Kindred Spirits

Cook's Trail

Earlier this fall I was the winning bidder for an item at a silent auction to raise funds for our local nature center (Sandy Creek Nature Center in Athens). The item? A guided day hike to the place of our choosing by one of Athens' most famous trail blazers, Walter Cook! I bid on the item because I thought hiking with an experienced person like Walt would be a great way for my husband and me, 2 relative newcomers to Georgia, to get acquainted with the local hiking scene. Walt and I tried originally to set up a day for a hike somewhere in the mountains while the fall leaves were still beautiful, and before hunting season started, but our busy travel schedule kept getting in the way. Finally he and I settled on a date in December. Walt had several ideas for local trails and made sure I knew that he also had a few favorite BBQ places in mind for lunch after the hike. I had no idea we were signing up for the full package! In the end, Walt decided on a trail and lunch combo that kept us closer to Athens so we wouldn't have to travel too far or watch for hunters. We would be hiking the north end of Cook's Trail and the Oxbow Loop in Sandy Creek Park, about 5 miles, followed not by BBQ, but by tasty Mexican lunch at a roadside eatery near the park. (It was delicious!) I was secretly thrilled because the trail we would hike was built by him and named for him and we were going to get to hike it with him! How cool is that??

Silent Woods

Chilly Morning

Walt shows Art where we'll be going

I had heard a lot about Walt over the year we've been in town, but somehow we never seemed to cross paths, even though we know a lot of the same people and hang around in some of the same nature circles. He is a retired Forestry Professor from UGA with a passion for beautiful forests, parks and trails. He has built countless trails all over Georgia and the Southeast. He was also one of the co-founders of Sandy Creek Nature Center in the 1970's where I am a happy volunteer trail guide, member and new board member. I have a deep respect for many people in the nation who had the vision to come together to purchase land and build nature centers during that time in our history. There was a real sense of connection with the land and new understanding of the importance of ecology and environmental education, combined with a strong community spirit and belief in the future generations. Much of the construction at Morningside Nature Center in Gainesville, Florida--another one of my favorite parks--was also done then.

Cook's Trial Marker and one of Walt's Benches

Because we didn't know each other yet, we agreed to meet at the gate of Sandy Creek Park. He said we should look for his little red car. When my husband and I pulled into the gate that cold morning and saw his little red car, covered with liberal and conservation bumper stickers just like our car, I knew we were going to get along fine. He led us through the park to the the trailhead and we made our introductions and headed off on our adventure. Walt seemed a little surprised that we didn't bring our kids with us. He had scoped out the trail the day before and as we later found out, had flagged a number of things he thought would be of particular interest to kids. I explained that our kids have grown and flown the coop, but that I loved fun nature discoveries and that he should still share them with me!

Trifoliate Orange with Long Thorns--Cool for Kids (And Us!)

A Rotted Tree Stump with Thick Walls 

Empty Cocoon

It was a quiet morning in the park and we only ran into 2-3 other people on the trail. It was peaceful and the light was beautiful. Did I mention that it was cold? Temperatures didn't get much over 40 that entire day and in the morning there was still frost covering the grass and leaves. Slow sections of the stream were frozen and clusters of frost flowers (not actual flowers, but ice extruded through the stems of hollow plants) dotted the banks. The birds were quiet most of the morning, getting louder as the sun warmed the woods.

Frosty Grass

Frozen Creek

Free Standing Frost Squiggle in the Path

Frost Flower with a Brave Spider

Delicate Frost

As we walked (rather briskly, I might add--I had to run to catch up whenever I stopped to take photos!) Walt talked about the history of the trail and the nature center. He told us about the people who had the brilliant idea to buy the property, and the determination that it took to raise funds and do the hard work. He told us about the aesthetics of managing forests and about carving trails with hand tools--shovels, saws and clippers. He showed us special trees and favorite views from the trail. He pointed out benches and bridges that he had designed and the ones he hadn't that didn't work as well. He told us about the people with whom he had walked and who had said, "we need a bench here".

Archway over the Trail

Cold Blue Heron on the Frozen Pond

Tall Trees

Aerial Roots from Muscadine Grape Vines

Some Kind of Seed Pod on a Vine--Milkweed Family?

