Using a very old forestry map, Bruce and I a drove through the Frances Marion NF yesterday. We criss-crossed the area, going though miles of Long leaf pine flats, across bogs, and into dozens of two church/three house communities.
On the way out of the forest we stopped at Hampton Plantation State Landmark. The house has been preserved in beautiful condition, and it was a pretty place, but the mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and deer-fly were swarming. We were getting chewed up so badly that we decided not to stick around for a tour. I would like to go back in the winter when the skeeters are gone to plein air paint the place.
The Pine forest was a bit monotonous, but there were some interesting wildflowers in bloom... My spouse was flying down the roads so I didn't get any pictures of the large bright patches of purple blazing star blooming under the trees, but when I saw these blooming in a roadside runoff ditch, I made him pull over. It's a Yellow fringed orchid ( Actually its color is closer to orange than yellow) . We were really excited. It's the first wild orchid we've ever seen. And there were dozens of them blooming in the disturbed soil along the forest and town roadsides. Apparently they spread from tubers under the ground. )I would guess that the road work has aided their spread by dividing and redistributing their tubers.) Cool, heh? I am thinking of including them in as color spots in a painting of a road leading to an old AME church in the woods ( Saw lots of those scenes on this trip as well.) .
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