Tansy, photo by Erik W. L. Anderson

August 18th, 2004 - Report by

What an unusual day!! When we started out the sun was out and it was beautiful. Not too long after the very dark clouds rolled in and the wind came then it was sunny, then dark and windy. The wind was putting debris on the road at the time but also last night. We had to turn back because of trees on the road on the Bally Creek Road, on the Pine Mountain Road and when we just had turned on the Lima Mountain Road and gotten out of the car we heard a tree fall on the other side of the road. That was enough for us - we left for home!!

The weather, however, didn't keep us from enjoying the flowers. Some of the ones we saw were: Turtlehead, many Asters, Goldenrod, Black-eyed Susan, Spotted Knapweed, Pearly Everlasting, Pipsissewa, and Tansy (TOT - Tons of Tansy). The leaves are already starting to change. There was a mint type of plant that caught our eye along the road. On closer examination we think it probably is a Skullcap but not the species shown in our books.

We thought of having our lunch at Swamper Lake but when we got there we saw white-caps and changed our minds and had lunch in the car at the Scenic Overlook where there were no trees that could fall on us. All in all it was a good day and we got home about 3:30

See what we found last year at this time of year!

Be sure to stop back throughout the Summer to see our weekly wildflower reports from Lorraine Anderson of Grand Marais, Minnesota.