We made it, today is the Spring Equinox, the first day of spring. Already signs are popping up everywhere. The migratory waterfowl have come and gone, the wood frogs, chorus frogs, and peepers are calling, and the trees are beginning to bloom.

A new beginning, a call to reach up, stretch out, and move confidently forward into a new year.

What have you been dreaming about all winter? Spring is the season to bring those dreams to reality. New life is all around, in nature and in you. 

Although it may not be the most idyllic springtime day, I would still like to encourage you to take a moment to welcome the new season. Go outside or look out a window, take four deep breaths, and observe (using all your available senses) all the springtime sights, sounds, smells, and so on. Write them down on a piece of paper. On the other side of the paper, consider the things you’d like to cultivate this year, write them down without judgement. Once you’ve done those things, take four more deep breaths and welcome the season. 


I hope this season brings you abundance in all the ways you need.

It's been a snowy, icy winter this year. Below you can see some of the sights. 
​The marsh icing over. Large rocks stand out in the forest under a dusting of snow. The white-throated sparrow visits us in these cold months. The first buds appear on the silver maples. A lot of the witch hazels are still closed, but I found one at the arboretum that was blooming. The buds of the dogwood tree remind me of tiny dumplings. Robins eating whatever berries they can find this time of year. When cold, the common polypod, an evergreen, curls up and waits for a warm sunny day. 

February brought more snow, a beautiful coat of sparkles covering everything. By the end of the month it will have all been a beautiful memory. 
The first two images I found striking. This is the inside of a pine tree! The tree had split in two revealing how the branches and bark grew in tandem. Image one is up close, image two is a wider view. Curiously enough, this tree is still alive! Not thriving, but surviving. You can see it along the trail at Kidron Community Park. 
With the beautiful freshly fallen snow, I made my way to Brown's Lake Bog. I was the first to set tracks in the snow along the boardwalk. The snow clung to the branches and trees. On this same trip a bald eagle flew over. 
The next outing was an icy, snowy, stroll around Wooster Memorial.
Visiting the wetlands, ice sculptures clung to trees. A chandelier of ice drops hanging from a branch over the Killbuck. Ice clings to the trees where it froze when floodwaters filled then froze in the area. As I walked along, loud "crash, boom, splashes" echoed out in the valley. Slowly but surely, these ice trays fall down. 
The first skunk cabbage I found in bloom was at Clear Creek! Many were up but not yet open. Everything in its time.
​The next hike was at Wooster Memorial one week after the first one, and what a difference! The snow had all melted and the low evening light gave everything a beautiful glow. 
Mosses are filling out, new hepatica leaves are emerging from the leaf litter, the turkey tail fungus is showing off its variety of color (in latin it's named versicolor, very appropriate). A pair of sandhill cranes were playing in the strong winds, flapping hard into the breeze, then catch the wind and go zooming back to where they started! A bald eagle gives me the side-eye as I climb a hill as high as it flys. 

On the brisk New Years Day morning, we bundled up and made our way to the Village of Marshallville on the eastern side of Wayne County, Ohio.
To get to the Robert Brooker Nature Preserve (RBNP) you must park at the Heartland Trail Trailhead - part of the Rails to Trails of Wayne County trail systems. From there you start walking north along the rail trail, cross the road, pass old industry, then follow the beautifully wooded path for about .3 mile. At the time of writing, when the paved trail trail ends and turns to a mowed path, turn left and you've arrived at the RBNP trailhead! 

Here you'll find the sign, a map, and a bike rack where you can park your bike while you hike (no bikes on this trail, but you knew that by reading the sign). A short paved path leads to the solar field which helps to illuminate the village, a paved and crushed gravel path that leads through the woods in a short loop, and a longer primitive trail which leads around gentle hills & valleys crossing bridges along the way. It's a simple but interesting trail, oak forest leads to maple forest, eventually ending at the solar field in a big loop. 
The environment is right for interesting spring wildflowers, frogs and salamanders in the spring, and bird watching. 
Though it was pretty cold and quiet on our visit, it will definitely be worth visiting again as the seasons change.
Find more photos from our walk below.

