Monthly Archives: September 2012

Virginia Dayflower – Commelina virginica – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Virginia Dayflower, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (09/30/2012.) Scientific name is Commelina virginica.  Photo below was taken in Walker County, GA on Sep 26, 2012.  Go to the Virginia Dayflower detail page for more photos and information.

Virginia Dayflower - Commelina virginica

Virginia Dayflower – Commelina virginica

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Retirement – What does it mean?

I’m now, as of September 22, retired.  In a couple of weeks I’ll be semi-retired, since I’ll be going back to work for my former employer on a part-time basis.  I was on 3 weeks of vacation prior to the official retirement date, so I’ve had some time to reflect on what this watershed event in the lives of my wife and I means to us generally, and specifically for USWildflowers.com.

What does it mean?

  1. Less money – Even with the part-time work, we’ll have a lower income than when I was working full time.
  2. More time – I’ll be working something less that 20 hours per week in my part-time job when that starts in mid-October, so I’ll have over 20 hours extra per week to pursue other activities.
  3. Less stress – I determined a couple of years ago that I was not handling the stress of my job as well as when I was younger, or perhaps the stress levels had increased past the point of my tolerance.  In any case, I knew something had to change relative to that stress.  The reduction in that stress has been wonderful these past four weeks.  I hope it is also making me less of a pain in the neck to my dear wife, since she has to put up with me for more hours each week now.

Those first two items may have an impact on USWildflowers.com.

Gerry photographing Yellow Fringed Orchid by USWildflowers, on Flickr

Will I be doing more of this?

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Creeping Cucumber – Melothria pendula – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Creeping Cucumber, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (09/25/2012.) Scientific name is Melothria pendula.  Photo below was taken in Walker County, GA on Sep 25, 2012. Go to the Creeping Cucumber detail page for more photos and information.

Creeping Cucumber, Guadeloupe Cucumber, Squirting Cucumber - Melothria pendula

Creeping Cucumber, Guadeloupe Cucumber, Squirting Cucumber – Melothria pendula

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Pinnate Prairie Coneflower – Ratibida pinnata – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Pinnate Prairie Coneflower, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (09/24/2012.) Scientific name is Ratibida pinnata.  Photo below was taken near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in St. Louis County, MN on Sep 9, 2012. Go to the Pinnate Prairie Coneflower detail page for more photos and information.

Pinnate Prairie Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower, Grayhead Coneflower - Ratibida pinnata

Pinnate Prairie Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower, Grayhead Coneflower – Ratibida pinnata

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Bunchberry – Cornus canadensis – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Bunchberry, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (09/20/2012.) Scientific name is Cornus canadensis.  Photo below was taken near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, St. Louis County, MN on Sep 9, 2012.  Go to the Bunchberry detail page for more photos and information.

Bunchberry, Bunchberry Dogwood, Dwarf Dogwood, Canadian Bunchberry, Dwarf Cornel, Creeping Dogwood - Cornus canadensis

Bunchberry, Bunchberry Dogwood, Dwarf Dogwood, Canadian Bunchberry, Dwarf Cornel, Creeping Dogwood – Cornus canadensis

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Spotted Joe Pye Weed – Eutrochium maculatum – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Spotted Joe Pye Weed, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (09/19/2012.) Scientific name is Eutrochium maculatum.  Photo below was taken in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Lake County, MN on Sep 6, 2012.   Go to the Spotted Joe Pye Weed detail page for more photos and information.

Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Purple Boneset, Spotted Trumpetweed - Eutrochium maculatum

Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Purple Boneset, Spotted Trumpetweed – Eutrochium maculatum

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Pearly Everlasting – Anaphalis margaritacea – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Pearly Everlasting, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (09/18/2012.) Scientific name is Anaphalis margaritacea.  Photo below was taken at Thunder Head on Knife Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Lake County, MN on Sep 4, 2012. Go to the Pearly Everlasting detail page for more photos and information.

Pearly Everlasting, Western Pearly Everlasting - Anaphalis margaritacea

Pearly Everlasting, Western Pearly Everlasting – Anaphalis margaritacea

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Coincidence – or Providence?

Heidelberg Catechism Question 27: What do you understand by the providence of God?

Answer:  Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty – all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.

Storm passes by on Kekekabic Lake

Storm passes by on Kekekabic Lake

A violent storm – one which started the fire that affected our route days later – splitting and mostly passing us by.  Two days later getting camp set up minutes before the arrival of Forestry Service representatives who told us that Vera Lake, where we had just arrived, was closed due to that lightning-started fire, but since we were already set up and at the far end of the lake they’d let us stay tonight – when I was so exhausted I don’t think I could have traversed the 200-rod portage off the lake.  A fire that forced a route change that put us at a perfect site for the final night on trail – our first night with no mosquitos and a magnificent view of the Milky Way.  Even that no-bar fleeting signal that allowed a  cell phone call to arrange a pickup so we didn’t need a 3-hour paddle down a windy lake.  

Were those coincidences, or the action of His fatherly hand? 

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Lodging Report – Boundary Waters 2012

I’m planning on publishing several articles over the next couple of weeks concerning my recent trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota (my first in seven years!)  There will be some wildflower reporting involved, and some wildlife reporting as well, but there will also be some logistical reporting as well.  This is one of those – the lodging in which we stayed on our trip.

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