Memorial Day—September 5th—happened to be the gorgeous end to a wonderful weekend, and so we celebrated by riding to this little state park situated between and 7 and 8 mile roads off Beck near Northville, then hiked the easy trails for six miles or so, and then biked back to our staging area. (And then dropped in on relatives for cookout. The grilled veggie kebabs, featuring mushies, pineapple chunks, onion, and squash were particularly yummy.)
The water is very low right now, owing to some restoration that's caused them to drain the little lake. My efforts photographing herons, turtles and and a striking black and yellow bug were a bust, but here's one of a monarch. I never tire of these gorgeous butterflies, even when I have as many as three (!) fluttering about in my garden at one time (as I did today.)
Wild honeybees—‘white man's fly’—have pretty much been exterminated by varroa mites, but cultivated hives are hanging on; Maybury state park has a little farm, where they keep bees, and their hives are no doubt responsible for the crittur gracing the upper part of the shot. Needless to say the goldenrod is in full bloom (and so, sigh, is the ragweed—this nearly invisible pollen producer has been responsible for the stuffy noses in my family for the last week and more) and the new england asters are just starting to show in people's gardens.
Besides the farm—and activities associated with that—there's also a riding stable and nature hikes with a ranger, plus of course the usual amenities of playgrounds, picnic areas and the like; this park is very much geared to families and kids. And, of course, the aforementioned trails, for hikers, bikers and equestrians. If you look closely you may see concrete on some of the paths, relics of the area's prior use as a sanatorium.
photo taken 5sep05; file created 7sep05
Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.
