Asherwood Nature Preserve, Wabash County

http://www.marion.k12.in.us/asherwood.cfm

     From a family affair to a solo flight.  On my previous hiking adventure I had the pleasure of being accompanied by my whole family.  The day I visited the Asherwood nature preserve in Wabash county, I went alone.  At first I was disappointed that my children would choose to bail on dear old mom...but I very soon came to realize that hiking alone provided blessed calmness and quiet. 

Asherwood preserve straddles Asher Creek. 

  The Asherwood Environmental Science Center is a 160-acre environmental science education facility that has been owned by the Marion Community Schools, Marion, Indiana since 1974 and is currently being operated by Acres Land Management.  Asherwood is one of Acres's several partner preserves.

One of three ponds found at Asherwood.  This is called "Frog Pond."  While here I was serenaded by the deep, throaty croak of several bullfrogs.  Although I saw none, I know I was being watched.  

     Besides the creek, streams, ponds, deep ravines, narrow ridge tops, and upland and floodplain forests, Asherwood is also home to an outdoor aviary.  I was startled, but pleasantly surprised, when the trail led me to these guys...

Red Tailed Hawk.
Nickname: Chicken hawk.  They received this nickname after being blamed for taking poultry farmers' chickens, although they rarely prey on standard sized chickens.

Great Horned Owl.
The Great Horned Owl is referred to as “the tiger of the sky” because of its fierce nature and ability to capture a wide variety of prey that may be larger or heavier than the owl. The Great Horned Owl is one of the few species that occasionally preys on skunks.

Barred Owl.
This owl's common nicknames include Black-eyed Owl, Swamp Owl, and Laughing Owl.  The Barred Owl is a vocal bird and can make many different sounds from hoots to screams, and barks to laughter. Its most distinctive call sounds somewhat like the phrase, "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all."  

Turkey Vulture.
I've always known these birds as "Turkey Buzzards".  They are quite common around here especially where there's fresh roadkill.  However, the word "buzzard" actually refers to several species of hawks. (So the Red Tailed hawk is more of a buzzard than this guy.)  The mis-naming of vultures as buzzards probably dates back to the arrival of the first English colonists to America. There are no vultures of any type in England, so it is logical that these pioneers probably gave the common term "buzzard" to any large flying birds.

     I was sorry my kiddos missed meeting my fascinating feathered friends. But I confess, I did not miss playing referee all day between Miss Bossy Pants and Mr. Wild Man-wannabe.  In fact, without distractions I was able to become more sensitive to the sights and sounds around me...

Like this amazing pattern of dappled shadow and light in a sandy stream bed.

And these teeny-tiny, perfectly shaped leaves.  

Or the combination of reflected colors and shapes of the sky and tree, combined with the dappling of shadow and light in this small water pool.

     I also became aware of an abundance of different textures present in my surroundings. As an art teacher, I teach about two categories of texture: tactile (or actual) texture that you can sense with your hands when you feel it.  And visual texture that you can sense with your eyes when you see it. The forest is filled with tactile textures that I attempted to capture with my camera and translate into visual texture.  

Submerged old leaves covered with duck weed at Frog Pond.

Wild Gooseberries.
In spite of those spiky barbs, wild gooseberries are, indeed, edible.
You must cook them first to soften those spikes.

A cluster of ginkgo leaves.
The Ginkgo is a living fossil.  Fossilized plants recognizably related to the modern
Ginkgo date back as far as the Permian period,  270 million years ago!

I love the layers of texture in this photo:
 the large rock plates on the left, the rippling stream in the center,
and the patch of pebbly stones on the right.

Peeling bark of the American Sycamore tree.
 I think it looks a bit like camouflage, don't you?

Yellow Sweet Clover.  

     I began my hike a bit miffed at my offspring for straying from our planned hiking day.  However, in retrospect, I am grateful for the opportunity to experience nature free from distractions, in peace and quiet, and at my own pace.  I WILL be doing this again!

Seven Pillars of the Mississinewa, Miami County

     It was a family affair when Hank, Evelynn, AND my husband Sherman accompanied me to the Seven Pillars Nature Preserve and landmark in Miami county recently.  

http://www.acreslandtrust.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=44551&PID=635676

     The Seven Pillars preserve made for a lovely hike with two miles of trails covering a variety of terrain including forested uplands, stream beds, ravines, and open meadows.  And the end of our journey promised a spectacular visual reward, the Seven Pillars of the Mississinewa Landmark.

It didn't take long, though, for ole Dad to get lost in the nearly 150 acre forest, leaving the kids and I (but mostly the kids) to frolic in the stream beds and swing from the branches.


Hank and Evelynn quickly found something to occupy their inner trapeze artists.  This photo was taken shortly before shrieks of  "Oh my gosh! Mom! We accidentally fell in!!"  The definition of "accidentally" is still up for debate.

You didn't know there were monkeys in Miami county, did you?

     Of course, we didn't actually swing from the branches...I don't think any of us are actually that physically coordinated, not to mention we would not want to damage any part of the preserve.  However, as we hiked further and further into the preserve, I was struck by the over-abundance of long, hanging, thick, twisty-curly, Tarzan style vines.  You know the kind...

Jane, Tarzan, Jack and Cheetah from the Tarzan movies of the early 1930's

     The vines we saw are wild grape vines.  When they are very thick it means they are older, and have probably grown up with the tree. 

