Blake and I headed up into the mountains yesterday to make the most of a glorious spring day, which was cool and illuminated by a beautful, flooding sunlight. At this time of year, there is still significant variation in the progression of the spring forests from the valleys to the summits, often with a temperature differential of from 5 to 10 degrees. Down on Gandy Creek, the fly fisherman were out in force after a trout stocking, but Blake's fly-fishing gear is out of commission right now, so he could only watch in envy. He's a great salamander hunter, however, and he did catch a gorgeous northern two-lined salamader (Eurycea bislineata), which reaches its southern-most range around these parts.

MENYANTHES TRIFOLIATA Buck-bean (MENYANTHES) A remedy for certain headaches, intermittent fever. Coldness of abdomen. Twitchings. Sensation of tension and compression. Fidgets and urinary difficulties in women. Diabetes. Head.–Pressing in vertex; better, hard pressure with hand. Pressing-together pain. Weight pressing on brain with every step on ascending. Pain from nape over whole brain; better,…