Summer’s Final Sunday
A walk in the wetland!
“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!”
Psalm 33:8
Congressman Jim Martin, from our hometown, was a champion for conservation, wildlife preservation, and saving some natural space for all to experience. This park, on Lake Gadsden, is one of those places that many have enjoyed since it opened 29 years ago. It had been quite a while since Pam and I walked the trails and boardwalks in the park so we decided to visit this past week! We are sharing only few of the many interesting things we found! Let’s take a stroll.
As you can see, the boardwalk is maintained well and enables visitors to go a number of places that would otherwise be inaccessible!
This aquatic plant was found in quite a few places along the boardwalk…
…and as best we can determine it is called pickerelweed. It is a common wetland plant that flowers in late summer!
The area has a variety of marsh grasses that present a very diverse and unique habitat!
The water hyacinth bears an exceptionally beautiful bloom that we don’t have the opportunity to see without venturing into the bog or around the lakes.
Clematis and grasses combine to form a white carpet across parts of the landscape!
Cattails have a lot of uses including edible parts. The brown top which is the flower has even been soaked in oils and used as torches! Moses was hid in a basket among the bulrushes along the Nile River. Was it a place that looked similar to this? I have to wonder.
In late summer and early autumn the flowers burst forth with their fluffy displays of seeds.
Jewelweed was discovered along the waters edge in a number of spots. Many gardeners grow more familiar varieties of this genus…Impatiens!
Each plant has it’s own section and I am guessing it has to do with the moisture and water level differences. Any thoughts?
Do you love moss on a tree? We’ve witnessed moss in places where it is more prominent on the north side of trees. In this shady damp area, direction didn’t seem to matter! Unfortunately some who had gone before us chose to leave their litter. Instead of taking it out of the pic, it was our choice to leave it in to remind all of us to take care when out enjoying these public places!
The berries of peppervine go through about 4 colors as they ripen. When you find them in all stages in a cluster the variety makes for a neat display.
When fully ripe, this cousin to the grape is a dark blue-black color. Birds and mammals do eat the berries.
Plants that love the water have been featured today but many birds make the park their home at various times of the year. Bald Eagles can be seen here, which in my mind not many years ago would have been absolutely impossible. Pam and I spotted a Bald Eagle soaring over the lake here a few weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon as we traveled on a nearby highway!
Never say never!
So…Birdwatchers are also frequent visitors!
This stretch ends at an island that also has trails. I jogged these paths with friends over 20 years ago but this day was only a nice leisurely walk. Hope you have all enjoyed walking with us today, but now it is time to head back to the truck!
Happy last Sunday of Summer!
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
A unique twist on Southern Sundays – thanks for the stroll! I’m impressed with your knowledge of so many plants, even if they are native to your area. Enjoy these last days of summer. We sure are enjoying the turn in morning temps, cooling to below 50° here this morning!
It was in the fifties yesterday morning, I love it. Thanks for coming along on our nature walk!
Good Morning! I learned several things and did not know cattails had edible parts. I also have not observed that in the late summer and early autumn the flowers burst forth with seeds. I will check an area I see when walking.
Do you know if cattails are on the endangered list in Alabama? I have heard that years ago. I did not see it on a list that Siri showed.I wanted to cut some for an arrangement.
Butch, I enjoy your passion for plants of all kinds.
It was 61 here this morning. Mike pulled out his chiminea yesterday. He can’t wait for fires.
Have a great week.
Bonnie, you would so enjoy this nature walk. We were in the fifties yesterday morning. Hope you get to have a fire this week!
What a beautiful place to walk. Thank you for sharing it and all the wonderful information.
I am so glad you came along, Nancy.
I enjoyed the walk with you this morning. You have such a vast knowledge of plants and grasses. I used to enjoy cattails in arrangements but do not see them much anymore. Bob and I had a marvelous day in the great outdoors yesterday. The weather and temperatures are just heavenly here the last few days. I did miss the princesses this week. Have a blessed week.
Thank you Dianne. I am so glad you had a lovely weekend outdoors. Autumn seems to have arrived!
Thank you Butch. I would love to take this walk with all it offers us. Children of God are to take care of His planet and it as been my gold to pick up trash where I walk. Because I have done this many years I am seeing others beginning to do the same. Carrying bag before leaving the house doesn’t take but a second and even if it’s only one piece of trash (I carry a stick with a big nail in the end to pick the trash up) it’s one less ugly piece of trash that will mar the landscape.
Alice, I have never understood why people throw trash out. We always try to pick it up. We should all strive to leave it better than we found it. Wishing you a lovely week!
