Spring in the Pines

Each spring displays some of it's glorious wonders.  Animals and picturesque flowers awaken from a long winter's sleep.  Roadsides produce an array of colorful wild flowers only to grow in their natural habitat.  Turtles, snakes, whitetail deer, busy ground squirrels and wild turkeys begin to make an anticipated visit.  Suddenly the call of coyotes become silent.  Trees are lush and green after a spring rain and the rivers are pristine.  In early spring controlled fire burning blackens the roadside foliage but nature prevails and plant life quickly rebounds.

The fragrance of the magnolia is soft and sweet.  Several blooms let you know you are close by.

The moccasin flower or pink lady's slipper grows in acid woods; sometimes bogs.  It is fire friendly for it continues to return each year regardless if an area has controlled burning.  The plant is not friendly to a garden transplant.

These colorful aquatic water lily flowers bloom from June through September.  Their platter like floating leaves are often resting places for small frogs and insects.  The flowers are very fragrant, colors vary but in this area they are predominantly yellow or white.

The Japanese Honeysuckle is a weedy vine.  The flowers with long, curved stamens projecting may be white or buffy yellow.  Sometimes huge clusters of blooms fill the air with a delicate perfume scent.

Become a Pineland's history buff.  Research the Harrisville Paper Mill.  It's a fascinating place to visit after you have learned some things about how it played such a vital part in  community life, river use and economic survival for it's workers. A number of books have been written about this huge mill, it is now owned by the State of New Jersey.  The State has erected a fence around the area but the ruins are still visible after leaving the highway.  Natural plant growth has consumed a considerable amount of the area but the fence protects the mill from future destruction.