I was in Guilford, VT and all along the trail, which was out in the open, grew sweet fern. I always loved its Latin name, coptonia peregrina. It has a wonderful smell, somewhat reminiscent of black birch, but not as strong a test of wintergreen.
The staghorn sumac were in bloom with their white flowers.
I traveled to Bunker Pond in East Dummerston, and there I saw a turtle basking in the sun with one baby turtle. Rumor has it that there had been eleven babies. By the time I got my binoculars out it was gone. Given the habitat of basking on a dry rolled bale of hay in the pond, I feel comfortably guessing that it was a painted turtle. I'll have to go out when there is more continuous sun.