Elevating the Birch - Thank you Davis

Around 1999 or 2000 seven River Birch were planted at the lower end of the Lumberton Meadow. they have grown large.  Four of them are planted in the lawn and have mulch at the base.  In this picture the tree in the distance, 2nd from the right , is one of those in-lawn-and-mulched trees.  those four in-lawn trees have been elevated over the years.  The  other three,  that were planted in the meadow,  are now surrounded by mugwort and they were never elevated. Each of them had dozens of small branches hanging down.  After the first round of spraying we received a request to cut the small branches of those 3 birch because they were keeping the sprayers from  getting at the mugwort.  This morning Davis Henderson lopped off those dozens of small branches.     The photo below shows the three birches that Davisy trimmed and the  piles of small branches.  The distant tree in the center of photo shows a dark area behind it -- that's another pile of cut branches.

 The photo above shows the three birches that Davisy rimmed and the  piles of small branches.  The distant tree in the center of photo shows a dark area behind it -- that's another pile of cut branches.

Clearing the Lumberton Canoe Dock

Judy Norcross, along with Judy and Conant Atwood have cleared the path to the Lumberton Dock.   It's always necessary to be mindful of tides here.

Cub Scout Visit

April Showers Bring a High Tide

These photos and text are from Ralph Berglund's blog.
http://bergiesplace.wordpress.com/2012/04/29/april-showers-bring-a-high-tide/

One morning after the recent nor’easter I went camera-ing.  What had been the shoal waters of Sharp’s Walk (Run) had changed.  The tide had come in.

It was nice to see the swirling waters, and the rain, having washed away the dust, had made the greens more vivid.

Even more important there was a new set of wildflower varieties along the red trail.

The trails were still there but some required special “navigation”.

Just follow the Red Trail marks 

Sharp's Run in April

Sharp's run goes under Medford Leas Way.
When it floods, the gate is closed. 

The trail goes between these "trees" which are actually
branches of the fallen tree which is on the ground to  the left

The trail group maintains plank bridges on Medford Leas trails.

Steps were added by trail group volunteers.

Two culverts carry Sharp's Run under the railroad embankment

There were white, purple and lavender violets

Spring Cress

Ralph's photo of the Spring Cress is better.

On the Trails

This post is a copy of Ralph's April 11 post at 

http://bergiesplace.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/on-the-trails/ 

April 11, 2012 — Ralph Berglund
I spent about an hour last Sunday morning on the trails along Sharp’s Run at Medford Leas, enjoying seeing the awakening of plants and trees.  It’s nice to see the feathery foliage emerging on the trees but our lack of rain shows in the shallow Sharp’s Run.

Here’s a Redbud.  It wasn’t on the trails; it’s along the walk in front of the Estaugh Building but it was too pretty against a cloud pattern of branches to be left out.

Back on the Red Trail here’s a crab apple that I photographed last week and, below, the same branch last Sunday.  This is the trail where I watch a local walk her several exhuberant Jack Russell terriers and her collie most mornings.  Last month one morning I watched five deer move smartly down this trail, and last week a Red Fox crossed my grass and headed for the trail.

The red trail crabapple (see above) a week later

There are lots of wildflowers happy to be here along the Yellow Trail.  Here are two for whose names I’m in debt to Maggie Heineman.

Spring Beauty

Spring Cress  - Cardamine Bulbosa

Ducks in the Driveway

If the entire campus is an Arboretum, then this counts.

Test Drive - Cathedral Trail

I'ts a long story; this is the short version, followed by photos. 

Sally, who uses an electric wheelchair, asked for a Nature Walk for people like herself, one where scooters and wheelchairs could be used. Okay.  So o I scouted the route on  Wednesday, March 28.  My planned route would avoid the  two trees that were so close together that a scooter cannot  pass.    I took  photos, some of them are shown below.

 Having planned a workable route,  I was confident that today's test drive would go well.   It did start well.  Up the macadam path, past the sculptures and the bat house.  The cherry trees were no longer in full bloom but the tea crab apples were.   Cathedral Trail was great.  But then, somehow, we were at  the two trees too close together.  Oh oh!, I did something wrong! Okay, we'll just cut across the grass toward the road.  Everything was going well -- until -- I had the bright idea of taking a photo of Sally up close to the beehives.   Very bad idea.   No problem getting there, but... after the photo shoot  the wheelchair was stuck. Really stuck.  It had sunk down into the pine needles and the wheels would spin like a car stuck on snow.   After about 10 minutes of struggle -- trying to lift, trying to put sticks under the wheels to get traction,  Sally was ready to call for help.  But not me.   Sally patiently waited while I continued to try one thing and then another (here's where the story could very get long).  Finally reason prevailed -- at least one of us was reasonable.  Sally phoned the desk, explained our situation and location, and within  a few minutes Wolosin and his sidekick were there.  Jim picked up the extremely heavy wheelchair; he moved it around and we were free!  I should have taken pictures of that .   It was HEAVY!    


Fearlessly (or foolishly),  I intend to revisit the route.  Plan it again and have another test drive, this time with a resident driving a scooter. Sally thinks I should also bring along a strong man who can lift. 

March 28, Macadam path to Rushmore

April 2, beehives at the edge of the lawn and brilliant tea crabapple in full bloom, far right 

March 28, same crab apples trees, just starting 

March 28 - statue in front of cherry trees

 =

March 28, cherry trees in full bloom,  April 2 they were past bloom

The bat house, March 28

Three Graces, March 28, 2012

Original color - 2002

Interesting Carved log

March 28 -- near the eastern entrance to Cathedral Trail

April 2, Sally driving on Cathedral Trail 

March 28, Cathedral Trail 

April 2, Trees too close - We're in the wrong place

Sally up close to the hives -- after that she was stuck and there was no more picture taking.