Robert Brooker Nature Preserve

• Nearly 50 acres of land owned by the Village of Marshallville.
• Named after the former Mayor Robert Brooker.

Address for parking:
43 Euclid St. Marshallville, Ohio - follow trail .3 mi north to the Preserve

Rules:
Open sunrise to sunset
leashed dogs are welcome
no bicycles, motorized vehicles, or horses
no fires, alcohol, hunting, camping, 

Trails: 
- Marshallville Tigers Trail .6 mi rustic trail
- Dwayne Groll .4 mi gravel and chip and seal trail
- Solar Trail .1 mi chip and seal

Facilities:
Portapots at the Heartland Trail parking lot

For us, the new year begins with our traditions: eating sauerkraut and sausage, noting the first bird we see, and our new year day hike.

To set the tone and to welcome insight on the new year we look at the symbolism attributed to the first bird we see on the morning of the new year.
My bird this year is the Cardinal.
The unmistakable brilliant red bird, familiar to all, even those uninterested in birding. What the cardinal brings to our awareness is a call to live up to your fullest potential and encourages you to explore new directions and take risks in order to grow as an individual. Its energy brings passion, warmth, and fire and urges us to realize our hidden talent through our actions. Declare your own self worth, be confident, assert yourself, take risks, and stand up for what you believe in. We can not wait for change but must create change ourselves. There is a fiery energy that drives the soul from one good deed to another, expressing that energy is most important this year. This year we can fly to our goals and reach new horizons. Everything will work out for the best. As opportunities are presented, boldly take advantage of the offerings. Keep a positive outlook on life and all your projects will be successful. This is a year of artistic expression. It's important to not worry about the opinions of others, but to find pleasure in the creating. 
The cardinal seeks to infuse life with aliveness and joy. 

My dear cardinal, I'm ready for it!

Below are a number of ways to embrace this change of seasons and I encourage all of you to make a little time to slow down and reflect.
- Sit by a fire and contemplate the light returning to your life. This can be a bonfire, a fireplace, or a candle, whatever works for your life.
- Take a relaxing bath allowing the warm water to release the stresses of the previous year so you may emerge recharged and ready for the next turn around the sun.
- Write down your intentions for the coming season, reflect on what brings you joy, take a moment to see where you are.
- Enjoy a quiet walk outdoors. Feel the cold air on your skin, observe the light of the returning sun, quiet your mind for the duration of the walk, you don't need to be anywhere but right here in this moment. 

I hope you all have a beautiful Winter Solstice. 

Found all across Ohio, this native member of the bittersweet family enjoys stream banks, moist open woods, and thickets in light shade to dappled sun conditions. 
This specimen was found along a manmade channel growing in the understory of silver maples.

It goes by a number of different names: Wahoo, Eastern Wahoo, Burning Bush (not to be confused with the invasive winged burning bush), Spindle Tree, Arrow Wood, and Hearts Bursting With Love.
Wahoo is a word from the Dakota Tribe meaning arrow-wood.  

Leaning in closer to see if I could spot any tracks or digging or anything that might give away what this bare patch was the scent hit me. 
Having had pet cats my entire life I knew that scent well. Strong ammonia that makes your eyes water. A cat, a large cat by the size of the bare spot, has left their mark. 

There are three ways bobcats communicate, visual signals, vocalizations, and scent. 
They use scent by urinating along travel routes, depositing feces in latrine sites and scraping urine and feces along trails (this last one is what we see here). 
It’s a little more difficult to decipher what this big cat is trying to tell us as sometimes it means:

• A specific den is being used
• A female is receptive to mating
• A cat is delineating a home range

​Though, marking scrapes in the ground is often attributed to mark a cat’s territory.

