The Summer Solstice at Beaman Park, TN.
The sun's path has been getting higher and higher with
each day, and today its path has reached its highest point
in the sky. It's analogous to noon on a day's cycle.
Noon is Mid-day, and today is Mid-Summer.
Click here to learn about the Summer Solstice,
which is Mid-Summer)
After today the sun's path descends toward the southern
horizon. We will be getting less sunlight with each passing day
until the Winter Solstice arrives. After today Summer is waning.
So, this is the perfect time to get out and celebrate the heart
of Summer. Happy Mid-Summer!!
Beaman Park is the perfect place to do this.
Click here for information on Beaman Park.
Begin, of course, at the Nature Center.
There, you will notice many different kinds of plants, including
a wild blueberry shrub and a butterflyweed shrub.
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| Wild Blueberry |
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| Butterflyweed |
After you explore the area around the Center, get on the
Sedge Hill Trail, behind the Nature Center
and walk down to Henry Creek.
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| The Sedge Hill Trail Take your time and slowly walk down to Henry Creek. Look left and right for wildflowers, mushrooms, and animals. |
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| Spotted Wintergreen Some people call this Pipsissewa, but, unfortunately, there's another plant by that name...confusing. |
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| Some colorful mushrooms. |
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| The bridge that spans Henry Creek. We crossed it and turned to the right. |
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| A species of Bolete, which is a fungus that has tubular sporecases instead of gills. |
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| Ashy Hydrangea The species name, cinerea, is Latin for ash-colored, referring to the gray down on the leaves of this shrub. Click any photo to enlarge it and get a better look at it. |
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| We took the first side trail that lead to the creek and arrived at this bluff. |
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| Time to get your sandals on and get in that cool water. |
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| Today, we walked upstream under the bridge and up the creek looking for plants, animals, and fungi. |
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| A tiny species of mushrooms growing on a downed tree. |
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We ran across two species of Millipedes.
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| The creek bifurcates at this point. We went left. I'll go right, next time. |
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| This may look like a dragonfly but it is a beautiful Damselfly. |
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| A species of Chanterelle. |
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| It was relatively cool walking in the water and under the canopy. Just wear some old sandals and get in the water! |
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| A mushroom called Russula. |
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| Kai spots a salamander. |
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| Salamanders are one of my favorite kinds of animals. |
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| A kind of Jelly Fungus. |
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| Growing on the rocks along the creek's edge are Liverworts, which are non-vascular plants closely related to mosses. |
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| I love the sound of these small waterfalls. |
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| Below the mossy edge was a Crawdad (crayfish). |
One of my favorite sounds.
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| This Stereum (fungus) was growing on a fallen tree. |
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| A side stream feeding Henry Creek. |
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| Indian Pink was growing near the creek... such an unusual and beautiful flower. |
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| Eyelash Cups (Fungi) were growing on a log in the creek. |
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| This one is only about 5mm wide, about the size of your pupil. |
I consider this a walking meditation.
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| A species of Skullcap. |
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| We saw many mushrooms, today! What a beauty! |
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| Very serene!! |
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| Looks like a species of Spikemoss (Selaginella). (Please correct me if needed; go to My Profile and e-mail the correction to me) |
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| A species of Bolete. |
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| A Water Strider skating across the surface of the water. |
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| Stop often...look around you...and listen. |
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| Beautiful symmetry of a Black-eyed Susan. |
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| The fruit of Solomon's Seal. |
Click here for interesting information about Solomon's Seal
as an herbal remedy.
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| The aquatic snails leave trails along the bottom of the creek. |
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| Enjoying life underwater. |
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| Another colorful Mushroom. |
I noticed some tiny black organisms on a log next to the bank
and discovered 3 different species of Slime Molds!!
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| This species is called Chocolate Tube Slime (Stemonitis axifera). You can see both the whitish slimy stage of its life cycle and also the dark brown spore-bearing stage. |
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| These are very, very tiny...about 4-6mm..smaller than your pinky nail. |
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| Coral Slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa) |
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| Lycogola epidendrum |
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| A Daddy Longlegs. |
They are NOT poisonous.
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| The creek is jammed with sticks and leaves at this point. This is where I turned around and headed back to the Nature Center. |
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| On the way back, on the Creekside Trail, Kai spotted a Worm Eating Warbler. |
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| Photo taken from the Cornell website, below. |
get some information about this neat bird.
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| On the Sedge Hill Trail we spotted an unusual blue and white mushroom (Lactarius indigo). Click here for info on this mushroom. |
The next time a solstice or an equinox rolls around get outside
and take a walk and observe the natural world around you to
celebrate that point in the earth's revolution around the sun!
Happy Mid-Summer (Summer Solstice)!!
