Friday, June 7th, 2024

Got up early, 8:05. Loons woke me. What a gift. After hearty ham sandwiches on thick homemade bread, and delightful mushroom coffee, went for a walk to the beach. Warm day. We took down the tent and packed up the gear but not until I made note of the abundance of Solomon Seal plants at the campsite. The Latin name is Poly Ganaden. Also known as King Solomon Seal, originally consumed by Native Americans, the starch seal rhizome tastes much like a form of potato. It was used to make breads and a hearty soup. The roots are asparagus-like and eaten boiled or raw. Also, history records that it has medicinal properties such as an anti-inflammatory, a sedative, and a tonic.


Wikipedia states that "It is often depicted in the shape of either a pentagram or a hexagram. In mystic Islamic or Jewish religion the sixth seal of King Solomon's signet ring, according to history, gave this wise king the ability to speak with animals. If you dive into this deep historical well you can see why the proverbial seal is the predecessor to the star of David revered by the Jewish for faith. By the way, in what seems a long ago, I ate these rhizomes on several different occasions and found them palatable, but not remarkable.

The rocky trail to Serenity Lodge where we were to spend our next night is a gorgeous cabin locked away in a dense and mosquito-ridden area. It was a very rough ride there on the E-bike, but like the proverbial Asgard, a welcome relief. A bubbling trout pond and a dock which, according to the caretaker, were quite a pleasant swim, were inviting. But tired and hungry, we chose not to take advantage of it. For dinner we took the pickup back to LaBranch Tavern for the traditional UP fish fry. The walleye was excellent and we left satiated.

The unofficial botanist and aging mycologist that I am, I can't seem to restrain myself when I spy a rarity, either in mushroom or plant. To my delight, around the lodge were numerous yellow ladies slippers. For those who do not know these lovely flowers, I recommend using a good guidebook. I suspect the name Ladyslipper might now be considered a male chauvinist label, as this flower entraps bees or other insects in this vagina-like opening, which forces the intruding insect to escape only by crawling through a canal, where the offending insect becomes covered with pollen which it then takes to another flower, spreading its pollen like an oversexed teenager.

It was very late and we took our separate sleeping quarters, sinking into hand stitched quilts, falling deeply asleep in the quiet night. Till next time, good night. Hilton

Solomon Seal

Yellow Ladyslipper