Flowers and General Landscape

A Highland Bog Through a Pixie’s Eyes

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This Bog has been one of our favorite places for many years. There is no end of botanical wonders to be found here. Cranberries, Pitcher Plants, and Sundews mix with the mundane ferns, and spongy mosses. We have asked several local naturalists about this amazing Pitcher Plant bog, and they are all stumped. Among the scientists, they generally believe that someone planted these in this spot and they have flourished. This is supported by the fact that Pitcher Plants don't thrive in any other similar bogs in the Highland areas around Canaan. One story we heard was that they were growing in a bog where the present-day Deep Creek Lake currently sits. Apparently someone was alleged to have rescued the Pitcher Plants and move them south 30 miles.

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However the Pitcher Plants may have come to this spot, the Sundews certainly are indigenous. If you walk casually around the bog, you will miss these little critters. You need to practically crawl around in the spongy muck to see them. We found them pretty consistently on the slightly higher mossy mounds where they are less likely to be submerged.

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The broad vista of the Pitcher Plant bog is much like any other you will see in the highland area. The Pitcher Plants are generally localized on the remote end of the bog where travel is protected by a spongy, wet bog on one side, impenetrable Rhododendrons, and a beaver pond. Hopefully all those defenses will protect our magical hideaway.

Delicate

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The sky had turned a dull gray. The afternoon was getting chilly. We completed our Canyon Rim circuit via the road to Olson Tower. Kara found feathery milkweed pods broken open to reveal their delicate, downy seeds. Their simple charm entertained us. We caressed them and then blew them off our hands to be carried by the highland winds. After the grandeur of autumn leaves, we were comforted to find modest, little joys of nature.

Eastern US Flower Gallery

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I like to take closeups of flowers, but I am not very good at identifying them.
If you have any idea what some of these are, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page so that I can update the entry.

Wild Roses at Big Schloss Virginia

I found this beautiful flower along the Mill Mountain Trail near Big
Schloss in George Washington National Forest.

Lady Slipper on the Appalachian Trail

Whenever you find one of these little harlots, you are kind of surprised. They seem to favor no place in particular. This one was found near Annapolis Rock on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland.

Lady Slipper Near Table Rock

I found this little beauty along the trail to Table Rock in the Canaan Mountain area. It was oddly perched along a muddy trail with a reasonable amount of traffic. I hope that it didn’t get stomped by some careless hiker.

Marsh Flowers at Cranberry Glades

We found these little lovelies along the boardwalk at Cranberry Glades. The were the only wildlife that wasn’t scared away by the loud throngs of tourists..

Purple and Yellow Thingies in Shenandoah National Park

These little guys were found next to the middle falls of Overall
Run.

Dangling White Flowers

There were several of these flowers along the trail. They dangle beneath
a large four-leaved, milky plant. You have to get on the ground and look
up from beneath the twelve inch plants to see the flowers These little
guys also were found along Overall Run.

Small Purple Flowers

These were at Overall Run to. It was a good
late-spring day for flowers.

Western US Flower Gallery

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I like to take closeups of flowers, but I am not very good at identifying them. All of the pictures below were taken at Mount Ranier in the late July of 1995. If you have any idea what some of these are, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page, and I will update the appropriate picture.


Taken at Mount Ranier

Taken at Mount Ranier

 

Fireweed at Mount Ranier

 

Taken at Mount Ranier

 

Nature Gallery

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Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge

This picture was taken in January overlooking the mouth of the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay. Sometimes it is amazing how pretty the bay can be in winter. Recently, Kara and I kayaked past this same point and noticed this same triangular shape created by the fallen tree. Some people who study photo composition say that you can’t lose by putting a traingle in your photo. I don’t know about that, but this one was a winner.

Cedar Tree Near The Straits of San Juan de Fuca in Washington

On my honeymoon in Washington, I snapped this image while hiking out
to see the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Juan de
Fuca from the Makah Indian Reservation.The Sun was setting over the
ocean where my attention had been all afternoon. I turned away from the
sun to see this single, deformed cedar tree among the other straight trees
and beams of light. The green foliage accented the images strong shadows
to make a dramatic scene. As usual, I used my Nikon 6006 with a 50 mm
lens.

Dolly Sods Azaleas

Photographed at Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in
the Monongahela National Forest, WVA. In late June, the Azaleas bloom.
This picture was taken in the northern area near
Bear Rocks and a Round
Hilltop. There was no trail to this location.

Along the C & O Canal Outside Washington D.C.

I came upon this small pool along a trail called The
Billy Goat Trail in Great Falls National Park.
Swimming at the bottom of this very small pond
were several water snakes. The area photographed
could easily be crossed with a small hop. I used my
Nikon 6006 and a 50 mm lens.

Mount Ranier

This mountain prarie was
covered with little red flowers.
The fog was rolling in and out
all that morning. The vibrant
greens are a result of the strong
diffused light.

Mount Ranier Above Paradise

Photographed about 1200′ above the Paradise Ranger Station. To my back
were snow fields the rest of the way up the mountain.

Red Creek In Spring

Dolly Sods West Virginia. This location is just
below Blackbird Knob–a three mile hike from
Red Creek Campground. This area makes a great campsite with swimming nearby
and wildlife in abundance.

Key West

I use this image for my home computer
desktop because it is so soothing. I shot it from a rotting pier where
old fishing boats and dingeys were moored. I used my old Olympus OM I
and a 50 mm lens to take the picture.