Last Sunday I felt like it was time to climb again, so I chose Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard. It was supposed to be a hot, humid day so I made sure I got there earlier than I usually do. In fact I had never been on the mountain that early in the day, so the quality of the light was surprising all the way up.
I saw lots of blackberries, in bloom and forming berries.
I also saw lots of unripe blueberries and I was going to show you some but this fly landed on a blueberry leaf and instead of getting shots of the blueberries I got a mediocre shot of the fly just before it flew off. And I forgot about the blueberries.
As its common name implies Indian cucumber root’s (Medeola virginiana) small root looks and tastes a lot like a mini cucumber, and Native Americans used it for food. The plant is easy to identify because of its tiers of whorled leaves and unusual flowers. It likes to grow under trees in dappled light, probably getting no more than an hour or two of direct sunlight each day.
The flowers of Indian cucumber root dangle under the leaves and usually have 6 yellowish green tepals, 6 reddish stamens topped by greenish anthers, and 3 reddish purple to brown styles. These large styles are bright red- brown but I think they darken as they age. Each flower will become a shiny, inedible dark purplish black berry. I had to lift one of the leaves to get this shot, so you have to look carefully to see them.
Halfway up the mountain I found the meadow ready to be cut for hay. That’s Mount Monadnock in the background.
It looked like the meadow was full of orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata,) which I’m sure the Scottish Highland cattle that live here appreciate. George Washington loved orchard grass so much so that he wrote “Orchard grass of all others is in my opinion the best mixture with clover; it blooms precisely at the same time, rises quick again after cutting, stands thick, yields well, and both cattle and horses are fond of it green or in hay.” As this photo shows, it’s also beautiful when it flowers.
Orange hawkweed bloomed profusely in the meadow and what I believe were great spangled fritillary butterflies enjoyed them. I hoped to get a shot of their pretty silver spotted underwings but I never did. I did see them once or twice though.
This one turned around on the flower head so I could look into its eyes.
And what eyes it had. Amazingly beautiful. I’d love to be able to see through eyes like that, just once.
The fire tower looked unmanned and I wasn’t surprised. The fire danger isn’t very high now, thankfully.
Staghorn sumacs were soaking up the sun and doing their best palm tree impersonation.
Mountain white cinquefoil (Potentilla tridentata) is also called three toothed cinquefoil because of the three large teeth at the end of each leaf. The white 5 petaled flowers are small; maybe a half inch across on a good day. They are said to bloom for 2 or 3 months and make an excellent choice for a sunny rock garden that doesn’t get too hot, because they don’t like heat. I would think that they must struggle a bit up here in full sun all summer but they’re spreading all over the summit.
This shot perfectly illustrates why I always say I don’t climb for the views. I like to see the views as much as anyone but if I was disappointed every time the views weren’t good I’d spend a lot of time being disappointed. I see so many interesting and beautiful things while I’m climbing a hill or mountain by the time I reach the summit the view is secondary; just icing on the cake.
Despite the haze I tried to get a few good shots because I know people like to see them. This view of Mount Monadnock wasn’t too bad.
I love the blue shading on the distant hills and I could just sit and look at them the entire time I spent here. Every peak is followed by a valley, like waves on the sea.
Reaching what I call the near hill would still be a long walk.
The bushes seen flowering in some of these shots are smooth arrow wood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum.) the shrub has yellowish white, mounded flower clusters and it can be seen blooming just about everywhere right now. Later on the flowers will become dark blue drupes that birds love. It is said that this plant’s common name comes from Native Americans using the straight stems for arrow shafts. They also used the shrub medicinally and its fruit for food.
It took all the zoom my camera had in it to get this shot of the wind turbines over in Antrim.
Since I’ve said enough about the old ranger’s cabin in previous posts I thought I’d skip it this time and I did, until I was coming down off the summit. It was then that I saw a window open that was boarded up the last time I was here.
The first time this happened I thought it was probably a bear, but bears don’t usually sit in white plastic lawn chairs and there were now several of them on the front porch. I could see one inside as well, so I had a good idea where the ones on the porch came from.
