There has been a lot of turtle activity on both the MRG and NRT recently, with mama turtles digging holes in which to lay their eggs. This one was digging in the hardpack at the Glen Road access to the MRG. She was digging a hole with her hind legs and totally committed to her task, ignoring the curious humans who were fascinated by her activity. She was so vulnerable! Thanks to trishaw pilot Chipper Ashley for this photo and for the ride on the trishaw! The calls of birds, a leaping deer, and shade on a hot day were added attractions to today’s ride.
The steep slope of the MRG pollinator garden behind Goss Logan requires a gardener with the balance and climbing skills of a mountain goat. What luck to find these two young women, Jessy Elfstrom and Mary Patterson. willing to adopt this challenging garden. This Spring’s constant rain has caused burgeoning growth that needs to be reined in – these two are up to the challenge. Today they weeded, divided thick clumps of blue flag iris, and planted Black-eyed Susans. Many thanks to Mary and Jessy for your willingness to take on this garden!
Thanks to Dan Moriarty for this photo of his late morning encounter with a snapping turtle near the power dam bridge at Glen Road section of MRG. Wikipedia tells us: “The common snapping turtle is noted for its combative disposition when out of the water with its powerful beak-like jaws, and highly mobile head and neck . In water, it is likely to flee and hide underwater in sediment.” They have been around for millions of years – this one looks as if she might be an original . . . and looks like many of us before we’ve had our morning coffee!
A trishaw ride on the MRG this morning revealed an interesting phenomenon: many spring wild flowers are yellow! Thanks to Google, we now know that early pollinators are often flies with limited color perception. It is theorized that Spring pollinators are attracted to the contrast of white and yellow amid the dark greens.
Eastern Carpenter Bee on Dandelion
Native Golden Alexander
Greater Celandine, a non-native wildflower
Early blooming Coltsfoot
Most Coltsfoot has now gone to seed.
Apple Blossoms
Jack-in-the-Pulpit . . . or is it Jill? Did you know that Jack-in-the-Pulpits can morph into Jill?
Chokecherry
Birds such as robins, thrushes, and jays are attracted to the berries that come later in the season. Bears, raccoons, chipmunks, and squirrels also consume the berries, but they are lethal to horses.
We saw honeysuckle, fiddlehead ferns, wild strawberry in flower, white and purple violets, purple flowering ground ivy, and much more. Birds were calling and a turtle on a log in a small pond behind the Miracle Mile was basking in the sun. Who would guess that this natural beauty was thriving behind that parking lot??? We spotted a goose couple on the bank of the river with their little goslings.
Many thanks to Trishaw pilot John Newman for a wonderful, uplifting ride and for all these great photos. How many different flowers can you find on the MRG this week?
For Info on scheduling a Trishaw ride on the Mascoma River Greenway or Norther Rail Trail in Lebanon or onbecoming a volunteer pilot check out this link
Tuesdays, May 13, 2025 and May 20, 2025, 9:30am to 10:30am Mascoma River Greenway;
Get outside with your tots in tow and join Leb Rec on the Mascoma River Greenway. Bring your little ones in a stroller or carrier, or let them walk, and let’s explore together. It is a proven fact that moving and getting fresh air at least 30 minutes a day helps little ones to sleep, helps build immunity, and decreases stress for everyone!
Come make new adult and tot friends! Register online at LebanonNH.gov/Regist
“Horsetails can be considered living fossils. This group of plants is what is left of a group of plants that were as thick as forests and had relatives as big as trees that flourished during the Devonian period approximately 350 million years ago.” Purdue Extension Weed Science
Horsetail stems are jointed and hollow. They do not appear to have leaves; their leaves are reduced to small scales. These plants require no pollination; they have no flowers – reproduction is by spores. Some stems are fertile and some sterile; The little brown cone at the end of the fertile stem is the part that produces spores. It is the sterile stems that produce energy through photosynthesis
As the fertile stems wither, the sterile, chlorophyll-producing secondary stems appear, covered with whorls of feathery green branches. The energy they gather through photosynthesis goes to underground tubers for storage, allowing horsetail to survive harsh winters and periods of drought.
(Thanks to trishaw pilot John Newman for the photos.)
Colts Foot is currently blooming in abundance along the MRG . It is bright yellow and looks somewhat like a dandelion, and, similar to dandelions, Colts Foot flowers emerge before the leaves. The flowers provide nectar and pollen to hungry bees and flying insects in the spring before many other flowers have bloomed.
(Thanks to CSA trishaw pilot John Newman for this photo and the trishaw reconnaissance flight along the MRG!)
A lovely Earth Day treat to discover bloodroot blooming in the MRG Pollinator Garden near the overpass by APD. Bloodroot is a Spring ephemeral native to New Hampshire. The flower does not produce nectar, but the pollen is consumed by insects such as flies, bees, and beetles The seeds of the bloodroot provide food for ant colonies.
You may remember that a Golden Russet apple tree, planted on the Mascoma River Greenway (behind the Miracle Mile theaters) was felled by a beaver this winter.
Upper Valley Apple Corps member, Jack Spicer, to the rescue! When he heard of the loss, he offered to graft new life to the tree stump.
He spliced in 3 different scion twigs: Cabot Russet, Golden Russet, and Cinnamon Girl .
Cleft grafting of the scion wood, ensures good contact in the green layer inside the bark
Jack added tree wound dressing. to seal and protect.
The ribbons indicate the back two grafts are Cabot Russet (Left) and Golden Russet (Right) and Cinnamon Girl in front. If two or more grafts succceed, our apple tree will benefit by the crosspollination of the different varieties.Our fingers are crossed that at least one of these grafts will succeed. What luck to have a skilled volunteer such as Jack, renewed hope for our apple tree, and a beautiful, sunny Easter Sunday!
Thanks to Jack for his generosity and to Susan K. Johnson and Bart Guetti for providing photos. And thanks Susan for putting a metal guard around the tree trunk to prevent beaver damage. One has to have an ecological perspective when planting for pollinators!
It was a surprise to come upon these hellebores in the Pocket Park by the MRG tunnel. Hellebores offer a valuable food source for insects, including bees and flies, particularly during early spring when other plants have not yet bloomed, .The downward-facing nature of many hellebore flowers offers protection to the pollen from winter rains and shelter for the insect while it feeds,
The Mascoma River Greenway 