We are fast approaching bobcat breeding season, although it can occur anytime throughout the year, the peak time occurs from December - May.

The ideal location for a natal den is rock outcroppings. After 8 weeks, the young will be fully weaned and will disperse to begin life on their own in the fall and late winter.

Once common throughout Ohio, bobcats were extirpated from the state by 1850. Repopulation efforts began in the mid-1900s and sightings have become more frequent since the early 2000s. The data below is from a survey conducted from 1970 to 2021.

• In Wayne County the first confirmed sighting from 1970-2021 was in 2021
  • # of sightings from 1970-2021 = 1
• In Holmes County the first confirmed sighting from 1970-2021 was in 2016
  • # of sightings from 1970-2021 = 25

(“Sighting” based on trail cams, roadkill, and experts identifying in the field.)


While bobcats are adaptable to a wide range of ecosystems, they do avoid areas of intense agriculture, highly developed areas, and areas with lots of human activity. Instead they prefer areas with adequate prey and cover. These include conifer and hardwood forests, deserts, swamps, and brushy fields. Dense vegetation and topography such as rock outcroppings are important areas that offer resting and den sites. 


Another 50 feet down the path I came across another scrape, nearly identical to the first. Were these scrapes from a female at the beginning of mating season or a cat establishing a territory boundary or maybe a young bobcat who just left the den and is trying to find their place in the area. Whatever the answer may be I’m excited to see evidence of these big cats moving back to the area.

Much like the leaves on the trees, life sheds what is no longer needed. This can be a door closing, a heart changing, silence where there once was sound. Things are falling, and while we might not be able to see it yet, they are falling into place. 
I hope to join you all here again soon.

As this is my favorite time with my favorite flowers, let's take a look at what we'll be seeing in the next few weeks/months. This is your reminder to walk slow, look down, you might be surprised at some of the lovely tiny flowers you see.

The City of Wooster’s newest park is located at 668 Venture Blvd, tucked between the Aspen racquet club and Clear Creek.
Opened in 2022, Clear Creek Park has 3/4 of a mile paved walking paths that meander through woods, wetlands, and lead to a platform overlooking Clear Creek. You can also find a pavilion, restrooms, and (coming soon) a playground.
This 11 acre park was inspired by the vision by Seaman Corporation Board Chairman, Richard Seaman to create a green space for the community and a safe place for workers from near by industries to walk during their lunch breaks. 
It has done that and so much more. A favorite walk for those with walkers, strollers, and dogs (on leashes thanks) people are enjoying this new park.  

Brown’s Lake Bog 
Brown Rd., Shreve, OH - between Aylsworth and Funk Rds.
no pets please

Owned and maintained by The Nature Conservancy in Ohio 
Featuring a kettle hole bog as well as a glacially-formed hill called a kame, our Brown’s Lake Bog is one of the few high-quality bogs left in Ohio. Follow the boardwalk out onto the bog mat where you can see the kettle hole lake, make sure to stay on the boardwalk to protect the sensitive species that grow here. Then head back and turn down the marked trail up and around the earthen loop trail that traverses the glacial kame. Please note, the boardwalk may become slippery when wet or snowy so walk with caution.
You can learn more about Brown’s Lake Bog at https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/browns-lake-bog-preserve

Beginning in late winter, the eastern skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is first of our wildflowers to emerge from the cold snow covered ground. Through its rapid growth, its cellular respiration can melt the snow around it reaching up to 60 degrees Fahrenheit! The skunk cabbage gets its name from the smell emitted from the spathe (reddish brown thing generally after disruption or bruising. This smell is important as it attracts the flies that will then pollinate the spadix (round yellow ball that sits inside the spathe). By late spring, a tight roll of bright green leaves emerge from next to the spathe, slowly unraveling into huge green cabbage-like leaves that will blanket the wet and wooded area where it grows. 

