![The next day of spring]()
by elizabeth5047 | Apr 5, 2012 | Uncategorized |
Today is the next day of spring. Here’s the next sign of what’s coming. From Blueberry Cobbles with the Young Naturalists, toothwort and foamflower loading up for the...
![FIrst Hepatica]()
by elizabeth5047 | Apr 4, 2012 | Flora, Uncategorized |
Over the weekend I saw the first hepatica flowers of the year. They are delicate and curious little flowers that look a little bit furry. I found several single purples and a small bouquet of...
![The Split Rock Classroom]()
by elizabeth5047 | Mar 11, 2012 | Uncategorized |
This week I had two great adventures–on Thursday to a favorite lookout with the Young Naturalists, who continue to amaze me with their knowledge, and on Saturday around Gary’s Elbow to the Crossover Trail with the 2012 KTMP trackers. Split Rock Wild Forest is as magnificent a forest as you can find anywhere....
![I Love Exploring]()
by elizabeth5047 | Mar 8, 2012 | Uncategorized |
Wednesday was another great day in the I Love Exploring Series. Skied from South Meadow over the Mr. Van Trail to Hi Notch. In the woods there wasn’t much in the way of animals sign besides a lot of squirrels and snowshoe hare. We eventually did see some mink tracks on one of the brooks, otter slides at the Mr. Van lean-to and nice bear claws marks on a big beech. All in all a great day, skiing in just one layer after a snack at the lean-to. Krysta actually donned short sleeves for the first time this year. We were lucky to have snow the whole way and lovely sunshine...
![Lake Winifred]()
by elizabeth5047 | Feb 25, 2012 | Uncategorized |
This week David Thomas-Train and I had the pleasure of teaching an Introduction to Animal Tracking class for Keene’s Community Education Program. This morning we enjoyed a field trip to the pond near the Keene Central School. I learned that the pond used to be called Lake Winifred after Winifred Notman. The Notman family donated the land where the school was built. What is now the beaver pond was once the pond created by the family to freeze in winter for ice that they stored in an ice house. The north-facing slope and stone walls helped shade what was probably a deep cellar-like hole. The ice would be insulated with sawdust and would remain quite cool until summer. The remains of the ice house still sit at the edge of the pond on the Rooster Comb trail. In this photo Audrey Hyson checks out a nearby robin’s nest in a big white pine tip-up. There were two nests both full of dried grasses from the surrounding...
![I love exploring!]()
by elizabeth5047 | Feb 15, 2012 | Uncategorized |
Yesterday I had a superb Valentine’s Day outing with a great group of women. We did the Long Swing Trail into Crane Pond, Glidden Marsh and Oxshoe Pond. The woods were absolutely teeming with little treasures. On the way back a few of us listed over 40 species of plants and animals we had either seen or seen sign of–Sweet! Trail conditions were not so sweet. Traction is absolutely necessary. Trails aside, backcountry ice skating is perfect right now. ...
