Carolinian Cathedral

I decided to roam a little further afield this afternoon. The weather remains warm and the sun was shining so I drove a little north of here into the next county where there are lovely regional forests to wander. I chose the Sudden Regional Forest, a tract of land that had been acquired in 1944 by the County, and which is 88 hectares of Carolinian forest, meaning generally large leaf trees including beech, walnut and chestnut. Apparently, this definition is widely debated, but what is not up for debate is the speed at which it is diminishing, the rarity of some of the species particular to it, and the pressing need for its conservation. For me, on this day, it is enough to be aware of its uniqueness, and walk in appreciation of its beauty.

This forest is in a region called the Waterloo Sandhills, which means that it displays glacial features such as moraine ridges, and valleys with small ponds,all resulting from the movement of glaciers through this part of Ontario. It was like entering a wooded cathedral; towering tree trunks enclosing a sacred spot. It was very quiet; no birdsong and complete solitude. When I look around, the lower canopy is elm and beech, the middle maple and walnut, and the upper canopy enormous oaks. 

The easterly floor was covered in wintergreen or teaberry. Oil of wintergreen, which is distilled from the leaves, is primarily composed of methyl salicylate, poisonous in large amounts, but when the methyl component is removed, acetylsalicylic acid crystals remain. As well as oil, the leaves produce a substance called arbutin which when heated provides relief for muscles aches. The berries, which are about the size of a pea, are edible and a favorite treat for chipmunks, deer etc.. If not for these little red gems that catch your eye, one might walk by this low-growing plant and not give it a second look. Valuable lessons in looking down this time.

There is a grove of tamaracks, (not to be confused with a Quebecois expletive), which are turning yellow. This is a deciduous conifer tree; its needles turn colour in the fall, drop off leaving naked branches with small cones on them, and then are replaced in the spring. So I guess not all evergreens, are. Once you realize that the display of soft yellow is normal and not the result of some strange, dreaded disease, one can enjoy this lovely evergreen anomaly.

Something else enjoying the sunny hillside, is the Round-lobed Hepatica or Liverleaf. I don't exactly see a liver when I look at this plant, but perhaps whoever named it saw the leaves in the spring when they are a darker purplish brown colour? They certainly are a treat to see in the spring as they have a delicate flower of purple or pink that sways in the breeze. I was interested to find hepatica in the wild, as I had used it as a prescribed homeopathic remedy for bronchitis in my older son, with remarkable effect.

Nestled on the hillside, almost hidden by leaves, were brilliant carpets of emerald moss. With the sunlight calling attention so these verdant areas, I wanted to touch them and perhaps have a wee nap. 

This pond below the ridge is so leaf-covered as to be almost indistinguishable from the hillside.

A large section of boardwalk winds its way through the wetland. The trees were mostly bare and beside the boardwalk, the paths of the muskrats who live there are more visible. There was a lot of rustling in the reeds, and I was good until the Doctor Who episode called "What's That Under The Bed" came to mind and I had a moment of disquiet. I did however notice:

a red dragonfly, possibly a white-faced meadowhawk 

 liverwort, the wider and flatter green plant in the photo (apparently a primitive plant, as in very old, and often called "the simplest true plant")

 skunk cabbage thinking its spring again

 alder cones

lichen on the side of a rotting board

The Blue beech tree tolerates moisture so it can be found next to wetlands. The texture of the bark is smooth but it has vertical furrows which gave rise to its common name of musclewood. It is a small tree in height and diameter, but its wood is very strong and was formerly used by pioneers for making tool handles. 

This section of the trail loops back on itself so I have returned to where I started. (I don't think I will follow that line of thought) I leave with mental and digital pictures, ready to face the world again. Well, that might be overstating things a little.

"To me, nature is sacred; trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals"  Mikhail Gorbachev