Tag Archives: spring

A New Crabapple Becomes a Beautiful Tree

May 22, 2022 Troy

One summer day at work, I was told about a crabapple tree that was going to be thrown into the compost because the top had been broken so it wasn’t able to be used for our customer. I asked if I could have it? It was a nice tree and with some care it would likely be just fine. So I brought it home and planted this little crabapple in a perfect spot for us to enjoy. With a little trimming that winter, this new crabapple would be ready to grow into a healthy tree for years to come.

The next spring it leafed out with a few blossoms, but spent more of it’s energy into growing and recovering from being planted. While it was only seven feet tall, we were just excited it survived the winter and was full of leaves. Just keep growing little tree!

When spring arrived the next year, our little crabapple had lots of beautiful, fragrant flowers bringing smiles to our faces. Over the summer, a change for our family would be made. We had decided to move into a different house to fit the needs of our family. One of the hardest parts of that decision was leaving this tree behind. I convinced my wife we could transplant this tree as long as we did it once the leaves had dropped for the season. It had become a healthy and vigorous little tree in a short time and would very likely be able to handle the trauma of being uprooted and replanted. So that’s what we did. That fall, just before this house was sold, a friend came over and we dug this tree out and replanted it at our new house.

The next spring it leafed out once again and began growing. Releaf! Over the next few years our little crabapple had adapted to these new surroundings, continued to grow and provide amazing beauty and fragrance each spring. We couldn’t believe how much it grew each year. Some of those years were cool and wet while others were hot and dry. Yet this tree just kept growing.

Some years there weren’t many blooms to fill the air with its calming aroma, but we enjoyed it still. Our little tree had some challenges during these years but continued to grow and flourish into a mature tree. This spring it put on such an amazing show as it has become a full sized tree reaching over thirty feet in height. We could never have imagined what it would become over almost 20 years its been in our lives. What a special gift for us!

migration, spring, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Spring Duck Migration is Underway

April 30, 2022 Troy

It was one of the few nice days so far this spring. There was a lot to do at home but my camera kept whispering my name. Ignoring it at first, I continued on with my list of things to do but as the day continued, the call became louder and louder. Admitting I had not really used the camera much in awhile, I finally decided to accept the continual suggestions and head out to an area park. Knowing it would probably be busy as many people wanted to get out and enjoy the beautiful day, I thought through where I would go. After much thinking, I decided on a park a little further away hoping the ice would now be off some of the smaller ponds and wildlife would be starting to make their way north.

Pulling into the county park I had chosen, the parking lot was surprisingly open. There were several vehicles there but people were returning from their hikes and leaving. This should turn out to be a quieter adventure than I was expecting which would be nice. Now parked I switched my shoes to warmer boots since I was expecting to sit in one location for some time and the ground was still cold. Grabbing my backpack holding the camera gear and some warmer clothing should it be needed along with some food, I began my hike to the pond. Along the way I decided to travel through a small forest in search of mushrooms. They weren’t showing a week ago and today was no different. One more stop to the prairie along the way to check for Pasque Flowers. They were beginning to grow now and would be in full bloom soon. Now on to the edge of the pond which I could see the ice was gone and ducks littered the surface.

Meandering through trees at the edge of the pond I found a nice spot to perch in between two larger trees. The camera was set upon my tripod and I was ready. With all of this activity the ducks had moved to the farther end of the pond but I knew they would be back in time. Trying to remain mostly still I just sat and observed these waterfowl for awhile. Eventually they began to venture back to where I was sitting gathering food for their journey to their northern nesting grounds. Ring-necked ducks were the first to work their way closer and I expected to see these here as I’ve seen them a number of times in years past. Mixed in with them were a few Buffleheads which I wasn’t really expecting but happy to see. A couple of Pied-billed Grebes swam back and forth. While trying to capture a few images of them, a Ring-neck pheasant took off from right in front of me. I had no idea he was even there. How could I have missed it? What was even more surprising was it stayed that close to me for nearly an hour before scrambling to the air. That’s not typical for a pheasant. Of course there were the expected Wood ducks and even a few coots. As the sunlight was began to fade, a Sandhill Crane decided to land at the edge of this pond, probably for the night.

