lindenwood nature preserve

This is a very nice research area within the city of Fort Wayne and is two minutes down the road from the University of Saint Francis.
 

This tree had knobs on the side of it.
I see a man with a big chin, a handlebar mustache, nose, eyes and forhead.  What do you see?

The next knob up I think looks like a birds head.

Found a snail on the path and he crawled on many hands.  Is that not cute!

Deer Track

A box turtle was discovered along the path.  He has very strong legs to dig with.
 



A look at the reflection in the pond.  See the flowering dogwood to the left.



Wild Ginger

Another track-I don't know what it is though.

Nasty Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy

Interesting Tree

 

As we were leaving the cardinal sang to us.  Just so gorgeous!

Next week, all new adventures.
Stop back again. 

 

Biological Research Area-Crooked Lake

Our adventure for today was going to Crooked Lake near Columbia City.  Indiana-Purdue University,  Fort Wayne,  has a research station up there and they so graciously let Saint Francis use it. 
Crooked Lake is one of the cleanest, clearest lakes in Indiana.  Part of our time was out on the water and the other was hiking through the woods. 

For my first picture, this is a Shagbark Hickory tree.

A lucky toad to be caught.  We photographed it and let it go though.



This tree grew so big that it looked like a giants foot. 



This is a toadstool trillium

 



beautiful view from the deck



Love this picture of the girls looking in the water.



Gar fish - mother and baby.  A second baby was swimming around also



Happily moving to the muscle bed.

Turtles on the limb.

Looking for mussels to show.  These water shells are more interesting than what you would believe.



When the professor brought this one out of the water it had it's "foot" out of the shell and that is how they move around the bottom of the lake.  The foot looks somewhat like a tongue. Like everything, they serve a purpose in nature.   

This area will never be developed, it is in a land trust to keep it naturalized and then it butts up against the research land. 

 

A Baltimore Oriole was singing in the tree

More close up for your enjoyment.  I was thrilled because I haven't gotten to see Orioles to often.

A beautiful blue sky, white fluffy clouds day.

Thanks for sharing my day.

Wildflower Woods

Jean Stratton Porter was a naturalist.  She walked through the woods and documented what she saw.  She wrote novels and some were going to be turned into a movie.  She went out to California to meet with the director.  During that time she crossed the street and was struck and killed. 
Her home at the lake in Rome City, IN  and home in Geneva, IN  have become State Historical sites. 

Here is a list of her books.

A beautiful sunny day through the tall trees.

The bodies of Gene Stratton-Porter and her daughter were moved back from California and laid to rest right here. 

Flowering trees in the garden

Ferns and Bleeding Hearts

An Arbor looking towards the lake.



Could possibly be a hooked crowfoot

A lily

Wild Geranium

Jack in the Pulpit

Trillium

Beech trees always get carved on because their bark is so smooth.

ground cover

this could possibly be a large leafed white violet

Red Winged Blackbird....it was a very enjoyable and educational time. 

Beauty Around University of Saint Francis

For the next two weeks, 4 days this week and 4 days next I am taking a Field Study-Indiana class.  We are visiting different areas in Northern Indiana to study and identify wildflowers and trees, animals, birds, fish.  Our first day was to go over the syllabus, watch a video of how Indiana was formed and we walk around the nature areas of The University of Saint Francis.  Here is what I saw through my camera.  4 turtles sunning themselves on the dead cattails. 

A beautifully shaped tree by mirror lake. 

Canadian Geese that share the same path that the students use.

A look across Mirror Lake towards the football stadium.

A flowering tree

A look across the lake towards Brookside Mansion

Lovely yellow tulips

Pine tree and pine cones for identification

We spotted a coi in Mirror Lake.  How is got there is a guess. 

A big birds nest in the top of a tree

More flowering trees-tomorrows post....Jean Stratton Porters home in Rome City.