The inside looked trashed, and American flags were on the floor among the litter. Some may feel that a flag is just a piece of cloth but a flag, any flag, always stands for something, and both it and what it stands for deserve respect. It’s hard to see old places like this vandalized but it looks like that’s what has happened. Hopefully someone from the Forest Service or someone else in charge will board the window back up.
Just inside the window there was a table and it had an Audubon magazine on it. It was from 1988 and it cost three dollars. That seems like a lot for back then.
I could have gone back down the mountain fretting about the vandalism I saw but since there is little I could do about it other than making it known by showing it here, I chose instead to marvel at the smallness of a creature that can live between the upper and lower surface of a sarsaparilla leaf. I sometimes feel like I’m just bouncing from one astonishment to another.
Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture your heart. ~Native American saying.
Thanks for stopping in.
THANK YOU for taking us along on your walk of discovery, xoxoxo
You’re welcome Krys. It was a fun climb!
I’m sorry about the vandalism of the ranger’s cottage. But the paragraph about the fly distracting you made me smile!
Thank you Cynthia. I’m easily distracted sometimes!
Allen, the light in your opening shot is just delicious (if light can be delicious)! Early morning light and the light at sunset is just the best for pleasing the eye and the camera, and for enhancing all subjects IMHO. I like the landscape shots that show all the gradually deepening shades of blue grey. Who knows what goes on in the sick minds of vandals – I guess we’ll leave that to the psychologists. Do you always take your hikes alone?
Thanks Ginny, I agree. I was just saying to Clare that I’m getting ready for work at that time of day so I usually miss that beautiful light, and then when I get home I’m too tired to do anything about it. I’ve got to try a little harder or retire, so I think I’ll retire.
I think the vandals were probably teens “having fun.” There were Red Bull cans lying around and though teens aren’t the only people who drink Red Bull if they were older the cans most likely would have been beer cans.
Yes, I almost always hike alone. The way I do what I do would try the patience of most people, I think. You have to walk very slowly and pay close attention to see the “hidden gems” in nature.
Great shots of the Fritillary butterfly! A shame about the vandalism.
Thank you. I agree. I think it was probably teens, judging by the Red Bull cans I saw.
What wonderful light at that time in the morning. Your shots are so clear and full of colour. The butterfly is exquisite and I love that first picture of the pathway under the trees.
Thank you Clare. I agree about the morning light. I’m usually getting ready for work at that time of day and miss the “golden hour.” Then when I get home I’m too tired to care!
My husband was like that before he retired! I hope you don’t have much longer to go before you no longer have to go to work 🙂
About 8 months!
Wow! Not too long then! 😀
No, it will seem a lot longer than it will actually be.
Yes, I’m sure it will; each week will seem like a month but it will end eventually. 🙂
Yes. I’m trying not to think about it too much.
I hope Richard is enjoying his retirement!
Oh yes he does! We were so surprised recently when we realised he has been retired for nearly six years now! It has gone like a flash!
Yes it did!
I too admired the butterfly pictures which were very sharp and clear.
Thank you. I took those from a few yards away with no tripod, so I was surprised when I saw them. When I tried to inch closer for better shots of course the butterfly flew away.
Naturally.
I was enthralled with the amazing and detailed picture of the butterfly. I never really saw a butterfly’s eyes before. The minutia is so very beautiful and we miss it most of the time! Thank you.
You’re welcome Sue. I try to show people all the things in nature we miss on this blog so I couldn’t agree more.
I’ve seen photos of butterfly eyes but I think this one is a first for me.
Once again, seeing your post first thing in the morning brightens my day. So tragic to see the vandalism of the forest ranger cabin. That is a beautiful stove…
Sandy
Thank you Sandy, I thought the same about the stove.
Since the road to the summit can be driven almost all the way I wouldn’t think it would be too hard to patrol the place more often, but of course finances come into it and I don’t know anything about them.
Vandalism and littering are both something I don’t understand. Thanks for the butterfly photo because I must say I haven’t seem many so far this year.
I know what you mean, Judy.
I’ve seen quite a few eastern swallowtails here, and a few admirals. Dragonfly numbers seem to be down though.
Lovely shot of the butterfly!
Thanks!
Sorry about the vandalism, difficult to get into the mindset of a person who behaves like that. Loved your quote and those wonderful pictures of the butterfly.
Thank you, I agree. I’m not sure what they would get out of it.