July 9 - Plants

One of the reasons I like Clam Gulch so much is that I live on the bluff overlooking the ocean. The bluff is populated with plants, while the beach is populated by rocks and sand. I like the variety and am often surprised by the gifts each brings to me.

Another thing I like is that there are many plants here that also grow in Illinois. This is yarrow. A common plant in Illinois, but here it seems to only put out white flowers whereas in Illinois yarrow comes in many colors.

The fence at the overlook is about 4 feet tall. You can see that the cow parsnip is taller than that!

Cow Parsnip has very tiny hairs on its stem that brush off easily on your skin. I have sensitive skin, so when I brush against it, I get small itchy blisters that last a day or two. As a result, I usually wear long sleeves and long pants when I am mowing.

Cow Parsnip is everywhere and grows in large groups. Right now much of it has grown taller than me!

Because it is often rainy and wet, mushrooms grow here.

I often see them when I am mowing the grass. I wish I knew which ones were good to eat!