Needle ice is a natural phenomenon which occurs when the temperature of the soil is above freezing and the surface temperature of the air is below freezing. The subterranean liquid water is brought to the surface via capillary action, where it freezes and contributes to a growing needle-like ice column.
While growing, they may lift or push away small soil particles as you can clearly see in the photo. On sloped surfaces, needle ice may be a factor contributing to soil creep. ​

Barnes Preserve
3396 Sylvan Rd, Wooster, OH 44691

76 acres owned & operated by the Wayne County Park District. 
1 mile of paved ADA accessible trail through mature forest, overlooking a woodland pond, and wanders through a meadow. A number of additional mowed and boardwalk paths cut through the woods and meadow.

Open dawn to dusk
(trails are not maintained in the winter months, hike at your own risk).

Facilities: pavilion, grill, overlook, port-a-potty (April-November)

Best use: walking, birding, nature observation.

Special rules:
​    - Take trash home with you (no trash pickup service at park).
    - All dogs must be leashed & cleaned up after.

EXCITING NEWS: Recently the Park District was awarded two grants to develop the lower ponds and surrounding area. The general concept includes a fishing pond with bump-out natural pier while the surrounding land will be restored back into a quality wetland /stream. The project is slated for completion in early 2024 (though the timeline is always subject to change).

It is in the darkness that the fire shines brightest.
Tomorrow is the winter Solstice, the day with the least amount of light. Nine hours of daylight compared to the fifteen in June.
In our ever active world this season can feel like a burden. The darkness cutting into our activities. But it might be the most important time in our seasonal cycle.
We are on the cusp of winter, the trees have gone shed their leaves, the plants are all dormant, the mammals have cozied up in their dens to hibernate, it’s time to rest.
While it’s not entirely practical to hole up in your house for days on end, there are ways we can embrace the season and enjoy what I call active rest.

Beginning today, through tomorrow (the Solstice), and continuing to the next day I would like to invite you to see and participate in these darkest of days.

I don’t know about you, but this autumn, though it has been one of beautiful and long lasting foliage, one tree has stood out among all the others… 

The Sweetgum

The American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L)  goes by many names: Sweetgum, redgum, sapgum, star leaf-gum, bilsted.

As it is found in the Eastern United States from Connecticut south to Central America, it’s likely you’ve encountered this tree before and probably remember it’s unique seed pods - round and woody with spiney tips and scattered all over. 

The leaves are palmately lobed with five to seven points resembling a star.

In the autumn the leaves turn a brilliant range of color from pale yellow through bright orange all the way to a deep burgundy or purple. The leaves are very sensitive to frost so if it frosts before changing, they turn directly brown.

Native Americans used parts of this tree, especially the gum, bark, and root, for antidiarrheal uses, dermatological aid, gynecological aid, sedative, and as a fever reducer.

A balsamic oleo-resin is formed when the inner bark of the tree becomes wounded or gashed, called American styrax. This historically has been chewed as a sweet, natural gum, but has found other uses in soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, adhesives, lacquers, and incense.

The wood is used for lumber, veneer, and plywood and is often used for cabinets, furniture, barrels, baskets, and interior woodwork.

Seeds are a food source for birds, squirrels, and chipmunks .

The best kind of day is the day you wake up early, full of energy, nothing on the calendar, and in good health. Today was that morning. 
Rainy walks in the forest have a way of revealing more than you might otherwise notice. The sounds - rain or maybe footsteps. The foliage - how many different shades of green are there? I don't know but you can find hundreds as you walk along. Mosses glow. A heavy warm musty fragrance blankets everything. 

Click through the slideshow to see what I found from the prairie, down the switchback hill, across the run, and along the Spangler trail.

A fair amount of my youth was spent playing in creeks and 'discovering' all the fascinating creatures that lived there. It was always a real treat to come across a crawdad/crayfish/mud bug (all different common names for Cambaridae) and watch it dart from stone to stone in the shallow waters. 30 years later I 'discover' them again but this time on land!