The Day of the Ghost Orchids . . .

Ghost orchids

 

Spider lily and strangler fig

And scarlet hibiscus, pickerel weed, spider lily, alligator flag and more!

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary http://corkscrew.audubon.org/ was the perfect place for a shady walk in July with walking buddy, Mary Murray. The prospect of viewing the ghost orchids was a special bonus. Volunteers had a scope trained on the elusive blooms so visitors could share the thrill. Reporters from the Naples Daily News http://www.naplesnews.com/ arrived to see firsthand the cause for the buzz. No question seeing the ghost orchids was a treat, but we thoroughly enjoyed the other wildflowers, whether or not we could identify them.

Juvenile red shouldered hawk

Wildlife too . . . We heard a lot of hawk noise. Then we were rewarded with a view of a juvenile red shouldered hawk who watched us watching him. Eventually he flew off squawking apparently hoping for his next meal. Along the way we had a great view of an alligator lounging just below the surface. We saw a cardinal having lunch on the boardwalk railing. Wow!

Quantities of butterflies flitted from flower to flower well within viewing/identification range. Yay!

 

Not to be missed are the landmark cypress trees, some more than 500 years old, towering 80+ feet and boasting a girth of 14 – 22’.

We also learned an unhappy history lesson. Wading birds were slaughtered for their plumage to adorn hats popular in the late 1800’s.

So much more. History + nature = an interesting excursion. Bring your lunch. There is an excellent interpretive center and nature store. Do plan to take it all in.  Plenty of parking. Admission fee.

“I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”  

 John Muir

Host tree with orchids, bromeliads, fungi

For the Birds . . .

Bird tree

Audubon  makes me think about birding, but I’m not patient enough to be much of a birder.  Then I discovered Maine Audubon committed to connecting people with nature.  That gets my attention.

Maine Audubon offers  eight centers and sanctuaries. It was my good fortune to visit the Gilsland Farm Center located on the Presumpscot River in Falmouth Maine.  This 65- acre sanctuary was originally home to the Wabanakis and their ancestors.  More recently David Moulton, a dedicated conservationist, owned the property as a summer retreat.  His daughter gifted the property to Maine Audubon, and in 1976 Maine Audubon located its headquarters building on the site as a prototype of energy-efficient office space heated by solar and wood heat. After the organization purchased the property’s farmhouse, it built the award-winning visitor center using state-of-the-art “green” design and construction techniques. http://maineaudubon.org/find-us/gilsland-farm/

View of Presumpscot

I enjoyed  June LaCombe’s outdoor sculpture exhibit, “A Celebration of Art and Nature” on the grounds through September 30. http://www.junelacombesculpture.com/category/exhibitions/current-exhibitions/

Deer

Bunny

A map is available so that you do not miss anything.  I made a second trip to the farm to explore the trail system, which offers shade and sun with lovely footing. 

There is a groundhog in residence on the lawn of the Visitor Center, and she is not at all shy about showing herself as well as her offspring. And yes, the birds enjoy the space as well.

I recommend an outing during any season. An upcoming special treat is the Peony Bloom and Ice Cream Social, June 18, 6 – 8 pm – something to like for everyone.

Trails everywhere I go

I seek out trails wherever I go.  From our camp, as in “Upta Camp” on Little Sebago in Gray, ME, I can access extensive trails for hiking, biking and snowmobiling. A favorite just outside the heart of Gray is Libby Hill Forest. I thought the history interesting.

In 1764 Gray, then called “New Boston”, was settled.  Daniel Libby, one of the original settlers, became a large land owner and prominent citizen. The high hill just west of the town center became known as “Libby Hill.”

The Hill family established farms in the area. Grandson, James, cleared the trees and created a farm at the top of Libby Hill in 1816. The farm was abandoned around the time of the Civil War.

There is lots of open land in Maine, so one more abandoned farm does not gather special notice – more pine trees and possible snowmobile trails.

Then, in 1973 a Libby descendent donated 70 acres of land on top of the ridge behind the Gray Middle and High Schools for use as park and recreational activities. We know the wheels of government tend to turn slowly, but in 1999 the Gray Parks and Recreation department decided to start an ad hoc committee to develop a public trail system on the property. By January 2000 some 2 dozen citizens of Gray picked up the ball, obtained a grant from the Maine Forest Service, and rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Along the way the Gray Community Endowment acquired an additional 46 acres.

Today the trail system offers 7 miles of well marked trails offering year round easy to moderate hiking, skiing, biking, running, and dog walking just outside the town center. The trails are wide and mostly shady. The footing is covered with pine needles.  I cannot claim a favorite trail. You can experience a history lesson, or water fowl, or an aerobic climb – whatever you need on any given outing.

I say kudos to the Friends of Libby Hill for maintaining and continuing to develop this area for public recreation.

You can keep up with the calendar of activities and events at www.libbyhill.org.

More Surf and Sand?

Two Lights Crashing Surf

 

Not exactly . . . 

To me rocks in all shapes and sizes distinguish Maine beaches.  I made an expedition in June with my daughter, Jill, and granddaughter, Brianne. Swimming is reserved for the very hardy with water temperatures at 56 degrees in June, inching up only a couple of degrees through the summer. That said the views, the geology, the diversity are all great reasons to go to the beach in Maine.

Two Lights Rocks and Flora

Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is easily accessed from the Portland area. It was so named for the twin lighthouses located nearby, the eastern of which is still active.  If you are a lighthouse lover, do check out the history at this link.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Elizabeth_Lights

Two Lights Pond and Wild Iris

 

The park, which opened in 1961, consists of 40 acres of rocky headlands. Our exploration revealed wonderful walking paths along the shore traversing inland past the remains of a World War II seacoast battery bunker and a fire control tower. Within the park is a well kept playground and a pond.

The bad news is you cannot view the lighthouses from the park. The good news is the geology, the views, the flora, the paths and the family friendly amenities make this a wonderful place to visit.

Two Lights Geology

The exposed rock ledges represent the current stage of a very long geologic
history dating to 420 million years ago, the Silurian period. The ledges have been affected by heat and pressure inside the earth which changed its form over the years. The coastline is still being shaped by the ocean today. Wow.

We had a picnic lunch at a table set to take advantage of sweeping views of Casco Bay and the Atlantic.

Two Lights View Spot

On the same day we visited Crescent Beach State Park, which is just down the road from Two Lights State Park. This crescent shaped beach is sandy with lots of smaller rocks protruding. It is one mile long and offers a concession stand, restrooms with showers and picnic areas to complement the beach.

Crescent Beach

If you’re looking for a family outing or an opportunity for some personal meditation, I heartily recommend Two Lights State Park.