Spring Wildflower Hunting On Jack And Diane's Back Fifty

Spring Star Flower

Diane And Jack's Hemlock Grove

7:10

A windy, wet and overcast morning, with more rain, perhaps even snow forecast for over the weekend.  In other words, it's Spring in Chautauqua.  It's a surprisingly warm 55º but will drop into the 30's tomorrow and Sunday.

Yesterday began with a quick, half-hour paddle before driving over to have breakfast with Jack, as the others were still out of town.  We talked about going wildflower hunting in Jack's woods later in the afternoon which sounded like a good idea. After breakfast, I drove to yoga class, felt much better afterward and drove home, no coffee because I had enough at breakfast in Bemus.  Evie had been busy when I drove in, having cleaned out her entire garden of leaves and dead fall, getting it ready for summer.  She also wanted to clean out the leaves from our privets in the front yard, then fertilize them, so I helped her, taking four barrels of leaves up the hill to the wood/leaf/weed pile.

We were done around 12:45 and while I drove up the hill, Evie made me a couple of chicken sandwiches, with tomatoes and avocados.  I had the last of the soup with the sandwiches and watched another BOSCH.  I think he's about to catch the bad guys as Season Two is almost over.  I then read, took a cat nap and went outside to wash my car which, because it's often parked under the willow, is splattered with bird droppings.  I quickly washed it but before I could pulled it out, a bird hit it once again.  I am wondering if because of our feeders, we have a plethora of birds sitting in the willow.

We were going for a hike through Jack and Diane's farm and wooded acreage at 4:00 so we left at 3:30 for their home on the Chautauqua ridge, Amish country, with a view of Lake Erie.  They bought a 65-acre farm back in 1974 with no jobs but it turned out to be a great choice.

Hops Farm

Jack raises hops along with a garden of flowers and vegetables on one side of the road and has 50 acres of woods on the other side.  We took Jack's four-wheeler halfway into their back 50, then walked the rest of the way to their creek, hemlock forest, and maple syrup tapping area.

Leaf Covered Woods In Spring

A Couple Of Crazies

We took our time as Diane would point out wildflowers and give us their name.  It's amazing what we would have missed without her sharp eye and knowledge of wildflowers.  We meandered for a good hour and a half, crossing the creek numerous times, walking through vast patches of vinca or myrtle, taking photographs of various tiny wildflowers.

Trillium

Trillium Ready To Bloom

Adder's Tongue

c

Corn Lilly Or False Hellebore

Dutchmen's Britches

We ended up at their cabin, set up over the creek.  They often celebrate Christmas in it with their family, a tradition that has continued with their grandchildren.  We vowed to have dinner out their next winter when the woods are covered with snow.

Cabin In The Woods

Chautauqua Ridge At Dusk

Around 6:30, we drove to Guppy's for dinner, about 15 minutes from their house.  They like to go there and know the owner as well as the wait staff.  We had not been there in a while and were surprised that it was quesadilla night, with six choices of quesadillas.  Both Evie and I ordered one with mushrooms, spinach, chicken and cheese and it was extraordinary, the best we have ever had.  We talked for a good hour about their upcoming five-week trip to Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand next fall.  They are a couple of intrepid traverlers.  We were home around 8:30, in time to watch Jeopardy of course and another episode of RAKE.  I was happy to get back to my book.  It was a full day, made special by our walk in the woods with Jack and Diane.