Getting up and exercising is a habit. It’s possible to slip for a while, but the memory of the habit remains, making it easier to get back into the swing of things.
Thus it is for us and getting out and exercising before breakfast. The habit slipped, but this week we are back at it.
The path leads off across a pond and marsh area to a small wood north of the park. It’s about a mile and three-quarters to and from our place. On Monday, the first day of our return to regular morning walks, fog was rising from the pond and the marshy area to the left.
Today we took our usual route through the park and into a small wooded area nearby. Animal tracks in the sand, flowering shrubs and a pile of bunny fur, perhaps.
There was a large patch of white fur on the path today. No blood, so maybe not a predator at work. Thumper the rabbit shedding his winter coat, perhaps?Deer are frequent visitors, although I haven’t seen one yet, only their footprints.There are two flowering trees in bloom in early May in this part of Michigan. This one loses its petals rather quickly. It looked almost like snow falling as we walked. Apple Photos identifies this is an Amelanchier, also known as serviceberry, shadberry, juneberry, sugarplum … the list goes on and on.Vicki’s first thought was that this is a red-stem dogwood. Apple Photo app insists it’s another species of serviceberry. I know I don’t know!
In addition, Vicki spotted a wild morel mushroom growing on the side of the road. I have long heard of them but this is the first I’ve seen in the wild. Vicki says the area just north of Cadillac is known as the morel mushroom capital of the world. (She found that in this year’s Farmer’s Almanac!)
Our first morel mushroom caught in the wild! This is the one wild mushroom that I might trust well enough to eat. My rule has always been that the only safe mushrooms come from a farm and can be found in the grocery store!Apparently morel mushrooms are a big thing in this area. Several old tree trunks at the park have been carved into morel shapes.
It was a good walk. A nice cool morning. And a habit that we are glad to be restoring.
Two Sheeps to the Wind 