On the Trails of IES

Trail Report for May 16, 2007

65°F, cloudy and calm at 2:00 PM; it had just showered.
The mosquitos were dense enough to nearly inspire panic; they thinned out in the open fields.
Water still lingers in the bottom of the Old Gravel Pit.
We're going to try trail reports on a bi-weekly basis.

The air at the Gifford House was moist and fragrent with lilac after the shower.
Among the most eye-catching new blooms in the garden were Allium, columbine and gentian.
In the Old Gravel Pit, honeysuckle was blooming and filling the air with its scent.
The water at the bottom of the Pit was detectably receding at last.
I ran after that photo. One swat would reap 3 mosquitos - they were in my ears, behind my glasses and and under the brim of my hat.
I paused in the Fern Glen to catch my breath and the wood phlox. The Glen has always been sparse in mosquitoes, and indeed it was not as bad as the trails, but I could not linger long in any one spot.
The Solomon's-seal cost me dearly. I abandoned any remaining photographic ambition and and adopted that of the marathon runner and concentrated on maintaining the optimum pace.
On the Cary Pines Trail, I got the Canada mayflower, but had to leave the starflower for another day.
Lured by the lurid gaywings, I lost more blood on the Wappinger Creek Trail.
The Old Pasture was not bad at all. I stolled through, took my time zooming on the bizarre cedar rust and was reluctant to enter the woods again.
A new fungus on the fallen Old Oak of the Sedge Meadow Trail? I had to!
Finally out of the woods for good, I could see the tent for the May (20-22) Plant Sale.
It looked like the celebration at the finish line. One hour fifteen minutes was a record over the average 3 hr record trail walk.