I love native orchids; they exist right in front of us, but hide in plain sight. Catching them in bloom requires diligence and/or habit. There are times when I have rushed to see Showy Orchis, Pink Lady’s Slipper, or Yellow Lady’s Slipper in bloom, and found only stalks holding shriveled Read more…
Big Ivy trails are worth revisiting to capture the full spectrum of wildflowers blooming between early and late spring. Every section of this trail in the Appalachian Ranger District showcases wildflowers that are either winding down and setting seed, or beginning their transformation to full bloom. Finding native orchids is Read more…
Despite unseasonably warm temperatures for camping and hiking, we departed on Friday afternoon for the Appalachian Trail near Damascus, VA, close to the border of TN and NC. We camped off a gravel road intersecting the trail, built a fire to ward off the insects and settled in for the Read more…
Over the past few weeks, hiking has taken a back seat to self-care and healing. Our weather has also been pretty fickle during this time, with delightful sunny, blue skies during the week, and rain arriving just in time for the weekend. But last weekend, I was anxious to hike Read more…
False Solomon’s seal- Maianthemum racemosum