to our ample Spring rains and I’ve picked off a few almost every time I’ve gone out in the last 3 weeks. Avoid wearing white clothes, especially white socks, since this color attracts ticks the most. Be careful out there!
Canadian Goose and Goslings
Spicebush Swallowtail
Fern and Phlox
Tortoise on the Siltstone Trail
