More flower pictures

For some reason I wasn't able to add all the pictures I wanted to in the last post. So here they are..

Milkweed and Queen Anne's Lace


This pretty purple flower I found as I was walking up to the water. I am wondering what kinds of common factors all these plants have that allow them to grow in a shoreline environment.

Beach Flora

The "friends of the state park" organization at the park where I walk at have put up posters describing the birds, shells, flowers, shells. geology and so forth around the park. So I have started looking for the things displayed on the posters as I walk. This past visit it I looked for flowers. The poster on flowers alerted me to the fact that 2 types of roses existed at the shore. I was only looking for the rosa rugosa, which comes in pink and white, but there is also another rose, the virginia rose, which also inhabits the shoreline which is lighter pink. I found both types of roses on this walk. What makes these plants interesting all year long are the rose hips that


develop at the end of the season. Rose hips have been used as an herb and to make tea.

This is a close up or some rose hips from the rosa rugosa. The milkweek plants were in bloom this day. And, I located the beach pea along with queen anne's lace and a few other plants I've yet to ID.

Beach Pea
Lathyrus japonicus

• Family: Pea (Fabaceae)
• Habitat: sandy shores
• Height: 1-2 feet
• Flower size: 3/4 inch wide
• Flower color: pink to purple
• Flowering time: June to August
• Origin: native(http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/lathyrusjapo.html)

When to say " hello"

When I walk at the seashore I often encounter other walkers, strollers and bench sitters. At each encounter I have to decide whether to say "hello" or not. It is an interesting judging game I play. If their is more than one person, and they are talking to each other I usually don't say anything. They are engrossed in each others company. Most are happy to say hello back, sometimes offering some other comments like "beautiful day." Some are running... its hard to talk when your running. The people walking dogs usually let you admire their pet and often tell you a bit about it if you ask. Occasionally people don't want to connect; they have come to the beach to think, or cheer them selves up or are just too engrossed in walking. ipods often prevent communication.
Some stop and have whole conversations with you. Several days ago I stopped to ask someone about the new construction going on at the beach. A new building was being built. She knew what the building was going to be and I was grateful for the information. A new visitor's center; its been planned for sometime and just now is going up. One time I met an older man who when we exchanged greetings gave me a small christmas tree, it was that time of the year, he'd made out of wood. He was giving them out. Hard to refuse a present.

You know its summer when...

you see lifeguards practicing their rescuing skills at the beach. The Hammonasett's lifeguards were training this morning when I went for a walk. Lifeguard chair sans lifeguard!