Wild grape vines can grow to over 30 feet long. Perfect for swinging!  

However, what may LOOK perfect for practicing your best Tarzan moves, is probably not very reliable.  Wild grape uses tendrils to grab onto branches or bark of other plants.  Doesn't sound very swinging-safe to me!

Wild grapes are edible, but not very tasty.  The sour, blackish-purple berries grow in clumps of about 20, and are ripe from August to October.  

Native Americans did't like the taste of the wild grape, either.  However, they did use the woody, durable, long vines for basketmaking.  

     As we were searching the forest for poor lost Dad, we stumbled upon (figuratively, thank goodness!) a very alarming tree.

 

Honey Locust: Despite its name, the honey locust is not associated with the making of honey.  But rather, the name comes from the sweet taste of the pulp of the tree's pods.  These trees produce a long, flat legume that was used as food by Native Americans.  It can also be fermented to make beer.  But don't confuse the Honey locust pods with the Black locust pods, which are toxic!   

Honey locusts commonly have long thorns growing out of the branches and from the trunk.  These dangerous looking barbs can grow to be up to 8 inches long.  It is thought that the Honey locust thorns have evolved to protect the trees from browsing Pleistocene megafauna, large mammals, birds, and reptiles that lived on earth during the Pleistocene era, 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago!  I am certain they still dissuade foraging wildlife today.

     Down a few more trails, and after seeing a few more examples of Indiana's natural splendor...

Paw Paw

Foxtail grass

 ...we finally found Dad, at the much anticipated 25-foot limestone pillars, The Seven Pillars of the Mississinewa Landmark, once the Miami Wappa-Pin Sah Reserve.  

This breathtaking formation is a geological wonder with 25-foot hight limestone cliffs carved into existence by centuries of wind and water erosion.  The Mississinewa River is responsible for creating the rounded buttresses,  alcove-like rooms, and impressive pillars.

The famed Frances Slocum Trail passes along the top of the Seven Pillars formation.  This remarkable natural formation has cultural and spiritual significance to the Miami Indians, who continue to gather on this site for councils and powwows.  

     Finally reunited, we all agreed it was a great day for a family adventure! Join us again, won't you?!  

Tel-Hy, Huntington County

     Our latest jaunt through nature has taken us to a nature preserve called Tel-Hy in Huntington County. 

http://www.acreslandtrust.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=44551&PID=635640

     This preserve is situated on the Wabash River. The trail we decided to hike ran along the top of a bluff, destined for the banks of the Wabash.  As soon as Hank learned there was a river to visit, I could see his mental wheels start turning...

Occasionally we could glimpse a peek of the glistening river below...enough to seriously heighten Hank's anticipation of throwing rocks into the water, one of his favorite 5 year old pastimes.

At this point Hank was ready to abandon the trail and run straight for the water!  Oh the possibilities  of an unspoiled riverbank...rocks, mud, sticks, water! Those who know my son will appreciate the potential these things have as fodder for his imagination.

     I, on the other hand, was in no hurry to reach the river bank, as delightful as it promised to be.  I was perfectly happy to leisurely amble along, becoming lost in the visual spectacle of natural Indiana.  

                                                                              Canadian wild ginger or Snakeroot. 

 Native Americans used this plant as a seasoning due to its similarity to true ginger.  However, we now know that wild ginger should not be used as a substitute for real ginger because it contains an unknown concentration of the carcinogen aristolochic acid.  Yikes!

     What kept creeping into my consciousness (and into my viewfinder) was the prevalence of visual patterns around me.  The plant life on the woodland floor (and ceiling) was flourishing, but still young and small enough as to not overwhelm each other, allowing my camera to capture some very pleasing natural patterns.

I love these backlit Maple leaves.  

"We artists have been affected by patterns in nature since day one.  Every line we lay to paper and every move we make is part of the magical sequence." ~Kristi Bridgeman
http://www.kristibridgeman.com/

I am intrigued by the smaller yellow plants visible behind their surrounding big brothers.   Unfortunately,  I've seen many yellowed foliage plants lately due to Indiana's alarming unseasonal dryness. 

     After a go-zillion photos, and just as Hank was about to burst with impatience...

     We arrived at the long-anticipated Wabash River where there was much rock-skipping, mud-writing, stick-swinging, and even a little "Mom-I-accidentally-fell-in"-ing.  

Great fun was had by all!   

Back up the bluff, post river romp.

     After our playdate with the river, we headed back up the bluff.  Our last stop before we headed home...Tel-Hy's privy display. That's right, this preserve features a collection of interesting outhouses. 

This brings back memories of my childhood.  My family always took a summer vacation to the hills of West Virginia where  I couldn't wait to visit my great aunt Kate and Uncle Josh.  They lived in a log cabin and, by choice, used no electricity or modern plumbing.  They heated their cabin with fire in the fireplace and wood stove, pumped water by hand, and when nature called...it was answered with a trip to the outhouse.

I love the rusted tin roof and star cut-out of this old privy.

Now here's a classy john!

Isn't the woodworked detailing so charming?  

An A-frame outhouse, what a great idea! Imagine all the extra space inside for your stash of magazines.

A day at the river will certainly make a young man tired!  (And his mom!)

      We look forward to another great adventure very soon...stay tuned for our adventures in Miami County!