I had enjoyed this afternoon out photographing wildlife but the sun was now at the horizon and with it, my light for shooting wildlife. Packing up I was hoping to witness a colorful sunset. I climbed to the top of a nearby hill and watched as the sun continued to dip under the horizon. There wasn’t much of a show except for one small area in the landscape and I wasn’t in a good place to photograph it. Beginning my hike back to the car, the clouds on the opposite horizon began to produce a soft, pink glow. A beautiful way to mark the end of this wildlife adventure.

While walking I began to wonder if the owl I had photographed in this area a few times last year was back. There was no sign if it on this trip. I returned to the car now anticipating the warmth of the engine. Cold had started to return to the air with a stronger breeze pushing it through my clothes. With a slight shiver I began drive home with a smile having enjoyed an increasingly rare afternoon in a park.

Photos, Seasons, spring, Troy's Blog

The First Flowers of Spring

April 24, 2022 Troy

The calendar says it spring but there have not been that many spring like days so far this year. An occasional warm and sunny day but those have been followed by many cold and windy days bringing freezing temperatures and coatings of snow making it feel like spring has not begun. One early sign is pussywillows beginning to bud out. While out looking for sings of life to show spring was indeed on the way, the only thing I came across was a few bushes of willow beginning to show swelling buds. I’ve tried to photograph these before without much success but that doesn’t stop me from trying. This day was no different with dark, overcast skies keeping birds roosted and other plants still dormant. The only real spring opportunity seemed to be this pussywillow.

I do enjoy seeing these and often remind me of Spring Break trips with the family as they would often begin blooming just as we were preparing for a vacation together and would be well along in the blooming process once we returned. One of subjects I’ve wanted to photograph during those years was the actual flowers of these willow shrubs but really didn’t have an opportunity to do so. This seemed like a good time to attempt such pictures. Cutting a branch from one of these bushes, I took it home and set it up in a vase. Within a day they were beginning to open further and show all of their tiny flowers. Having this branch out of the wind made it possible to really get close up and see more of the details of these blooms.

We’re so use to these being just little balls of white fuzz but there’s a lot more going on as they continue to develop and you can examine them closer. Their little yellow anthers begin to emerge and are quite interesting. There’s not a lot of time as they continue to develop quickly and in a short time begin to release all of their pollen, drying up just a short time later. With fresh blooms you can have a chance to see this process but it will all be over in a short time so don’t forget to keep an eye on them. They are beautiful with more than just fuzzy little white balls. It was nice to finally have a chance to photograph these early spring flowers and capture more of their beauty.

Adventures, Michigan, spring, Troy's Blog

Spring Break Road Trip

April 25, 2021 Troy

Several months ago, while looking over the calendar, we noticed our girls had time off for Spring Break about the same time. This seemed like something we should take advantage of since who knows how many more times we’ll have the opportunity for a family Spring Break adventure. The plan was to go for an extended weekend somewhere within 8 hours of our house. Weather would help dictated which direction we went. As the week arrived we looked at a few different options and decided going to Badlands National Park seemed like the best option during Spring Break. We would leave Wednesday morning and return Saturday afternoon. Tuesday afternoon I checked in with a family friend who has some property in Central Michigan and found out they would be there for the week. Originally they were expecting to be gone a few days before Spring Break but things had changed a little. Talking with the family we decided a change in plans was in order and that the next morning we should head east instead. Tuesday night the car was packed and ready to go to Michigan.

Wednesday morning we were on the road by 5:30am eagerly anticipating our Spring Break adventure. It was a rainy start to the day which was expected to follow us throughout the drive east. As we got into Wisconsin, daylight began to fill the sky. With increasing brightness we could see fog filling many of the valleys providing interesting scenery to start the day. By lunchtime we neared the Wisconsin-Michigan boarder stopping to stretch our legs and getting something to eat. Returning to the road we soon crossed into a different time zone where we lost an hour entering Michigan and began to follow the top of Lake Michigan. The sights in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan kept us entertained with the road trip beginning to get long and going on hour number 8. Another hour and we were at the Mackinaw Bridge.

We had heard about this bridge from several other people but had never seen it ourselves. It’s certainly an engineering feet to see and drive on especially in an area that freezes during the winter. It’s interesting to drive on as one lane is metal grates which feel weird to drive over while the other is a cement deck. Crossing the bridge, we made another stop to explore Mackinaw Island which was mostly closed down since it’s more of a tourist place and it was too early for them to be open. Over the next few hours we continued south now that we were on the east side of Lake Michigan arriving at our destination. A little town on the shores of Lake Michigan in the central part of the state. It was a nice drive but we were happy to get out of the car. As a bonus, it was partly sunny with temperatures in the mid 70’s.

