Late start at Mosquito Hill

Between my knee surgery and some weather issues, we didn't get up to Mosquito Hill until quite late and spring was already well underway.

For several years, I've picked a spot or two and tried to take a photo from exactly the same viewpoint as the seasons progressed. This year it's a shot I've done numerous times of this two-trunked birch half-way up the north path, but from a little farther back than I usually portray it, with a good bit of the slope above the path.

The other view I'll be following is just up the path about 10 yards, looking down the path, this time including the slope below the path.

Just about the first wild flowers to appear are the bloodroots (There are others but they flutter too much in the wind.).

I'm always amazed to find at least one chunk of rock that's broken off the sandstone and gotten caught in some unlikely corner created between the rocks and the trees.

When rock and other debris falls, is washed down natural cracks, and gets deposited between two mountains it's called an alluvial fan, but when it's a pile this small, it's called talus (I checked with a geologist).

At the top of the hill, the mayapples are just emerging and unfolding.

After the record high levels of the oxbow pond last December, it was kind of a surprise to find it quite normal, and sprouting some of what will be wild rice stalks still under the surface.

The frog pond with it's normal spring collection of various types of floating scum.

All with the Populist. .15mm pinhole 24mm from 24x36mm frame.