Nothing in there, just Nature

I was up early this morning to drive out to Butter Pot Provincial Park which is less than a half an hour drive from St. John's.  We always speed right by on our way out to see the relatives, but without Wayne along on this trip I finally had time to stop.  This is what I found.

Apparently all is closed up by October.  A gentleman happened to be parked outside the gate when I arrived and when I asked about going in he told me "Nothing in there, just nature."  I don't know who was more perplexed, me or him!

Just a five minute walk from the blocked entry I found access to ski trails, making me glad I had given road walking a try.

"Bridge" was sturdier than it looked!

I found a few tiny late blueberries still on the bushes, and some mushy crackerberries (bunchberries) too.  But mostly I just enjoyed the rich profusion of reindeer lichen on the forest floor.

No snow here yet, but it wasn't much above freezing this morning!

Since no other cars were parked out on the roadside I assume I was alone except for the moose whose hoofprints were plentiful on the trail.

Pitcher Plant past its bloom time

I walked about 2 miles total, through the blueberry bushes, up over the root tangles, and around the edges of ponds.

In addition to lichen, the boreal forest is a great place to find fungi.  Most were looking pretty beat up, but a few were still looking perky.

fungi village going down into the ditch 

Even old Pearly Everlasting doesn't look too bad against a splash of red.

Creek beds are seldom dry in Newfoundland, and I got a wet knee when I knelt in the moss and forgot it would be like a wet sponge!

Yes, nothing in there, just nature.