Hi River Roaders,

The journey to becoming an appreciator and protector of our natural world is often enabled by experiences where one discovers the “wonders of nature”. This week, I’m sharing some wonders I’ve discovered on RRUUC grounds this past week. Enjoy, and come visit our grounds!

Last year Thea and her mom planted a number of Cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) by the second bridge in the back. This is apparently a very good location, as some of the Cardinal flowers are five feet tall. I was taking a picture of the bloom when these two female Ruby-throated hummingbirds unexpectedly came into the shot.

This afternoon I came back to the same group of cardinal flowers, and I found this Eastern black swallowtail butterfly.

I regularly see deer on our grounds. While I am dismayed that they eat many of our newly-planted wildflowers, I still enjoy seeing them.

My son did a great blog last week on fungi on our grounds. I’ve seen many different types. Here is a favorite.

A bee on the Joe Pye Weed by the vegetable garden. A great diversity of pollinators visit this group of plants.

Another shot of the hummingbird on the Cardinal flower. The right place at the right time….

Parasites on our grounds! Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora) growing near our front entrance. It has no chlorphyll, and it gets energy from tree roots.

That’s all for this week. I encourage you all to get outside and visit a quality natural area. The more time you spend outside, the more wonders of nature you will see!

Joe