Butch, I very much enjoyed my stroll. How fortunate you are to have such a lovely place to enjoy so close to your home. I do love the boardwalk, I know it must be lovely with all the plant life that surrounds.
Have a beautiful Sunday and many blessings to you and all your family.
Thank you Sandra for coming along. It really is a nice area and perfect for bird watching!
Thanks for the walk! I never knew jewelweed and impatiens were relatives. We have loads of jewelweed here at the lake. I can only imagine the birds and wildlife in this lovely spot and I’m not surprised it is a birding paradise. The boardwalk is a really nice addition.
I hope you and Pam have a lovely Sunday and new week.
I am glad you joined us for the walk. Nature provides a beautiful calm. Wishing you a delightful week, Jeanie!
What an incredible walkway! And so well maintained, did you see any others out enjoying it, I would think it would be so popular with walkers and joggers. The boggy foliage is wonderful, I especially love the cattails! I do hate to see the end of summer, but the cooler temps the last few days have been so nice. Thank you for the lovely Sunday stroll Pam and Butch!
Jenna
We were there last Tuesday and there were a couple of joggers and that was all. It is used a lot, it was the middle of the day. The weather was beautiful today.
Our walk today was lovely! The narrative was so informative and it’s amazing how many pretty, colorful flowering plants there are along the walkway. Thanks for taking us along. Enjoy this wonderful fall weather! Clara ♥️
Thank you for walking with us Clara. The weather today was perfect. Wishing you a lovely autumn week♥️
What a beautiful place. I’m so impressed with the walkway that helps visitors become surrounded by such beauty in God’s creation. We have a similar boardwalk through a boggy area of our local aboretum. It has been several years since I’ve visited. Perhaps it is time to enjoy it again. Thanks for the wonderful post. Have a blessed Sunday.
Thank you Cindie. We don’t go as often as we should to the beautiful places in our own city.
To go to places that might otherwise be inaccessible… how grateful we should be to Congressman Jim Martin and the other souls who envisioned and maintain this fragment of paradise. Grateful to you for your keen eye and knowledge in helping us
to take this illuminating stroll with you. Your beautiful wildlife park could be a national model in conservation for others to follow. The wetland plants that blanket the area testifies to the Divine artistry that conceived them. Seeing it as He saw it makes it that much more fulfilling. Many thanks for this blessed Sabbath visit.
Mary, thank you for strolling with us. I was quite amazed at the beautiful native flowers, especially the water hyacinth! Wishing you a lovely week!
What a beautiful place to walk! I always enjoy your identification and descriptions of the plants. It was 52 degrees when I arrived for our outdoor church under the tent this morning! Psalm 118:24 immediately came to mind on such a beautiful day…this is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Thank you Roxanne. Amen, what a gorgeous day we had with lows in the 50’s and only 73 for a high. My sweet Daddy calls it “thermostat weather.”
What a lovely stroll, beautiful flower photos!!
Thank you Carole!
Lovely, and what a great way to preserve wetlands, allowing you to walk among them without damage. Love all your different plants you have from us in N. Illinois. We have a fabulous park Morraine Hills, that has boardwalks within the wetlands. In the summer the only hazard is dodging bluebirds and diving finches, which seem to be everywhere! Loved this post, great for the morale! Thanks, Sandi
Sandi, I am so glad you enjoyed. Wishing you a lovely week!
Beautiful place to walk.Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for walking with us!
Happy last Sunday of summer! I truly enjoyed walking along! Be blessed! 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth, I am glad you walked with us.
What a beautiful place to visit on a lovely day. Thanks for taking us along on the stroll. I hope you all have a blessed week ahead! Take care!
Thanks so much Shannon. Enjoy your week sweet friend!
Happy Last Sunday of the Summer!
Loved this informative post… edible cattails? Who knew?
Thank you for a lovely stroll Butch!
Happy Sunday!
Thanks so much Nancy. I hope you are safely back home in AZ!
What a beautiful walk! The boardwalk is gorgeous. You’re so lucky to have such an amazing path to walk. Have a great week!
Thank you Michelle, I am glad you came along!
I am late,but I enjoyed my virtual walk so much! Beautiful landscape.Thank you,dear friends! Hugs!
Thank you Maristella! Enjoy your week!
Such a lovely place. It looks so serene. Glad you were able to visit on the last day of summer 2020! God bless you both!
It was a really nice walk!
Oh that water hyacinth is breathtaking Pam! I enjoyed walking with you guys today! Thank you! 😀
Blessings,
Jennifer
I had never seen one, I thought it was beautiful!