Walking Through a Local Park

 A few days ago, I got out for a walk at a local park. It features a small lake with a walking trail around it and with corn fields on two sides. These are just a few photos I took that day. 

This is Dogbane. I believe that it is in the same family of plants as Milkweed. This plant can be used to make cordage. I have read that the cordage was once used for bow strings or any functional use. 

There was Elderberry growing along the edge of the lake. The berries are not yet ripe. In a couple weeks, I will check back to see if they are ripe. It is interesting to me that many products have "elderberry" flavor, but in my opinion that flavor tastes nothing like actual elderberries. 

This is Ox-Eye Daisy and was growing near the Elderberry and the Dogbane. It probably has medicinal uses, but I would have to look in one of my books for that information. Comments are always welcome to correct my errors or to give better information. 

Queen Anne's Lace was growing along the edges of the park property. I have always enjoyed finding these plants with blossoms and there are usually insects on the blossoms, but none present this day. 

Morning Glory blossom with what I believe is a Bumble Bee. 

Teasel along fence line - This is an attractive plant that is not native to North America. I read that it may have been introduced in the 1700 and that the head was used to process cotton. 

And there was lots of corn growing on two sides of the park. We are now having temperatures in the 90s (F) and there is talk of Corn Sweat contributing to the high humidity. Again, from online reading, I see that Corn Sweat is just a natural process with the plant. But with recent high temperatures it is apparently a popular topic. 

And that is all for now. I have a back log of many photos and will try to add new posts. 

Late Season Ginseng and Goldenseal

 The woods, bordering areas, and open spaces are transitioning to fall. Trees in this area, Illinois, are showing more color. Plants are dying and ready for a rest. 

Here are a few photos of some recent Ginseng and Goldenseal plants that I came across. Both will grow again from the rootstock next year. 

The dead top of a nice Ginseng plant with seed berries still green. This was in a disk golf area, and I believe someone had stepped on this or pulled it with no idea what it was. 

A small 2 prong Ginseng plant that is still green. The next photo below is another plant the same size and found on the same day that is turning yellow. 

                  And on that same day, I found a few nice patches of Goldenseal.

This is my hiking companion Jackson beside a nice patch of Goldenseal that is turning yellow. 

March Snow Farmdale Recreation Area March 14, 2020

 I remember hiking through this fresh falling snow (and I am remembering from the current date of September 20, 2023). The previous day, (as shown in the previous post) I had hiked along the snow free shore of the Illinois River. 

It is refreshing to hike through falling snow, especially the wet and heavy late winter snow, just days before it would be the first day of spring. 

Here are some of the photos of that day. Location is Farmdale Recreation Area, a park area just minutes from our home in Tazewell County, Illinois, U.S.A. My hiking companion that day was our dog Jackson. 

Along the Illinois River Shore and Abandoned Golf Course

 This is from March 13, 2020; and I am going back through photos from a couple years past that are in the gap of time that I was absent from my blog. ..... More past photos to come till perhaps caught up.

These photos were taken at what was a public golf course along the river. It was closed by the park district and is being returned to a natural state. It is now a public park, open for hiking and enjoying nature. It is along the western shore of the Upper Peoria Lake section of the Illinois River.

                                  Walking the shore along east edge of the park.

                                    A barge coming downstream in the distance. 

      I hiked back through the brush and found what I believe is an abandoned barge docking area.

      The abandoned barge dock with a barge visible passing by in the right side of the photo. 

And the old golf course. In the few years since I took these photos, this area is full of plants several feet tall. 

Late Summer Mushrooms

 Once again it has been too long since I was here. I now have more spare time, so hoping to somewhat regularly update and create a new post. 

Here are some recent photos from hiking and late summer mushrooms. Some are edible and some not. I do pick and consume mushrooms that I am confident of the identity. However, some that are edible do not really have much flavor, so I normally pass those by. 

Oyster Mushrooms

Oyster Mushrooms

A nice bunch of Oyster Mushrooms. I gathered some of these, took home, cooked, and ate them. 

Turkey Tail Mushrooms. These are said to have medicinal and cancer fighting properties. Please do your own research. 

Crown Tipped Coral Mushroom

Chicken of the Woods - this came home with me and was eaten. 

Oyster Mushrooms - these were too high on tree to reach, but I did gather some that were lower.