river talk

Spring fever

By SANDY LONG

Posted 4/28/21

I should probably be alerting readers to the return of ticks throughout the Upper Delaware River region (yes, they’re out in full force) or to the advancing invasion of the spotted lanternfly …

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river talk

Spring fever

RR photo by Sandy Long

For brilliant displays of yellow, there’s nothing like forsythia, with its flowers resembling fireworks.

RR photo by Sandy Long

Though a cheerful expression of color, the spring ephemeral lesser celandine, also called fig buttercup, is considered an invasive species in New York. This specimen was spotted along the towpath trail near the Roebling Bridge in Minisink Ford, NY. The pretty perennial with its heart-shaped leaves thrives along stream and riverbanks as well as in wetlands.

RR photo by Sandy Long

Coltsfoot is one of the early harbingers of spring and can often be spotted along the edges of regional roadways. The golden flowers of this perennial resemble dandelions.

RR photo by Sandy Long

Spring Song..A dandelion,..wild with its birth,..carols yellow at the sun...©Sandy Long

Posted Wednesday, April 28, 2021 10:48 am

By SANDY LONG

I should probably be alerting readers to the return of ticks throughout the Upper Delaware River region (yes, they’re out in full force) or to the advancing invasion of the spotted lanternfly (www.extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly), but I think I’ll save these alarming topics for a future column.

At the moment, I’m suffering from a strong case of spring fever and prefer to focus on the fact that winter is now a fading memory, and the season of new beginnings has sprung forth with its uplifting energy.

My affliction has been fueled by the abundant expressions of yellow—those sunny harbingers of spring—that are currently appearing here.

As an exercise in developing more acute sensory awareness, I once was encouraged to focus attention on a color, and to watch for its appearance over the course of a week. At first the process seemed uneventful, but by week’s end, it was astonishing to discover the color emerging in many facets of my daily life. I encourage you to try it!

If spring fever has you itching to get outside, check out Lacawac Sanctuary’s upcoming program offerings at www.lacawac.org or visit www.peec.org to see what the Pocono Environmental Education Center has slated for 2021. Happy spring!