We talked about our families and our histories, about the importance of parks and nature education, and about how difficult it is to protect them. He stopped a few times to measure trees and another time took us into the now dry flood plain to measure the height of the roots of the trees, showing signs of the drought. He knew exactly how long the stretch of Christmas Ferns was along the Oxbow loop because he had measured it. He knew this trail like an old friend.

Measuring Trees

The Water has Dried Up

Stand of Christmas Ferns that Stretches Across the Entire Hillside

When he saw something particularly pretty or interesting he would pull out his camera to photograph it. Of course, I had my camera working the whole time. We were both getting shots of one pretty and mossy log and he told us that his philosophy was that beauty can be found where you look for it, in the small things. I blurted out, "I feel exactly the same way!" and I knew we were going to be friends long after this walk.

Cluster of  Mushrooms

More Tiny Mushrooms on a Cold Morning

Lush and Gorgeous Mossy Log

Near the end of the hike he came to a place where he had stashed a beaver gnaw stick the day before, with the idea of giving it to our kids. I kept it for myself, instead, a special memento from a beautiful day.

Nearing the End of the Trail

My Gnaw Stick

Winter State of Mind

Frozen Thistle Leaves

And just like that, winter doesn't seem so bad. Last fall I joined a nature group (the "Nature Ramblers") and we had our first walk of the season today. It was chilly at 8:30am when we gathered and folks were dressed in winter coats and hats. But there was a giddy excitement in the air as we headed out as a group for the first time since November "seeking what we find" (the group motto). As we walked I realized that today was not unlike so many other sunny, chilly days this winter when I felt cold and unable to peel myself away from my warm house.  The difference was the sense of purpose and desire to learn and be with friends.  During the season, we meet every week, guided by wonderful leaders, knowledgable in botany, biology and anything else. There is so much to see and learn that I don't want to miss anything! With morning temperatures still in the 30's, many low growing leaves were wilted or covered with frost. Frozen Trillium sent out hopeful buds. We strolled along the shady garden path, spending time to learn about Witches' Broom, a growth on Hop Hornbeam trees caused by fungus, and the Medieval medicinal origins of some common plant names. Then we beelined to the prairie and found a few tufts of Frost Flowers that had not quite melted as the sun rose and warmed. And in the process kicked up the biggest Puffball Mushroom I've ever seen!

Wilted Trillium

Frosty Leaves

Frost Flower

Ginormous Puffball

Down in the lowlands we discovered great gobs of amphibian eggs, which we initially believed to be from salamanders. (Several days later one of the Ramble leaders identified the eggs as most likely coming from Southern Leopard Frogs.) Some had hatched and were immobilized by cold but moved a little when held in a warm (and brave) hand. On the other side of the ephemeral pond we found coils of toad eggs, probably from American Toads. Small hatchlings next to the curlicues waited patiently for the day to warm up.

Amphibian Eggs--Probably Southern Leopard Frogs

Warmed by a Hand

American Toad Eggs

Hepatica, Bloodroot and other early spring flowers brought excited shouts and we all gathered in for a closer look. Robins, bluebirds and nesting hawks provided the soundtrack. Bare trees reached up into brilliant blue skies.

Bloodroot

Spotting the Hawk's Nest

Bare Trees, Blue Skies

Driving out of the Botanical Gardens I passed swaths of green Daffodil leaves, the first sunny blooms just beginning to pop out. They made me smile. Winter in Georgia is a state of mind.

Sunny Daffodil

Baby, It's Cold Outside! And Then It's Warm Again. Then Cold...

Big Snow in the Yard

I'm trying to get used to Georgia winters. After 19 years in more temperate Florida, our move to Georgia has me learning how to do it all over again. I haven't driven in ice or snow since 1996, and I've been nervous about even walking on the stuff since breaking my ankle on the ice a few years before that. Yes, I know that Georgia doesn't get that much snow and it doesn't get as cold as, say, North Dakota. But yesterday I pushed a disk of ice half an inch thick off of our birdbath. That didn't happen very often in Florida. I am not unfamiliar with cold winters, having grown up in the mountain west and spent 7 years in Wisconsin. But this time it is different. I'm afraid that, as they say in Florida, my "blood has thinned" and the cold days just feel really cold! Also, the weather is so variable that I don't get a chance to settle into a winter groove. One day it is sunny and in the 60's, and then a front rolls in and we have freezing rain and snow. And then it's back to the 60's again. Lucky for me, I held onto my warm sweaters, hats and scarves when we moved from Wisconsin. And my shorts and flip flops from Florida.