Flowers, Troy's Blog

The First Spring Blooms

March 28, 2021 Troy

With snow still melting not far away the Hellebores began to bloom. These were the first flowers of spring which is very unusual. Typically pussywillows and maples start sending out their flowers as winter is receding with other spring ephemerals a couple of weeks behind. This year these beautiful blooms opened up on the first day of spring beating the pussywillows and maples by a week.

The first flowers opened up just underneath their leaf canopy while many other blooms continued to rise up from the leaves laid down last fall. Hellebores have leaves which stay green all winter long giving them a little protection from the cold which could quickly return. And for a night or two it did with little effect on this early blooming plant.

As the flowers continued to rise up from the ground, it became clear this would be one of the best spring blooms I’ve seen in the past 15 years of having these plants growing in the yard. Whatever conditions last summer led to such a beautiful display I’m not sure but it’s so nice to see as spring is eagerly anticipated. I look forward to enjoying many blooms over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully heavy snows steer clear of the back yard which could bring the flowering season to a quick end.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

A Spring Afternoon Surprise

June 21, 2020 Troy

After completing some tasks around the house for much of the weekend I needed to get out to an area park and enjoy the sun’s warmth. A few days earlier I had found the first native orchids to bloom at one park. Now I wanted to locate it at my favorite park to go for some nearby solitude. A place I’ve spent hundreds of hours exploring. My plan was to hike some of the spots that seemed most likely for the Showy Orchis to grow. These would take a little bit to get to as they are over a mile away from the parking lot through the woods. It was ok as I had set aside the entire afternoon to conduct my search. After a few hours of looking without success, something moved just ahead of me. I was looking towards the ground off to one side and only caught this motion out of the corner of my eye. My mind registered something dark about the size of a cat. It was late afternoon and I was trying to figure out what would be moving this time of day at that size. Logically it must have been a squirrel which went up the tree appearing larger than it is. Returning to my search for this orchid I dismissed that movement as nothing unique. I was now on a lesser used trail which I discovered several years ago one late fall afternoon. Continuing forward on this little trail I noticed a patch of newly emerged grass which appeared to have been matted down and somewhat brown. That seemed strange for this time of year. Taking a few more steps I once again noticed movement but this time I saw what created it moving away from me. A PUP!

Soon after I saw it, it saw me and took off towards the other pups. It seemed unsure though of what I was. And then there was another walking on the trail right towards me. Fortunately my camera was out and ready now for a quick shot before this one also decided to take off. As I looked around I realized I was right in the middle of their den. My next action was to scan the surroundings for their mother. Coyotes typically will stay hidden unless their pups are in danger and here I was so close to their playground. While I didn’t see a full size coyote, I kept listening for any off sound while watching these pups scatter back and forth. What to do? I could find a nice spot and set up for possibly some better pictures as the pups would likely return in time or I could find an exit and continue on my search for orchids. I decided to move up near a log close by and wait for a little while. A couple of pups did come back and started to play briefly. They scattered again and I decided it was time to return to my hunt. After looking around I found the direction I wanted to escape from to try and reduce my impact on this place for these coyotes. I started walking in one direction and there was a pup right in front of me. I turned to go another way and there was another laying under a shrub. It seemed I couldn’t get out of their place without causing a disturbance. Finally I made it away after waiting a few times for the pups to find their way without me scaring them too much.

Finally I was back on the hunt for wild orchids in an area I haven’t spent much time in. About an hour after discoveries these pups I decided to take a rest and grab a little water. There was a nice log for me to sit on and set my gear next to while I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the woods. I was looking around to see the surroundings and what’s growing nearby when something caught my attention up the hill from me. Watching closely in the direction of the sound I soon saw an adult coyote. That seems weird for this time of day I thought. I was now quite far away from the den I found earlier. Wow, multiple coyotes in a single day? After thinking about this for a few minutes I realized what most likely happened. One of the parents had been stalking me for this entire time. Over an hour I was being followed. The only reason I saw it was because I stopped making noise for a long enough time causing it to search in the last spot it heard me. I was quite impressed with how nonchalantly it walked through the woods in sight. Like it didn’t even know I was there. It barely looked in my direction but a quick glance once or twice. I’m quite certain this is far from reality. It knew where I was and figured I was likely no longer a threat and retreated to the den area after being spotted by me. This coyote no longer had the edge of being hidden while following me. After thinking about all of this it became a little uneasy knowing I was being stalked for such a long time without hearing this coyote. Another humbling experience in the woods. Unfortunately no orchids were found on my adventures this afternoon but the pups were a more than adequate substitute.

