Jewels in the Forest



Bee and Cardinal Flower

 I had yesterday off and was visiting family but decided I would like to do a little hiking and trouting early in the morning.  The day started with a beautiful sunrise and cooler than usual temperatures for a day in the third week of August.  With no humidity, it felt more like late September which is more than fine with me.  It was the kind of day where there would seem to be a surprise around every turn in the trail.



Orange Jewel Weed or the Spotted "Touch me not"

When it comes to colorful blooming flowers August is not April or May but it does have it's own moments.  Orange Jewel Weed is one of my favorite flowers at this time of year for more than one reason.  If one is susceptible to Poison Ivy, like myself, it's a great medicinal plant for helping to alleviate the itching. 

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" the saying goes.  There is no more truthful statement when it comes to walking through the woods.  If flowers are not your cup of tea maybe you would prefer birds, insects, or mushrooms.

Add some rain and overnight the forest floor could turn into a riot of mushrooms in all shapes, colors, and sizes.  I found a number of the fungi pictured above (unfortunately, I can not remember the name of these guys, my knowledge of mushrooms is lacking compared to that of plants and animals in a forest) growing streamside adding their contribution to the palate of color.  But on this day all of these little sights were icing on the cake. I was after jewels of a different sort and luckily for me today I found them in abundance.




My idea of treasure.

 Though many were small I was able to land quite a number of brookies in the few pools that I visited yesterday.  Pictures do no justice to the colors that a brook trout can display but when you mainly practice catch and release that is all I have left of them when I leave.  I have said it before and I will say it again I'll take a day like this over any other (with the exception of time with my wife and kids) any day of the week.  Any day spent in pursuit of the treasures that can be found streamside in a forest will provide rewards that can last a lifetime.