Sunday, August 30, 2015

Friday, August 28, 2015

Rivermede Market in Keene Valley

... has plants, local vegetables, delicious homemade pies and lunch!

Monday, August 24, 2015

Closed or Bottle Gentian

Gentiana andrewsii 

...is found in all its rich blue glory all over the Adirondacks right now. As this blogger has noted in past years, there was no film that she knew of that could capture this color. Cheers to digital!


Sunday, August 16, 2015

Teasel, detail

This gem is found growing at the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota. It originally grows in Europe and Asia, and so it is an "escape" here, transplanted in North America centuries ago. Teasel was and still is used to card wood. We saw it being done in Iceland. 

Common Name:Wild Teasel
Scientific Name:Dipsacus fullonum
Irish Name:Leadán úcaire

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Indian Lake Library, Adirondacks

The sentiments expressed here about the importance of libraries are beautiful and priceless!

The Indian Lake Library has a gazebo with bug-free internet connectivity. In fact, the entire perimeter well into the parking lot is connected. This library, as do most, delivers the internet just as they do books as a media public service. 

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Sunset Tonight from Thornden Park

The summer of 1988 and the gigantic fires at Yellowstone, 2000 miles west of here, one summer evening I could smell the smoke from our back yard in Oneida. It was unmistakable. A few days later my observation was confirmed by others.

Today I wonder if these brilliant colors are caused by the fires in California, 2800 miles west of here.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Upper Stillwater Reservoir

We spent a night at the Norridgewock Lodge at Beaver River. The next day we returned to the landing by water taxi. The day was spectacularly beautiful. We had gone up the day before on the sightseeing boat.

Beaver River is a hamlet served by no road. One gets there by way of a barge that will carry your car across to the Six Mile Road, or by water taxi, a sightseeing boat or your own power boat, canoe or kayak. By water it is about 8 miles from the landing.

You can also walk from Twitchell Lake on a well maintained trail.

In winter you can get to Beaver River by snow machine along abandoned railroad tracks or over the frozen reservoir.

Sea planes are also available from 6th Lake on the Fulton Chain at Inlet.

There are a week or two in the fall, and another week or two in the spring when the reservoir cannot be crossed by boat or snow machine. During that time the folks who live in Beaver River use various rigs converted to railroad track-worthy machines. It's unclear to me whether this is actually legal, but no one seems concerned.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Dragon Flies at Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota

CharacteristicDragonflyDamselfly
Eyesmost have eyes that touch, or nearly touch, at the top of the headeyes are clearly separated, usually appearing to each side of the head
Bodyusually stockyusually long and slender
Wing Shapedissimilar wing pairs, with hind wings broader at the baseall wings similar in shape
Position at Restwings held open, horizontally or downwardswings held closed, usually over abdomen
Discal Celldivided into trianglesundivided, quadrilateral
Male Appendagespair of superior anal appendages, single inferior appendagetwo pairs of anal appendages
Female Appendagesmost have vestigial ovipositorsfunctional ovipositors
Larvaebreathe through rectal tracheal gills; stocky bodiesbreathe through caudal gills; slender bodies

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota

Boardwalk through the wet and dense bottomland swamp.
 Brilliant cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, blooming in a rare spot of sunlight in the swamp.