Nymphaea

There wasn’t anything happening at the Stump Church pond. I don’t imagine it’s called that, indeed it may have no name at all, but that is where it is. In the past we have seen a kingfisher there and a variety of ducks and geese. I think once even a muskrat. But not this day.

Still, it was an alternate route home from Greenwich.

On Monday, having been summoned to consult my physician in Salem, we decided after the visit to drive another ten minutes north, to check something out nearby…

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While out and about one day last year we came upon a large wetland covered in lily pads.

It was Fall by then, so there were no flowers and we made a note to watch for them this year.

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A small pond close to home has lilies that we noticed recently were beginning to flower.

It was time to go check…

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Nuphar lutea or yellow water-lily and Nymphaea or Fragrant (aka Common) water-lily.

Unfortunately, there is no place to pull over and wait, so Grant let me out and drove on.

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It accounts, perhaps, for why he seemed a bit disappointed in the display which he expected to be more spectacular, the flowers more numerous.

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Teetering on the bank, I grabbed what pictures I could from a distance, mindful that Grant was having to cruise up and down the road.

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Closer would have been better, but I thought the flowers were lovely.

For Grant to get a better perspective next time, I should be the one to drive up and down, but I have a good idea how that suggestion will go down.

It is hardly a busy road and stopping for a few minutes should not be a problem, but he is loath to invite problems and I daresay he is right.

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The wetland appears to be unnamed. On the map the only reference is to West Beaver Brook which runs through the middle of the lake and along adjacent Bogtown Road.

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What we really would like is a guarantee of seeing a beaver. Google suggests twilight but since the lodge is far from the road, I think all we would achieve is severe insect bites. As you may imagine, there were swarms!

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Daisies grew everywhere along the waterway, along with pretty yellow trefoil and another pretty white flower which my app identified as Gooseneck loosestrife.

Milkweed was plentiful as well, so perhaps in a day or two there may be Monarch butterflies. Grant spotted one in our driveway yesterday, so we know they are around.

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