Icy Birdbath

So far this winter we have had a couple of small accumulations of snow, maybe 1-2 inches. And we've had some ice. We don't own a snow shovel yet, and don't know if it will really be necessary, but after the last ice which sent our poor clueless Florida dogs sliding off the porch and down the stairs to the driveway, I invested in some Ice Melt. The city does not own snow plows, so snow or ice on the roads will close everything down. It's kind of fun. Really, it would be just fine to go out and continue life as usual, minus driving. (I've been told that people don't know how to drive in snow and ice and it's better to stay off the roads). People play tennis and golf all winter, except maybe for the snow/ice days. When it's really cold, we prefer to hunker down in the house in front of a warm fire, but we still get out. I was rewarded last month when I braved the cold to take a brisk nature walk on one of the first freezing days of the year. I went out in search of "Frost Flowers". They are not really flowers, but are ice formed when moisture inside plants expands in freezing temperatures and extrudes through cracks in the hollow stems. Most of the Frost Flowers I've seen here were coming out of Frostweed (Verbesina virginica), but I've seen them on Salvia in Florida during an especially harsh winter. I found these ones in the restored Piedmont Prairie at Sandy Creek Nature Center and every Frostweed plant had a little bouquet of ice at its base. It was beautiful. Frost covered the leaves and grass on the ground and everything looked sparkly and magical. By noon, the temperatures were back in the 40's and 50's and the frost was all gone. 

Frost Flowers

Frost Flowers

Frost Flowers

Sparkles

Around town most of the trees are bare, which makes it easier to see birds on the branches. I spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker excavating a nest in a leafless tree across the street from our house. In contrast, the bushes (mainly camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons) are green and leafy and dotted with blossoms and buds. Our holly bushes are covered with berries, too. Yet another example of the confusing climate here. It is not as green in the winter as Florida and not as stark as Minnesota. The birds, squirrels and chipmunks don't mind either way. They're on the hunt for food all day, cold or not. On the warmer days, it is fun to watch the Chickadees and Goldfinches scour the bushes, searching old camellia blossoms for hidden bugs. And the Robins and Cedar Waxwings gorge on the holly berries. The critters have me working hard keeping the bird feeders full. Every few days I put out scoops of hearty sunflower and other mixed nuts, suet and thistle seed. We usually have 20-25 species of birds feeding on any given day. The cold weather makes them very, very hungry and they need to fatten up before breeding time. I figure that they can use all the help they can get. We humans keep destroying their habitat and removing their food sources, so putting out some seed seems like the least I can do. A little feeding oasis in our yard will help give them a needed boost, and as a bonus, I get to watch them.

Brown Headed Nuthatch Refueling

Red Bellied Woodpecker and its Nest

On the colder days I do most of my birding from the comfort of my kitchen window. I am sorry to admit that my idea of a keeping a Georgia almanac has not panned out. I tried to make a daily record of weather, temperatures and wildlife seen, but I am just not that methodical or disciplined and I pooped out after just a few weeks. I did watch our birds all weekend for the Great Backyard Bird Count and made several reports, all from inside the house. But the times that I convince myself to bundle up and go birding away from home are almost always rewarding. And the birds in the woods are a little more varied than the regulars in my back yard. On my last excursion I saw flocks of Golden Crowned Kinglets and a couple of Brown Creepers, both new birds on my list. Today will probably be a good day to get out again. It was dark, dreary and frigid yesterday, but today the skies are clear and blue and I don't need my extra layers. And if I go out exploring I will feel like I earned the cookies and potato soup that I cooked up yesterday to beat the cold. Sounds good to me.

Golden Crowned Kinglet

Ginger Cookies, Hot From the Oven