Tag: Sourland Conservancy

St. Michael's Preserve Aunt Molly Trail: Spring

Hepatica. The smallest things matter. To distract an anxious mind. Focus on the normal. I found it challenging to focus on work today, but once again, nature provided a reprieve from the doldrums.

The last time I was at Aunt Molly Trail, the water, the dirt and the dry grass were frozen. I went by myself and then again a few days later with Bhavna, but the cold cut the adventure short both times.
This time we came with Kiran and most of the rainwater had dried up. Wildflowers were in bloom everywhere, covering the space under the high leafless trees with a carpet of yellow.

Along the path, I found spring beauty, and at first, I thought that would be all I saw. But near the end of the loop, I found clumps of Hepatica and the leaves of what I hope will be clumps of trout lily leaves. I found only one flowering specimen.

Hopefully, I can be back here at the weekend.

6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
Long-spurred Violet | 6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
Trout lily | 6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
Hepatica americana | 6 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
St. Michael’s Preserve Trail Map
St. Michael’s Preserve Trail Map
Submitted as part of the 100DaysToOffload project.

Watershed Preserve Trail

I was having a bad moment. My fear of COVID got the best of me.

My eldest went for a walk with a college friend, which didn’t seem like a great idea. If we are asked to social distance even from our family, why would she be out with someone outside our pandemic circle? My anger got the best of me when Bhavna later told me she had been doing it all week.

I flipped out. I screamed at my child about the meaning of physical distancing, lost my cool and ranted about her killing the whole family. Yes, I said that. It was not one of my best moments.

I was a hot mess. I needed to calm down. On the spur of the moment, I drove to the Watershed Preserve ( Administered by Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 4.8 miles of hiking trails ) and walked the trail.

I thought about what my reaction meant about what I felt about what was happening around me. I was scared and scared to admit it.

I went home, apologised, hugged my daughter and told her how I felt. Fortunately, she understood.

2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 20.6 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 28.3 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 28.3 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 34.2 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 31.1 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 34.2 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 36.5 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 17.6 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
2 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 45.5 mm
Watershed Preserve Trail Map
Watershed Preserve Trail Map

Rockhopper Trail

Bhavna and I ventured out to another trail in West Amwell Township we had not visited before. This one was odd in that the trailhead starts on private property. We passed an old barn and some cars. It was a bit strange.

It had rained the entire week, and the trail was more than just soggy; it was "water into your shoe" deep in certain places. Fortunately, Bhavna had worn proper hiking shoes for this adventure, and we pushed through until the trail changed from its carpet of leaves to the rocky terrain we've come to expect when hiking in the Sourland Mountain Range.

It had rained the entire week, and the trail was more than just soggy; it was "water into your shoe" deep in certain places. Fortunately, Bhavna had worn proper hiking shoes for this adventure, and we pushed through until the trail changed from its carpet of leaves to the rocky terrain we've come to expect when hiking in the Sourland Mountain Range.

The trees are still bare, but the spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is blooming.

Rockhopper Trail | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 23.4 mm
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm

This week the blanket of leaves revealed the start of new life. Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides), which I didn't notice a week ago, is now starting to bloom. I hear the buzzing of invisible insects.

Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
Hepatica Americana, the round-lobed hepatica | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
hepatica nobilis | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm
1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 34.2 mm
Rockhopper Trail | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
Shroom | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm

Cut-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), a flowering plant that I have not noticed in recent and past hikes, finds its life amongst the leaves at the base of the forest trees.

Cardamine concatenata, cutleaved toothwort | 1 April, 2020 | FujiFilm X-T2 | AF-S Nikkor XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 16 mm