Photos, Troy's Blog

A Cold Mid May Morning

May 17, 2020 Troy

The forecast called for temperatures reaching the freezing level overnight which meant a possible foggy sunrise with the water temperatures well over freezing now. Waking up to catch the sunrise now means 5am or earlier. Just before 5 I woke up and looked outside. No clouds in the sky so likely a normal sunrise. No need to rush to get out of the house. Gathering up the camera, batteries, and some food for a morning out at the park I eventually made it to the car. Opening up the garage door and pulling out I could see the horizon lit up with deep red colors hanging on the few clouds low in the sky. Frustration entered as I was missing a beautiful sunrise. I quickly headed for a park closer than I planned to see if I could capture some of these colors but failed. By the time I got there the deep colors had faded. Well, on to my original destination. Of course I could not seem to get there as I passed the first turn, and then the second forcing me to drive most of the way around a lake to finally arrive at the park I was headed for.

Walking to an area I scouted out the day before I noticed some fog and a little frost on the ground here and there. The photo at the top shows the best I could come up with as the sun rose above the trees. While I like the picture, it’s not what I had in mind or was hoping for. Being able to watch a sunrise is still a soothing start to any day though. There were some interesting frost covered plants to enjoy briefly before temperatures rose. I spent a little time taking in some of the interesting patterns created by these little ice crystals before heading to a water side perch to see what wildlife was out and about. Most of the wildlife consisted of Red-Winged Blackbirds and a pair of Canadian Geese. After an hour I decided to move and scout some other areas for Showy Orchis habitat. Minnesota’s earliest native orchids to bloom which use to be much more plentiful but now a bit more challenging to locate.

As I left my waterside hideout and began walking a Great Blue Heron came flying by and landed in a great spot if I was still settled in my original spot. Another missed opportunity! Feeling even more defeated now I decided to hit a trail. This trail winds around this area of water with a nice open spot to see the surroundings since plants are not fully grown yet. I decided to walk off trail a little and check out the water to see if I could find this heron. Maybe there would be a photo opportunity yet. As I approached I scanned the waters edge for this large bird. About to give up I spotted it not more than 20 feet away. They never let people get that close without flying away. I decided to back away and find a place to sit. Maybe it would move on down the shoreline towards me for some nice pictures. No such luck. It moved a little towards my direction and then snagged a good size fish out of the water. The camera would not focus on the bird as it was behind quite a bit of grass and a tree branch. Soon after a boat came drifting into the area forcing this heron to move away further. Disappointed I continued on my search for Orchis habitat. Unfortunately I didn’t find that either. It really felt like a bit of a bust for the morning. I’m still glad I got out for a few hours to enjoy a bit of nature. Some outings are like that while others provide several opportunities. You just never know.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Enjoying the Migration

May 9, 2020 Troy

One of my favorite things to watch in the spring are birds that are just passing through. That’s when we get to see the most diversity, and usually in their brightest colors. I try to get to a lake close by to see the sun rise above the horizon and watch wildlife begin their daily activities. Once people walk or run by with some consistency I know it’s time to head for home for the day. On one of these recent trips I noticed an Eagle fly up into a tree nearby. At first I lost sight of it. After moving in one direction and then another I spotted where it was perched but was quite certain I could not get there which would require walking almost directly underneath it. Another person strolled by and I pointed the camera in the general direction of the large bird expecting it to fly once she approached it. To my surprise it didn’t move so I began to walk in that direction also. I needed to get on the other side of it because the sun was coming from the wrong direction where I was and there were too many branches for a good photograph.

