Saturday 30 July 2022. Morning Birthday Ride, in Search of Red Flowers

It was 62 degrees F, mostly clear, wind NE 3 mph as I set out, stopping to observe the elm tree around which the path curves to the right,

to Meadowbrook Park to find royal catchfly and cardinal flower.

After locking Rhododendron near the pavilion and windmill, saw a hummingbird zooming among the Salvia in the Sensory Garden.

Hummingbird perched near upper left corner

Walked over dry McCullough Creek

to the Spomer prairie, where the low, climbing sun shone through dew on the prairie plants

and some spiderwebs.

Looked up into the bordering walnut foliage and saw a bird I couldn’t quite identify.

Saw a small monarch caterpillar nestled in some milkweed buds,

but it was curled up and didn’t look well.

There were many stately compass plants

and still a good number of yellow coneflower, some purple coneflower, and Monarda and striking ironweed, along with Baptisia pods.

Found the beloved royal catchfly among rattlesnake master,

though the flame-red stars of flowers seemed more sparse than I remember from previous years.

Still spectacular!

On the way out of the prairie saw the little monarch caterpillar again:

it looked larger and was moving more normally. Maybe it just had been molting.

Saw cardinal flower along the streambed of McCullough Creek.

Note the grapevine connecting two trees

On the way to the rabbit-statue bridge saw (halberd-leafed, Hibiscus laevis, or swamp, H. moscheutos?) rose mallow; the leaves were hard to get a good view of so not sure which.

swamp milkweed,

and the little patch of blazing star (Liatris pycnnostachya or L. spicata, not sure which of those) that has consistently bloomed there (elsewhere in Meadowbrook they’ve been spotty) over the past twelve years or so that I’ve been observing.

Near the bridge, I walked in (through the thorns and stickers) close to the banks of McCullough Creek a little downstream from where I spotted the first one, to find this beautiful, just-beginning-to-bloom individual,

feeling glad to have been born to be able to see it!

On the way home along Race Street stopped for another red flower, a maroon rose mallow

another bright marker for this time of year in which I happen to have come into the world. A wonderful birthday greeting!

Friday 29 July 2022. Pre-and Post-Swim Ride around Meadowbrook and Crystal Lake Park

It was 62 degrees F, the sky clear but for a few wisps of cloud, wind NW 3 mph at about 5:20 am. Thought this might be the last pre-swim Meadowbrook ride of the year, as sunrise comes later and later in the morning, and it’s much nicer to ride when the scenery is visible.

At Meadowbrook stopped at the rabbit-statue bridge and got a view of the dry stream bed.

Farther down the path, on the right (south) side, a bit of red next to the wild senna caught my eye: might have been cardinal flower! Will have to return when the light is better.

The early morning sky spread wide wide over the prairie with wispy cirrus clouds and subtle color. This is one reason why it’s worth getting up early!

Got a few shots of some in late-July prairie flowers: yellow coneflower and Monarda decreasing but plenty of compass plant

and rosinweed, purple coneflower here and there, dense patches of rattlesnake master, many full spikes of green Baptisia pods and still some blooms,

showy tick trefoil,

the first evening primrose

and Gaura, with long-legged (true) bugs on them, which still didn’t diminish their beauty,

and accents of deeper purple ironweed.

Nice display for my birthday eve!

Took a different route to the pool, through Crystal Lake Park, past the Lake House

(beautifully landscaped!),

across the concrete bridge

and to the pool. On the way back stopped at the temporary sculpture in Crystal Lake Park on Broadway.

Have passed it many times and thought it was okay, but was slightly annoyed by the sign that forbade touching (well, I understand the no climbing part): its dangling arms invited a little push to make them swing. Today I stopped for a closer look and was delighted to see that it was made completely of “found objects,” film cans and reels, and most transformationally, bottle caps and jar lids!

The shades of blue and green lids looked like a stone mosaic; the strings of red caps were like beads.

The humanoid figure had an old space heater for its head. It was positioned like a rag doll, or like a sad person. But it made me think that maybe in time (not in reality, but its colors were so lovely) it might revive. Before leaving, gave one of the dangling arms an illicit but tiny and respectful nudge with one finger.

From Broadway, after waiting a really long time for the light at University to change, veered down to the hidden Boneyard riverwalk

and viewed a school of little fish, always a soothing exercise.

What a beautiful morning it was. Could not suppress breaking into that famous song from “Oklahoma.”

Thursday 28 July 2022. High Cross Road, with Super-Long Loaf Cloud

It was about 75 degrees F, with large clouds and large patches of blue sky, wind SW 5 mph at about 8 am. Wished I’d brought my sunglasses as I headed east on Main Street, the sun up above most of the Urbana “skyline.”

Stopped at Weaver Park, where yellow coneflower and Monarda still bloomed, but past their peak.

Cup plant, with its stacks of pointed, perfoliate cup-leaves, was having a good bloom year,

and there still were a good number of its yellow-rayed flowers. Also were mountain mint,

rattlesnake master, and red-leafed seed-bearing golden Alexanders.

Kept on eastward on Main Street to where it met University at the Beringer subdivision. Noticed to the north, low to the horizon, a bank of dense clouds,

which were moving in my direction. It spanned the horizon to the west and east and like an infinite ( or very long) floating baguette.

