The air was cool and damp and the sky was grey, casting a cloak of dimness over the trees. I made my way along Otter Creek following the meandering trail, soft from recent snowmelt and decayed leaves. With every step I sank into the ground, and the surrounding shoe prints remind me I am not alone on this trail. Close to the banks the river is frozen, the ice is opaque and clings to the uneven edge, holding onto Blue-joint Reedgrass (Camalagrostis canadensis). Across the creek I see a murder of American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) digging into the earth for an afternoon snack.
Walking to the river I passed by a great Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Eastern hemlocks are remarkable in stature and grow patiently, waiting for their turn in the sunshine. Next a Blue spruce greeted me (Picea pungens), its needles sharp to the touch and its color ever beautiful. Along the river, the forest is primarily deciduous. Red oaks (Quercus Rubra) are prevalent, tall, thin and bare, their leaves lining the forest floor. One Red oak (Quercus Rubra) is adorned with a great basal scar, but the cause remains a mystery. The White ash (Fraxinus americana) grow amongst the Red oaks (Quercus Rubra). The colors are dulled, the wind soft and the sound of the river is constant.
In a setting so quiet the call of the Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) is piercing, soon I am able to see the birds responsible for the singing. The little Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) keep me company as I make my way down river.
Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) entangles itself among the young White ash (Fraxinus americana). Invasive Wild grape (Vitis vinifera sylvestris) has reeked havoc on these woodlands. Slithering up several trees like a snake and encompassing their limbs. The Wild grape (Vitis vinifera sylvestris) sprawls across the forest floor and takes no direction from the other species. The forest is beautiful in its imperfections, a reminder of mother nature’s course.
Ashley Fox