Fall Weekends in Vermont and Maine

It's hard to argue that Autumn is not the best time to visit New England. Everyone knows it is known for its foliage colors, but mid-September, after the summer tourists have left and before the leaves have turned, is a great time to visit the Northeast. Two Saturdays ago, St. Johnsbury, Vermont had their Colors of the Kingdom Autumn Festival. The fact that it was only September 15th and in the mid-eighties was irrelevant as the mood was all fall, with a Parade, Farmers Market, Craft Fair and museum open houses.

One of the highlights was a scenic train ride along the Passumpsic River to the New Hampshire border where is meets up with the Connecticut River.

Passengers waiting to embark on a historic Green Mountain rail car

It was difficult to take pictures on the train, even though it was going relatively slow. I was able to capture a photo of this cool round barn. Sadly, the last "working" farm round barn in Vermont at Robillard Flats Dairy in Irasburg, burned down two years ago.

Round Barn in Barnet, Vermont

As part of the festival, the Fairbanks Museum offered free admission for the day. If you love natural history museums, this is not one to be missed.

Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium

This year they had a honeybee hive and a butterfly house out back.I recently blogged about discouraging the raising of Monarchs in captivity, but as an educational endeavor, especially for children, seeing butterflies up close and bees making honey is a unique opportunity and can instill a deeper appreciation of nature.

The Butterfly House at the Fairbanks Museum, St. Johnsbury, Vermont

The had several varieties of butterflies and the appropriate live vegetation on which they could feed.

Admiral

Painted Lady

Black Swallowtails

Monarch

This past weekend, which did officially launch the beginning of Autumn, we drove up the coast of Maine. The temperature was seasonably cool, but beautiful. We stayed at the Black Point Inn, an affordable historic oceanfront Inn in Scarborough. Across the street from the parking area is a Cliff Walk a beautiful spot to enjoy the ocean views at any time of day.

Blackpoint Inn, Scarborough, Maine

A fisherman along the rocky coast of Maine

We saw dozens of Monarchs on their coastal migratory route. It was encouraging to see so many in their natural environment.

Monarch on Aster

I also saw this American Lady which migrates as well. It is identifiable from the Painted Lady by two small white spots on the upper orange part of the wings.

American Lady Butterfly

We did not see a wide variety of birds, and although common, this colorful cardinal was fun to watch as it feasted on some rose hips.

Cardinal enjoying some rose hips

It won't be long before ice and snow arrives, so make sure you take advantage of of the outdoor opportunities that Autumn presents.

Blueberry Ginger Muffins

Blueberry Ginger Muffins

Use frozen blueberries if making these in the off-season. They are a perfect pick-me-up with your morning cup of coffee.


Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup crystallized ginger chopped
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups blueberries
1 egg
lemon zest from 1 lemon

Sift first four ingredients. In a separate large bowl stir until blended sugar, eggs, oil and buttermilk. Gradually blend in sifted ingredients. Fold in blueberries, ginger and lemon zest. Scoop into greased or paper lined muffin tins. If desired sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees until golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes. 

Caterpillars, Monarchs and Milkweed as Summer Ends

The shortened days and cool nights are definite signs that summer is coming to an end, and Nature's creatures are are out there preparing for Fall. September is a good time of year to spot caterpillars. For many, they are busy eating as much as they can before finding a safe spot to harbor for the winter.

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars 

The larva of the Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) is one such caterpillar that will overwinter. As the photo above shows, the caterpillars like to hang out in groups.  The colorful caterpillars that are seen this time of year are the late instar version. The early instar is white to yellowish and only has a few spikes. The middle instar caterpillar begins to develop tufts and may have some black coloring. The last stage has similar coloring as a monarch butterfly. These caterpillars will soon head out on their own to form a cocoon and will not emerge as a moth until the Spring. With the number of caterpillars I've seen, I expect to see several moths after they hatch next year.  

As cool looking as these caterpillars are, I of course get most excited when I see a Monarch caterpillar on the milkweed. I am always looking and was was happy to finally find one just two and a half weeks ago. It was the first for me this year and it looked like it was ready to form a chrysalis which is probably did, as it was gone the next day.

Monarch Caterpillar on Milkweed Leaf

Although the milkweed leaves are disappearing, two weeks ago, I saw a Monarch butterfly planted on a seed pod. I ran back inside the house to get my camera because I had yet to capture a good photo of a Monarch this year. This one was so still and I wondered whether it was laying an egg, or perhaps it was just drying its wings from the early morning dew. In any event it let me get very close and did not fly away. She was beautiful.

Donna Miller owner with her husband of Petals in the Pines in Canterbury, NH and host of an annual Monarch Festival spoke at the New Hampshire Audubon McLane Center last night. In addition to sharing about the life-cycle of the Monarch and their recent decline, (although by all accounts 2018 has been a good year), she explained how to turn your own yard into a  "Monarch Waystation" for which you can become certified. With no special effort and just practicing organic and permaculture principles, our yard meets the criteria.

Because of their beauty and their amazing migratory journey, thousands of people have joined in the crusade to "Save the Monarch."  Sometimes this enthusiasm to shelter and release as many Monarchs as possible can actually have detrimental effects on the population and health of the species. According to several scientific experts and organizations including the Xerces Society, the Monarch Joint Venture, and Andy Davis, author of The Science of Monarch Butterflies blog,  raising monarchs in captivity, especially in large numbers presents numerous risks, including the potential for disease, genetic alteration, and changes in natural behavior. Monarchs are not a threatened or endangered species and by interrupting the natural selection and breeding process there will be consequences, be it good or bad, and these can not be fully understood for years to come. The best support that you can provide to this species is by supporting pollinator friendly habitats: planting or just letting milkweed grow, providing nectar sources for adults,  and leaving certain areas undisturbed as shelter for larva and cocoons. And consider yourself blessed if you are fortunate to see them in the wild.