6 July
Summer has definitely arrived in the Hamilton Forest and Wetlands. The distinctively warm light on the vegetation signals the change. The huckleberries are ripening, and are more abundant than I've seen in past years. The very durable foamflower continues to bloom. Although described as common, ghost pipe hasn't been evident in the Forest for the past three years. This year there is an abundant patch of it near the path. Pojar and MacKinnon file ghostpipes under their heading, "Oddballs," and indeed they are. As the photos show, the plant has no chlorophyll, gaining its nourishment from mycelium beneath the ground. It typically appears in a spell of warm weather after a rain--not so in this case--it's been warm and dry. They seem to be abundant this year; reports and photos are appearing throughout the region. This big trillium is fruiting, its flowering completed. Two other, smaller, younger, trilliums are visible in the photo abov...