Keeping an eye on the eagle without actually looking directly at it, I moved to a better location with better light shining on the bird now. Attempting to appear as though I wasn’t interested in the eagle, I watched out over the lake for a few minutes. Once it began scanning the lake again I lifted the camera and focused for a few photos. With me on one side pointed a camera towards it and another person walking from the opposite direction proved too much for this eagle as it quickly departed. I never like to be the cause of wildlife having to move and was disappointed to have made it uncomfortable requiring it to fly away. Most likely, in this situation, it would have occurred anyway as people increased in numbers at this park with their dogs but I would have like a few more photos. Especially of an eagle capturing breakfast.

On a previous trip to this same park I was fortunate to capture a small group of Bufflehead ducks coming in for a landing. Things lined up perfectly in this instance with them approaching from across the lake right in front of me. As they got closer they turned and landed in the water with the sunlight in the opposite direction. That almost never happens and if it does the focus seems to get lost somewhere along the way. This particular group of Buffleheads seemed to stay in the area for awhile which I’ve not seen in previous years. It seems a little odd as more people frequent the area currently. And of course, what would be a trip to the lake without capturing a mallard? Especially one that comes right to the edge of the water in front of me.

While working with the mallard I notices several smaller birds flittering quickly among the trees above me. Eventually a few worked their way to the lower branches where I could capture a photo of them. As I expected, they turned out to be yellow rumped warblers which is a bird I frequently see during the early spring season as they make their way north. They’re always fun to watch and have some nice coloration bouncing from branch to branch and tree to tree. Hopefully there will be many other opportunities this spring to enjoy more migrating birds yet as the weather continues to warm up.

Flowers, Photos, Troy's Blog

Early Spring Flowers

May 3, 2020 Troy

After winter’s last blast, hopefully, early spring flowers began to be more numerous. For several years the Hellebore in my yard would not bloom during the spring. The past few autumn seasons would confuse these flowers by producing a cold snap long enough followed by a warm up causing these plants to partially bloom. The next spring there would be no blooms to enjoy as snow melted away under the warming sun. This year produced nearly perfect weather for the Lenten Rose to be true to it’s name and begin flowering during Lent. I decided to take advantage of some nicer afternoons and photograph the first signs of spring.

The more I studied these flowers the more fascinating they became. A great subject to practice some macro photography with attempting to capture their interesting structures revealing colors and pieces of the flower that I didn’t notice before. At the same time an early spring bulb produced beautiful purple flowers. Scilla was quickly emerging and beginning to open its beautiful blooms. Another good subject to get close in on with the camera trying to capture its details.

As I spent more time with these blooms, I started seeing bees flying nearby. At first they kept their distance but eventually the call to these flowers became to strong and they would venture onto the flowers while I was close. While waiting for a good opportunity I could smell the wonderful fragrance coming from these clusters. Ahh, spring is truly here and bring the explosion of flowers with it. I seem to be looking forward to the warmer weather and beauty of plants blooming everywhere more than I knew. Typically I enjoy winter enough that I don’t anticipate spring as much as this year. It has only begun and I’m pretty excited for it.

Photos, Troy's Blog

And Winter Returns….

April 26, 2020 Troy

With spring just getting under way, winter decided to remind us that the cold is not that far away by leaving the ground covered in it’s ice crystals. Having gone by an area in a nearby woods filled with plants beginning to irrupt in beautiful flowers the day before, I decided to go back and take a look at how they were handling the new snow. It did make for a pretty contrast to see all of this green and purple protruding up through the snow covered ground. With some very cold weather expected over the next couple of days I wondered how they would fair. Would the snow stay long enough to protect these delicate looking flowers until it warms up again or would they freeze and produce few seeds?

Initially a carpet of purple flowers caught my attention when I spotted these plants the day before. While exploring the area further, looking for some nice situations to photograph, I came across the first Bloodroot of the season with their pure white blooms ready to open. The only thing was, these blooms did not appear pure white any longer when compared to snow. It’s amazing how colors can look different depending on their surroundings. Or maybe their colors takes on a pink blush as they get colder which fades back to white under the warmth of the sun.

I spent about an hour photographing the snow falling on these spring ephemerals before returning home to spend the rest of the day with family. It was Easter after all!

Gaining Life Experience

Tag Archives: spring

A New Crabapple Becomes a Beautiful Tree

Spring Duck Migration is Underway

The First Flowers of Spring

Spring Break Road Trip

The First Spring Blooms

A Spring Afternoon Surprise

A Cold Mid May Morning

Enjoying the Migration

Early Spring Flowers

And Winter Returns….

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