Waiting for the world to thaw so you can enjoy a day outside is much like scrolling through the Netflix list.
You know if you hold on, you will end up with something worth watching. But why mindlessly scroll through these last winter days? Who cares if they may be a little gray or frosty?
Layer up then get outside and enjoy Spring in full this year.
Usually by early March in our region, Mother Nature has already begun to shake everything around her awake.
A ton of daily changes are occurring right outside your back door, along the roads you drive and the meadows you pass. By the end of May, we will step outside to a new looking world full of color, buzzing and charm.
So while Spring is springing across the area and the outside world is waking, pick a path to wander along or off.
Consider it an opportunity to do some “internal” spring cleaning as well. That’s right, oil up those joints. Clear out the fat storage in your arteries and the cobwebs collected in the brain from sitting indoors all winter.
To make it a little more interesting, take time to look down and around you. Explore the waking world beneath your feet and kick over a rock or rotting log. Poke about in the defrosting winter ground. Not only will this refresh your cardio and flexibility, you will be amazed at what you may see.
I also want to encourage you to take time to listen to the waking world. Bird migration is much more pronounced in early spring than in any other season and as the last days of February arrive, returning song birds are just beginning to interrupt the quiet of winter.
With each passing week, the songs on the wind become more diverse as the Spring peepers, crickets and other young critters join in the rotating choir.
One of the earliest signs of Spring you will see around us are the dainty crocus flowers, that spread a beautiful mix of purple and white across open grassy areas.
In the woods, you will find the maroon flowers of the skunk cabbage poking out. Beware though, if stepped on you will know how they received their name. Other common flowers and foliage for Springtime in Ohio are Mayapples, wild ramps and fiddleheads or uncurled ostrich fern tips.
Then there is the striking Eastern Spring Beauty, a small five petal flower, easily spotted against a dark green serrated leaf. Another popular Ohio Spring celebrity is the Jack-in-the Pulpit, aka a bog onion or Indian turnip.
It has a variegated leaf, often green or greenish purple, that surrounds and flops over the main flower much like a hat.
A new favorite Spring flower of mine, I discovered on a walk along Switzer’s Run, is the white and yellow Dutchman’s Breeches. Although short lived, it is dainty, bright and easy to spot. The flowers are shaped like the letter V, with the point being yellow and wings being white.
The flowers gather in clusters, serving as a breakfast buffet for those early nectar seeking insects like the big bumblebees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths.
If you want to explore even more, walk beside the creek edges, but definitely wear boots and bring a small dipping net with you. There are plenty of little fries to catch without any or much bait or tackle, such as shiners, darters and creek chubs. They are fun for young children to catch and release.
The creek edges also harbors a good variety of insects and critter prints.
Here you can also find the amphibians and reptiles (spring peepers, frogs and painted turtles) for a short while if you don’t mind mucking around in the mud. These guys have been making their way to nearby wetlands since mid- January to lay eggs. This is also mating time. Walk lightly and step slowly along edges of streams and ponds, so you can witness them before they hop away.
A particular amphibian of unique beauty that requires a lot of patience is the red spotted salamander. A bright fiery beauty to behold, he can be found close to the wetland surfaces, under rocks and submerged logs.
Be sure to look with caution, this guy moves fast and will dart under the nearest cover. His cousin, the brown/black salamander is a bit easier to find by turning over branches and debris in damp shady areas that are not submerged.
This sort of earthen bedding is also home to many multi-legged insects, so if you find that creepy, bring a sturdy stick.
If tall and sturdy enough, your stick can double as a good walking cane. The other reason to bring a sturdy stick … it’s a great trash poker! While the world is waking it is prime time for spotting and picking up trash along the paths you are playing on.
It doesn’t have to be an enormous endeavor because a little from a lot can go a long way. Stuff a bag in your pocket and fill it. The critters and other outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate it and so will you the next time you visit that spot.
When thinking of spots to visit for a Spring walk, I have to say that our immediate area counties (Richland, Ashland, Knox and Crawford) have an array of great park districts with distinct terrains, nature preserves and trails.
Their park districts have wonderful programs and are an additional wealth of knowledge when you want to know what each park has to offer throughout the year.
And for those itching to be fishing, it’s never too early to visit places like Charles Mill, Clearfork or Pleasant Hill.
You can enjoy thinking about the coming days on the water while discovering what lives along their banks and in the overflow pools. Not a far drive from Mansfield there is the Gilliom-Cherp Nature Park, Shelby Blackfork Wetlands and the Shreve Wetlands, to name a few.
Over the next weeks as the water table rises and recedes, the affected areas will exhibit changing characteristics which are interesting to see if you are a water enthusiast.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be a big adventure – just a nice Spring walk will do!
2. Spring Flowers: The Dutchman’s Breeches; Crocus, Skunk Cabbage and Fiddleheads
4. Darter, Painted Turtle and Brown Salamander
5. Centipede, Critter Tracks, Peepers and Frog
