Winter Shows Some Signs

Opening of firearm deer season, once a sure bet for snow on the ground. It seems a rare event now. Warming is here and each year it seems more likely that it remain for the foreseeable future.
One sign that winter is about here - ice on the pond. Even on a late afternoon, sunny, 45 degree day the skim of ice on Gahagan's pond held together.

Marguerite's "New" Book

Marguerite Gahagan wrote 6 novels. She published 800 issues of her newspaper, The North Woods Call. Now, with the help of her friends, she releases a new book - her biography and samples of her writing - October 14. Come to the cabin at 4pm to see the unveiling.

Maples Turning

The maples at Gahagan are at or near their autumn peak now. Come take a walk.

Drought

Hot
Dry
How else can this summer be described. The vernal pond that Marguerite had dug in 1961, may be lower than at any time. Near, but not fed by local springs, it fluctuates with the ground table which now needs replenishment.

Tale of a Pine

Last year the preserve needed to remove the large white pine that leaned towards the cabin. We hired climbers to scale it and cut the top moving lower until a stump was left. The stump dried the past year, was sanded and now varnished as an educational tool. Interestingly it was 104 years old, making its appearance on our earth the same year as Marguerite Gahagan; 1907. Many of its siblings still tower nearby, starting growth in years that made them too young for the lumber boom saws.

Wood Lillies

Yes the wood lillies at the Gahagan parking lot are gorgeous right now.

Spring wildflowers are peaking at Gahagan Preserve. There are three areas dedicated at the preserve for flowers. At the parking lot, visit the berm area alongside the roadway. Near the cabin, two other areas exist. The butterfly garden is found in front of the cabin. Behind the cabin, is an area seeded two years ago.
Gay-wings, star flower, pink lady slipper and jack-in-the-pulpit have blossomed along the trails.

Some samples
- At parking lot, roadside planting.

Yellow Goat's-Beard (Tragopogon dubius) above and Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) below

- Along white trail
Wild Lily-of-the-Valley, Canadian Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Marsh Marigolds & Tamaracks

The Tank Creek area is becoming yellow with the marsh marigolds as they have begun to boom.
Needle shoots are sprouting from the Tamarack near the Boardwalk. Tamarack are a conifer which loses its needles each fall.

Come help on April 21

Saturday, April 21 is Gahagan Nature Preserve Clean Up Day. Start time is 9am.
We have a lot to do. There is damage to the deer exclosures to repair caused by the March snowstorm. See the photo. The cabin needs cleaning to be ready for school field trips. And of course there are other tasks. Please help.

Damage Done

March 2 saw a heavy snowfall in Roscommon. A foot of wet, heavy snow fell on Gahagan Preserve. Many fir, cedar, pine and even some deciduous trees fell, snapped their tops or lost limbs that day. We are still trying to open up the trails. As of today, the wheelchair friendly, ashphalt trail is clear for foot traffic. Small debris still makes it impassible for wheelchairs. The Orange Trail section from Brookside subdivision to the cabin is also clear. Other trail portions may pose tough passage.

The Winterless Winter

We've heard that northern Michigan is setting records for lack of snow and that temperatures are high this winter.
Here are some other "numbers" to illustrate.
Gahagan has had no more than 10 days where one could cross-country ski this winter.
There have been no days where the snow depth was enough to make snowshoeing easier than just walking in your boots.

As the photo shows, on Super Bowl Sunday, even the deep woods at Gahagan have some bare spots.