Amazing Flower

I have seen this flower on previous hikes but this year it is very prevalent on the forest floor. It has been blooming for about 3 days now. Does anyone know what it is?

In this view, the blossoms are wide open.
Early in the day with low light and cool air,
the blossoms were contracted in a defensive appearance.
UPDATE: This flower is a "trout lily" or  Erythronium americanum. 

Riverbend Owners Meeting

The inaugural meeting of the Riverbend owners advisory group was held at the home of David and Charlotte Gremillion in Wake Forest. Eight members were in attendance for a lively and productive meeting. Minutes are being reviewed by those in attendance and will be distributed to all owners soon.

Road Repairs

The recent rains and high traffic have taken a serious toll on our main road. Heavy trucks increase the damage. The risk to owners and trespassers has increased significantly. One pothole shown at top, was knee deep after recent rains. I decided that the progressive damage must be fixed and I contracted with Ricky Tillman to fix the 4 worst potholes. Quite an amazing result for a surprisingly small cost. The pictures above were taken on Tuesday Feb 14th. He also repaired three additional potholes further down the road. Several areas of serious damage remain further into the property. Ricky operates a grading and road repair business out of Gulf and can be reached at 919-898-4924 or 919-353-7569. His rates are very reasonable and his work is excellent.

Risk of Timber Theft

A recent and informative article identifies the risk of timber theft. Several factors have increased risk in recent years. Be sure to read the article to protect yourself. Click this link to read.

Riverbend Owners Meeting

Several owners have expressed an interest in meeting to discuss Riverbend issues. We have offered our home in Wake Forest as a meeting site. Meeting will begin at 3PM on February 18, 2012. Please send an email to declare your intention to attend and identify any issues that you wish to discuss.


David
riverbend.owners@gmail.com

Early Spring at Riverbend

Record setting high temperature has ushered in an "early spring" at RB. Yesterday we enjoyed a great hike and picnic on our RB property. Our guests were very surprised that terrain and views like RB exist in NC outside of the park system. Some grasses are beginning to sprout, but I'm sure that it will be short-lived.

This is a near perfect time of year at RB for planning and exploring. Deer hunting has ended. The dropped foliage has improved the "sight views" and allows owners to envision best routes for trails, roads etc. The slopes, valleys, creek beds and other features are visible and allow for creative planning. The ticks and chiggers seem to be hibernating but birds, including some migratory species, are plentiful. Hiking is easy and comfortable. Enjoy.