"From a distance, it looks as if a cotton field fell onto the river. Up close, though, the Rocky Shoals Spiderlily appears as an annual miracle of white that blesses spring in the Piedmont.... The flower now blooms in only a handful of counties strung across Alabama, Georgia, and the Palmetto State.... The lily needs a temperate climate, rocks, and clean water that's not too deep, not too shallow, and not too fast," says the current issue of Southern Living, which devoted three pages of its current issue to this marvelous plant.

This Saturday's field trip will take SCNPS to see these same lilies at two different sites (on the other side of the state from the ones described in the magazine). The trip is open to members of all chapters and to the public, and there are still spaces available - Call Janine McCreery to sign up: 864-238-3253.

In the morning we'll visit a site that is on private land in McCormick County. In the afternoon we're going to Savannah River Bluffs in Aiken County. Some of the other plants we may see are relict trillium (Trillium reliquum), Ocmulgee skullcap (Scutellaria ocmulgee), and bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora). Judy Gordon is our field trip leader. Bring lunch, snack, plenty of water, sunscreen, and bugspray. Limit 18.

*** Upstate members will carpool from the Home Depot on South Pleasantburg (Hwy 291 south) in Greenville. Meet there in time to depart by 8:00 am.

Folks from other parts of the state may join us at 1:30 at Savannah River Bluffs (a map to SRB is available: www.scnps.org/activities_ups.html). Or if you want to meet at the Plum Branch site at 10:00, ask for directions when you sign up.

Savannah River Bluffs HP area map.

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May 24, 2008 (Saturday) and June 7, 2008 (Saturday) - Native Plant Seed Collection

Sprinkled along roadsides and utility right-of-ways are patches of our native grasses and wildflowers, a hint of what the landscape used to be. We will tour country roadsides in Pickens and Greenville Counties and see lots of native grass and wildflower species. We should see silky oatgrass, needlegrass, Indiangrass and several of the bluestems, and will collect seed of oatgrass and needlegrass and any other native grasses with mature seeds. Among the forbs, expect to see at least two species of false indigo, goat's rue, sunflowers, milkweeds, ragwort, compass plant, penstemon, asters, columbine, as well as a few spring ephemerals in the edge of the woods. We will collect seeds of ragwort and any native perennial forbs with matured seed.

We will have a van(s) in the Courthouse parking lot in Pickens at 9:00 a.m. and will depart no later than 9:15 a.m. We should be back to Pickens by 4:30 p.m. We will be setting up a car-pooling arrangement if possible, and will get that info out as soon as possible.

If interested, please indicate number of seats to save and list your cell phone number for the purpose of day-of communications. You can register by calling Bill Stringer at 864-979-8034 or by sending an e-mail to catboyz@nctv.com.

We usually eat lunch at a small restaurant somewhere in Pickens or Greenville County. If you have special dietary needs that might not be met at sucha place, please bring your lunch.

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May 31, 2008 (Saturday) - Station Cove Trail partners picnic & trail monitoring orientation

Scott Alexander, manager of Oconee Station, invites us to the second annual "Partners Picnic." All SCNPS members who have assisted with trail work at Station Cove any time over the past couple years (or those who would like to consider assisting with a new trail monitoring effort) are invited. The Picnic will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Also on May 31st, at 9:30 a.m. we plan to have an orientation hike for SCNPS members who would like to sign up to participate in a new trail monitoring program - to insure that the trail is maintained in such a way as to adequately protect the plant life. Please sign up for each with Bill Sharpton at gsharpton@aol.com

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June 8, 2008 (Sunday) - 2:00 p.m. - Workday at Lake Conestee Nature Park in Greenville

Specifically, there is a stand of beautiful blooming buckeye surrounded by invasives that we'd like to clear out. Bring gloves, shovel, drinking water. Meet at the Henderson Road parking lot / trailhead. Directions: Take SC-291/ Pleasantburg Drive south from Greenville. Turn left (see sign for Dewey’s Pawn Shop) on Old Augusta Road. Turn left at gas station on Fork Shoals Road. Turn left on Henderson Avenue, parking lot is on the right at the end of Henderson Avenue.

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June 14, 2008 (Saturday) - Nature Photography Workshop at Jones Gap State Park

Don't miss this opportunity to take an introductory class in nature photography. Participants will enjoy learning methods for making better images of the natural world with award-winning photographer and instructor, Clay Bolt. This class will focus on camera techniques, composition and a variety of different ways to approach subject matter. No previous experience is required but participants must bring their own cameras and related supplies. Students will use the stunning natural landscape of Jones Gap Park as their "classroom".

The class size is limited to 10 students so sign-up today. Pre-registration is required and tuition is $45 plus $2.00 per adult entry fee to the park. Class time is 9:00 a.m. to12:30 pm. This class is suitable for ages 16 years and up. Attendees will meet at the main entrance just off of the main parking lot at 9:00 a.m. Please contact Janine McCreery at poolsprite10@yahoo.com or by phone at 864-238-3253 for more information. In the case of bad weather, this class will be rescheduled.

INSTRUCTOR: Clay Bolt has spent the last several years using photography to educate others about the importance of cherishing and protecting South Carolina's wild places for generations to come. His work was recently displayed in the "Sealevel Gallery" at the Pickens County Museum during the "Trends in Photography" exhibition. The Nature Conservancy and the National Wildlife Federation have also featured works by Clay Bolt and he was a semi-finalist in both the 2006 and 2007 BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. He is a staff-photographer for the South Carolina Magazine and his regular column, "Our Wild State", can be found in each issue.

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July 12, 2008 (Saturday) - Field Trip: Mushrooms

In January Tradd Cotter spoke to us about the remarkable fungi we call mushrooms. Now he’ll take us into the field and show us!