Wow.

It passed overhead right about the time I reached the top of the High Cross bridge over I-74,

and it dropped a few sprinkles of rain as I went under it. Then the wind shifted and came from the NW, and now up to 8 mph. There were more lines of clouds on the other (north) side of the big one, but they were much less dense.

Rode on and stopped across from Brownfield Woods for the American bellflower,

brown-eyed Susans,

and jewel weed.

Rode as far as Ford Harris Road,

where there was decent looking corn, with ears with red silk.

Stopped on the way back to look at old bones fossilized in the pavement.

My bike travels have shown me that such fossils are pretty common.

Got a (really poor; iPhone, for its many merits, has not figured out the zoom) shot of a goldfinch. Many were about but they were hard to photograph.

Stopped for Joe Pye weed along Brownfield Woods.

Back over I-74 and south, retraced the route through the Beringer subdivision, where I’d spotted the spectacular cloud.

The loaf cloud (there must be a technical name for it) was gone. The day proceeded.

Wednesday 20 July 2022. Ride to the Barnhart Prairie Restoration

It was 74 degrees F, partly cloudy, with some quiet low clouds, though didn’t see actual fog, wind S 8 mph.

Staying away from the pool today because I was exposed to COVID Sunday. Will return Friday if I test clean. Wanted some exercise away from traffic but not too far so planned to go southeast; wanted to see some prairie flowers, so the Barnhart Prairie Restoration was a perfect destination. On the way stopped along Windsor Road to see the summer bouquets

on the edge of Meadowbrook Park.

Between Meadowbrook and Barnhart saw corn in different stages in different fields, tasseled and with silk emerging from ears, or still yet to tassel. Also were fields of non-corn grass; an ethanol source, I’m thinking. I’m sure I could find out about it without much effort.

The scanty rainfall recently didn’t seem to have too bad of an effect on most of the corn, or on the soybeans, for that matter, which looked dark and vigorous.

Was glad to see the variety of prairie flowers at Barnhart:

Monarda, yellow coneflower, rattlesnake master,

wild quinine, Culver’s root,

Baptisia (with green pods)

bush clover,

tick trefoil (Illinois tick trefoil, Desmodium illinoense? Looked less showy than the more common showy (D. canadense) species),

the stately foliage and emerging flower stalks of prairie dock,

and some remaining lead plant blooms.

Many long-past bloom golden Alexanders had red foliage along with their ripening seed heads.

There was a lot of (probably cream) gentian foliage;

it promised soon to render a burst of white blooms!

I know this prairie restoration is an artificial planting, but was glad to see all the native species. Leaving the prairie, got a view of the low clouds over the landscape.

Noticed along Race Street just south of Curtis a cornfield with pumpkins growing among the stalks, in a different field from earlier years.

Sunday 17 July 2022. Ride on the KRT Under Clouds

Sunday 7/17/22 KRT
It was 72 degrees F, cloudy with some light fog, wind W 4 mph at 6:30 am. Chose to ride on the KRT today because of the fog: wanted to stay out of the way of motor vehicles as much as possible.

Actually, the fog was not so bad; but it’s always nice to check out the KRT. Stopped for a view of the little oak grove by the train tracks across from the Dart (formerly Solo) plastic lid factory.

Also stopped for the “Quaker oak” (more than 250 years old!) next to the Friends meeting place.

Wanted to stop at Weaver Park, which showed its summer pink-and-yellow from a good distance, but there was a guy with a dog hanging out there and then in the field set back from the street was a guy doing jumping jacks; let them have the privacy with nature experience this morning and continued on.

Lots of vervain, with a few yellow coneflowers, near the head of the KRT trail

Almost got run over at the Mayview (1900 E) crossing. Scary!!

Saw an incredible number of cottontail rabbits, including some very small ones, all the way along the trail.

There were lots of invasive exotics, like Queen Ann’s lace and chicory,

along with the more attractive ones like mullein,

soapwort,

and white morning glories,

but did see a fair number of Monarda

and yellow coneflower

as well as the occasional purple coneflower,

compass plant,

and false sunflower.

Loved crossing the Salt Fork, as always.

The burned house (no pictures) a little down the trail from the Salt Fork crossing was still standing, a charred ruin.

Rode all the way to the end of the trail and turned back. Noticed a really nice bike care station, with tools, air, with pressure gauge, and a rack to hold the bike for repairs,

(in view of the old grain elevator, atop which perched three vultures). How very hospitable! Stopped on the Salt Fork bridge on the way back and saw a medium-sized fish swim downstream then upstream.

The fish is in about the middle of the picture, a little to the right

Farther along my right upper hip muscles were getting pretty sore; standing on the pedals for a little while helped a lot.

Chicory and Black-eyed Susan with Full’s Siding ahead

Lots of elderberries

After a latté and mixed fruit tart (every single piece of fruit on it was perfectly fresh!) at Bake Lab headed home. Saw goldfinches (of which there were many along the trail but not “patient” enough for me to photograph) in the neighborhood, which were close and calm enough to photograph,

thought it wasn’t exactly a Sierra Club calendar picture, just a document of one of my dear “yellow birds of happiness.”