Bristly Sarsaparilla

Here are the berries of the Bristly Sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida), a pic of the whole plant and where it gets the bristly from. The roots were known to be used as a medicine. Found in cut overs and burnt areas.

Mountain Ash

Berries are ripening on the Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana) , they will soon be all orange.

Fall colours starting

End of August and the fall colours are starting all ready. This was taken near the Notch Dam at Duncan lake .

Wintergreen

A shot a few days ago of Wintergreen (Gaulthereia procumbens) with the berry just breaking out of its capsule the left.

Cambell and Haliday Lk. Trip

The weather yesterday looked as if we would get some rain but it held off all day. Left from Gowganda by truck and trailer to Hydro Creek where we unloaded and started the trip. This trail goes up the power line which runs from Otter Rapids on the Abitibi River south to Southern Ontario. We only did a portion to Haliday Lake and then over to Campbell Lake and back to Hydro Creek overall about 88km. Thanks to Mary Bullock and Faye Barnstaple for the goodies on the ride.

Cranberries at Leroy Lake

Back to the bog at Leroy lake, while walking across the floating vegetation came upon lots of Small Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos). Couldn't find to many that were ripe but will check back later. Not a lot of taste to the ones I tried.

A side note-- (Common Cranberry or Northern Cranberry) is widespread throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere. It has small 5–10 mm leaves. The flowers are dark pink, with a purple central spike, produced on finely hairy stems. The fruit is a small pale pink berry, with a refreshing sharp acidic flavour

Paddling on Leroy Lake

Out taking some pics in the bog at the north side of Leroy Lake. One of a white water lily in its prime.

Another look at Bunchberry

A new spin on Bunchberry.

LeRoy Lake Rd

Haven't been up this way for a long time, lots of the old trails have disappeared after you cross the creek. The trail that goes north turns east and follows up the west side of Lost Lake. On the way back I found a Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) these were old fashioned garden flowers that are now a common weeds. This one was covered with blooms and about 1 m. high. The leaves when crushed are very aromatic.

Everett Lake Rd.

Cool this AM out for a ride up the Everett Lake Rd east of town. Lots of Pin Cherries along the sides of the roads, bears have been pulling the trees down to get at them.

Blueberries

Two days of hot, hot sun picking blueberries. Berries were small in sunny areas and a little bigger under some shade. Not like the crop of last year where you could pick a 4 litre ice cream container in 40 minutes. The same container this year took an hour and a half. A pic of processing some berries in the house and a shot of Davidson Lake.

Dogbane

A common weed along the side of the road with interesting white with pink bells. You can almost hear them ringing.

Fireweed

The edges of the main highway and bush roads are putting on a show of Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) these days, and the blueberries are ready for picking. What more could you ask for.