Monarch Butterfly Migration Day

Yesterday Rondeau Provincial Park had their annual celebration for the migrating Monarch butterflies. My throat was still sore and although I had a bit of a voice, I was not feeling great so Joe suggested we just go out to Rondeau and walk around the festival and take it easy, so we did. For the record, even thought I didn't talk any more then I had to, my weak voice disappeared again by supper time and I still have very little voice. This is hanging on far longer then I thought it would.

A former employee of Rondeau, Scott Taylor, is now Dr. Scott Taylor (not a medical doctor but a doctor of Biology, I think) and he was brought back from Cornell University to give an -in-house lecture and a walking lecture and both were interesting and enlightening. I learned quite a bit yesterday. Scott remembered us - (Joe always says "Who could forget you!" and I'm never sure if its a compliment or not??) - anyway, Scott and I had a nice catch-up visit before his lecture started. As we were waiting for people to gather outside for his walking tour I thought it would be a good idea to have my picture taken with him....but I was careful not to breathe on him! A very kind lady who was on the walk did the honours (Joe was talking to an old friend and he wasn't the least bit interested in taking it). Here is Scott and I at Tulip Tree Trail.

I forgot to take my glasses off and mine are the transition kind that change to sunglasses in the sun. Oh well, it happens. There was a lady's head right between Scott and I and it was very annoying so I changed her into a tree. Sorry lady but it made it  much better! He is very young to be a Dr. of anything but he is.

One thing I learned is that the fungus that grows on the dead and fallen trees is what breaks down the tree and puts the nutrients back into the soil. If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I'm fascinated by the different fungi. Here is a very unique looking fungus on a log at Rondeau. Orange Fungus - bright orange too!

Scott also warned people not to eat wild mushrooms. Even people who study them have made a mistake and have picked poisonous ones that mimic the healthy ones and if you eat one, you can die within 10 minutes. We had a school teacher who almost died eating one. Her and her husband thought they were experts at wild mushrooms and even though my mother warned her how dangerous they were but they kept on picking them. One day she was frying them up and took one out of the frying pan and popped it into her mouth. Luckily for her it was just a small piece but the tiny bit made her violently sick and she had to be rushed to the hospital. She survived but it was touch and go for awhile and they never picked wild mushrooms again. Mushrooms are very good for us but this is one thing I definitely buy at the grocery store.

 No card today. Too busy enjoying nature! Hope you have the time to do the same.