I had company at the Creek today. My daughter Whitney and her husband Nick. This was their first hike of the creek. Also joining us were Laurie Blair, John Stevens, and Bootsie Ackerman. John and Bootsie were also creek rookies. It was a beautiful blue bird day and the temperature was just right.

The water in the creek was fair with some making it past the sink hole. The water is getting closer to the right color with each rain. New wildflowers this week were Wild Ginger and Ozark Spiderwort. The Yellow Trout Lilys were gone. The blue and yellow violets, false rue anemone, blue phlox, hairy buttercups, dutchmans breeches, pale corydalis, lousewort, yellow rockets, and the large bellworts are still blooming. Some of the other wildflowers are getting close to blooming. The recent rains have helped alot.

Next weekend the creek will welcome a group of ladies from the Lake Village Garden Club.

Whitney & Nick at the springs.                                                                    Bootsie & Laurie in a side drain.

Another good day at Smith Creek. Fellow photographer Bob Shull (www.bobshull.com) joined me for the day at the creek.  Bob is an excellent photographer, you can see his pics at his website. The water was fair. The lower creek was dry with the exception of the lower side drain falls. The blue & yellow violets were putting on a show. New wildflowers this week at the creek were Large Bellwort and Wood Betony. The Fire Pinks and Wake Robins were beginning to bloom in the Boxley Valley. Lots of folks on the River enjoying the beautiful Spring day.

Bob Shull Preparing the shot.

Terri and I spent the day at the Creek, to do a little work on the lower creek trail, prior to the work day. The wildflowers continue to bloom. Blue Phlox is blooming well and scattered around the property. Dutchman's Breeches, Toothwort, Blood Root, and Pale Corydalis are on the decline. The Yellow Trout Lilys really put on a show in the afternoon. The False Rue Anemone are getting more numerous as well.

We were able to get to the lower creek. There wasn't any water in the creek bed except for the deep holes and some in the side drains. We got to the tall waterfall on the lower creek. It is a side drain that has about a 50 ft. slide. It had a really good flow. Found some other good drains for when the water is there.

In the lower area we also came across Sharp Lobed Hepatica. A little white wildflower and not very common. This is a close cousin to the more common Round Lobed Hepatica.

Sharp Lobed Hepatica

The first Saturday of Spring. What a beautiful day to be at Smith Creek. 45 degrees and raining. It is really hard to take pictures with a towel over the camera.

There was lots of water, very dingy and brown. It should clear quickly. This is the first good water day since January. Almost all of the side falls were running. I walked down to the lower part of the creek, while marking the new trail. Found some really good side falls, but I didn't have the camera. It was raining pretty hardand I did not want the extra weight for the climb back up. The drop in elevation from the road is over 400 feet.

The wildflowers are getting their act together. Lots of Dutchmans Breeches, Toothwort, Bloodroot, False Rue Anemone, and Pale Corydalis. A few White Trout Lilys, Yellow Trout Lilys, and Blue Violets. Also, located a few Pussy Toes. Harbinger of Spring is still blooming, but hard to find.

Twigs in the springs at Smith Creek.