SFL Nature Trail Makeover: Day 2

As our story of the Nature Trail "makeover"

continues, expect to be amazed at the changes

that are taking place.

Our entrance is now a six-foot wide path
of level, cushioned hardwood chips.

One of the areas of the worst erosion is now being
filled, smoothed, and covered.  This will add to your
safety and comfort while touring the trail, either with
your family, by yourself, or perhaps with a class.

This portion was completed on Day 1 and is where
today's work will begin.

You can see the Cat's tread marks everywhere,
but all evidence of its presence will be erased later.

While the crew carry on with their task, I have my own
project for today.  When the electric company cleared
vines and brush under their power line, much of it was
unfortunately tossed into our stream.  If beavers had built
a dam, I might have been more understanding.  But I
felt no obligation to leave this man-made dam, and set to
work clearing out the blockade that was restricting the flow.

This is a handy little connector or shortcut, which could
be useful if you wanted to shorten your hike, or get to
a specific location on the trail with fewer steps.

This tangle of cat-brier (greenbriar or smilax), grapevines,
and privet (hedgebush) are the enemies I'll be wrestling
out of the stream to liberate its waters.

I promised to explain the "Y." Now Y do you think
I call it the "Y"?

How does the "Y" look from this angle?

Or this angle?  Those three pictures were taken from
the three points on different parts of the "Y."  And
now I hope you know Y I call it the "Y."  My students
have always enjoyed creating our own names for trees
and special locations on the trail.  So, make plans now
to visit the "Y."  Maybe I'll see you there.

From the bridge, you can see the now-completed
spur of the trail that leads to it.

A frisky neighborhood pup was glad to have some
human companionship, probably because there had
been no students around all week.

The hardwood chips are now down from the trail
entrance to this fork.  Go left to go to the stream,
go right to go under Old Man Poplar and take
"the High Road."

The men are repairing the heavy erosion just beneath
our famed Jack, Will, and Tom, the three poplar trees
emerging from one trunk.

Things are connecting up nicely, and no glitches.
By late afternoon on Good Friday, the Makeover of
the Nature Trail was complete.

I invite you to visit the trail soon and enjoy the
wonders of springtime as they unfold.

The lowly Cranefly Orchid awaits you.

You'll know it by its single leaf, green on top,
purple underneath.

Keep your eyes open and you'll spy the dainty
wildflower known as Green and Gold.

Shortly, I'll share a Virtual Video Tour  of the
reborn nature trail.  And soon, the dogwoods, wild
ginger, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and other wonders of
springtime will greet you as well.