Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Steve And Muffin’s Wildflowers #41.
Hi everyone, Happy Friday! Today we have the third in our group of large orchids, this time the “Showy Lady’s Slipper”. This is a very beautiful wild orchid that grows from 10 to 27 inches (25 to 67.5cm) tall. The flower itself is about 2 inches (5cm) long. The pink color can vary from light to dark and some flowers are pure white. This is also an old picture that I had since they seem to be totally gone from our area now. They will grow in shade or full sun and bloom from June to July. They seem to prefer more open habitat than the other lady’s slippers as long as there is abundant moisture. They will grow in moist fields, woodland openings, even in ditches along roads and highways. But they will also grow in heavily shaded areas of moist woods and bogs. In Canada these can be found from Saskatchewan to the east coast and in the US from Minnesota to Arkansas and across to the east coast. We’ll be back next week with more wildflowers to share, have a great weekend everyone and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Coffee In The Park #1.
Hi everyone and welcome back to our summer series of coffee posts! We’ll be visiting some old spots again this year and some new spots as well. A slight change in the name as you have probably noticed. It is a beautiful, sunny day, just perfect to begin our series. Though I’m not sure if anyone will want hot coffee or not, but we have it available anyway, plus iced coffee, iced tea (the real kind), iced raspberry leaf tea, pink lemonade and regular lemonade. Or if you prefer, just plain old water.
First we have to follow along my river path, which is mostly downhill going to the river. However, that means uphill coming back, and there are 2 fairly high, steep hills. But it’s really not that bad, I hope. But it’s such an enjoyable walk the hills are barely noticeable. Hi Sheree, nice to see you out again, and there’s Rossana and Mila. Muffin is so happy to see her friend again after such a long time.
There is a great place for the cats to play where we will be heading. Hi Nina and Mr. Cat! Muffin is jumping now, actually the cats are jumping like kangaroos again! Hi Eugenia and Callie, another friend for Muffin, she is really off to a great start today. Hi Dusty, how’s things?
We are starting with one of my favorite spots overlooking the river. We just have to follow the path past my usual bench, go along the river and up a small hill, so it gives a very nice view of the area. There is a nice flat area to lay out some blankets in the shade of these tall red pines, plus a couple white pines.
Plus there is a nice swinging bench to use in a rather secluded little spot, which few people know about. Look over here, the wild sarsaparilla berries are starting to get ripe. The berries are not really edible, though they won’t hurt a person, but they are rather dry with large seeds. They are consumed by many birds, chipmunks, skunks, fox and bears.
Hi Jim, nice to see you here with us today. Hi Pene and Tiffany, just help yourself to whatever you would like to eat or drink. Hi Virginia and Carla, great to have you visit with us for our first Coffee in the Park this summer. Look out there on the river, a female common merganser with her brood of 11 little ones, and closer to the shore is a female goldeneye with her babies as well. From this distance I can’t tell how many she has.
There is a nice canopy of white pine branches overhead in this one spot which provides nice shade and there is a beautiful cool breeze coming off the river too. This is a great spot to just come and relax for a little while, and having a little picnic with friends makes it so enjoyable too.
I hope you have had a great time here today, always terrible when it’s time to leave again, but we will be back with more coffee times ahead. Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 