mud lake is a marl-bottomed lake that drains into lake michigan via rieboldt creek. i had my family drop me off on the side of hwy 57 to tromp in, but quickly ran back to the van to get a hooded sweatshirt for the deer flies—such swarming i couldn’t take it. but w/ only partial face exposed, i got back in and the sun and breeze were doing a real number on the swamp: water and cattails undulating, dragonflies everywhere, and new forbs. too short a visit, but a blessing nonetheless.

first id of bladderwort, swamp milkweed, deer flies, and smooth saw-grass.

a.

moth on swamp milkweed

and deer flies

all over my hands

b.

land of dragonflies

and monarchs

the swamp’s yellow mouths

c.

beneath tamaracks

saw-grass sways

flowering july