June 2025

Sadie on a walk in the park. Probably looking at a squirrel.

Walks in the park with Sadie have been a highlight of June. Plenty of foxes, deer, bunnies, groundhogs, and birds for sadie to sniff and for me to watch. We have had two Groundhogs living under our shed for the past two years, and recently they added two babies the family. They enjoy walking into our neighbors yard and eating their flowers - I’m sure our neighbors love that.

Two baby groundhogs popping out of the hole under our shed.

The Mayapples are producing fruit now in the park. From what I understand the entire plant is poisonous except for the fruit. The fruit is only edible when ripe, and it can be a bit of a gamble to eat them. I’ve been keeping my eye out for a ripe one, but I haven’t seen any yet. The raccoons seem to be enjoying the under-ripe ones, though. Maybe in July I’ll be able to find a ripe one.

A sun-kissed mayapple plant. The fruit is edible when ripe, but the rest of the plant is poisonous.

The pear trees in the park are producing fruit now as well. The pears are small and green but edible. The birds get to them before I do, but I have been able to snag a few. The apple tree was struck by lightning last year and I thought it was a goner, but there are a few branches still clinging to life and even producing some small green apples. Unfortunately, I don’t think the tree will make it - it’s too badly damaged. Often times you’ll see new small growth on downed trees, but the tree will die in a few years time.

A branch of a lightning-struck apple tree somehow still producing fruit.

The Tulip trees are by far the most prolific in the park. They are relatively fast growing tree, and it’s fun to see the small budding tulip trees underneath their massive parents. The flowers are beautiful, and the leaves are a unique shape. They are a great tree to have in the park, and they provide a lot of shade in the summer.

Close up of the unique tulip tree leaf.

We put a birdbox in our yard in the early spring. A few different birds came and went, until finally a small wren decided to make a nest and attract a mate. We were able to watch the entire process, from nest building to egg laying to hatchling. The babies are not hatchlings and have yet to leave the nest - they are starting to get big and I expect they will leave the nest soon.

A curious wren looking out of the birdbox.

A hatchling asking for some food. If only they stayed in frame.

Ollie, our younger and crazier dog, has had a good Summer. It’s been a bit too hot for him to go on long walks, but he’s been enjoying shorter walks around the neighborhood, and terrorizing his sister Sadie.

Ollie sitting like a weirdo.