We've been off the trail the past couple weekends primarily because it's just too dangerously hot for old(ish) people walking long distances; however, a few days ago, an Instagram friend posted a picture of the Common Milkweed at Land Between the Lakes and I kicked myself because those pictures were still sitting in my camera. I promised myself a post today.
Before I show you the pretty stuff—I have to take a break for safety. The ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas are out in droves this summer, and they're packing heat: Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Zika, etc. and, most recently, the Alpha-Gal allergy caused by the bite of the Lone Star tick.
We experienced two hikes earlier this spring where the ticks were rampant and not deterred by our usual method of DEET spray before and during the hike. After some research, we decided to try pre-treating our gear to ward them off. The night before our hike, we prepared our clothes with a Permethrin spray in anticipation of heavy tick activity. Because, in its liquid state, Permethrin is dangerous to cats, we sprayed our clothes in the garage and left them to hang dry overnight. The Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent we used is pictured here. We bought ours from Amazon.PROS: I am happy to report that we didn't find a single tick following our hike in pre-treated clothing. Also, I was not bothered by mosquitoes which usually eat me alive.
CONS: There aren't any. Well, perhaps, the fact that you are limited to hiking in the same clothing all summer, unless you want to douse everything for variety.
The spray is reported to last for 6 weeks or 6 washings.
The Honker Lake Trail is one of the Nature Station Trails near the KY/TN border at Land Between the Lakes and is one of our favorite haunts. The trail has just enough woods, water, and watchable wildlife to keep the hike fresh pretty much year-round AND the Elk and Bison Range is close by, an added bonus.
Two Saturdays ago we headed north for the recommended dosage. Before we even made it to the actual trail, we decided to take the short detour down to the canoe shed to check on the progress of the American Lotus or, as I like to refer to them, the Shower Head Lotus. The center of the bloom is an amazing structure that reminds me of a shower head. Well, it is still too early for blooms, but the lily pads are up and looking beautiful.
If you follow me, you already know that I am a sucker for all sorts of fungi. I hate that I cannot be in the woods every day because that is what it takes to get the best shots of these little magical bits of nature just as they emerge from the ground and before they are nibbled, gnawed, and kicked. I was lucky enough to spot just a few on this hike.
Butterflies and moths are another favorite, although my luck at getting them to light seems never to be great. I did capture both a Tiger Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail on the milkweed above and was fortunate enough to catch a Luna Moth, a skipper, and a Zebra too stunned (or smitten by blooms) to notice me.
Also spotted a couple creatures along the way, but missed an extraordinary opportunity at Honker Bay when an Osprey came off a nest I had not noticed just over my head. I waited a long time for it to return, but finally decided it just wasn't my day. Again, I'm not a birder, just a hiker who enjoys birds.
Maybe we'll head somewhere cooler in a few weeks. For now, we're just trying to stay smart and safe by staying out of the heat–except for yard work.
We had a great hike on a glorious day. And, yes, after 39 years, I'd still follow him anywhere.
Mona B
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