Hiking Weekend

On Friday we cut wood, more privet, so we would not feel guilty about killing real trees. 

Saturday was the first in a hiking series connected to our insurance.  We led the hike, Matt did anyway.  He led them up the mountain and around the wrong loop, so they got in over 4 miles when they expected to hike 2 and a half.  The kids and I walked in the back and that was equally as bad-I got behind people not with our group-thinking they were-and never did catch up until half the group had headed back to the parking lot.

It was a nice day for a hike, though.

my one photo from the hike

 Jake went with us Saturday and Ben stayed home, Sunday, Ben went and Jake stayed home.

Back home I was taking pictures of the crocus and Kat came over to butt me in the head a few times. She likes to try to lay you flat with her skull and then dig into your eye socket with her muzzle.  If you are already laying down, as in ASLEEP, she will start right in trying to remove your eye.  Or trying to help you breathe by forcing her own air into your nose.

Eye want to eat your skull.

 This morning I got up and washed all the sheets and pillow cases and hung the bedding out to air.  I can't resist that sun and breeze!  As I walked out with my pillow across my arms, Wonder LEAPED from the roof onto it, scaring us both half silly.  I wonder how she got her fool self up there and how long she's BEEN up there.  No one can recall seeing her at all yesterday.  I am just glad it was my pillow and not my head, I guess that's a new fear.  One cat to take you down from 6 feet over your head and the other to eat your face off while you are knocked out.  I guess the other two will just watch.  Who am I kidding?  They will all four eat my face.  Cats have no type of sentimental side, you are simply meat walking with useful thumbs.  When you are meat prone and your thumbs are no longer holding the kibble bag, you are SOL, buddy.

Today, Sunday, we went to Bankhead to Caspey Falls.  I love the area but it's HARD to get to-no trail.  You park on the side of the road and head downhill about a mile and a half.
Today we found an easier way back up!  It's still a mile and a half of steady climbing, but not pushing through the underbrush.  As much.

Trying to teach Ben to use a compass.  He's developing quite an interest in the outdoors and today asked for his own camera.  I swoon in delirious happy, I have only wanted this to happen for 18 years now.

Lots and LOTS of stopping to look at things along the way.

We finally hit the creek and followed it downstream.  We made a big deal over these tiny falls being what we came to see.  The kids have not been here before, so it was fun to marvel over the 2 foot drop and then make like we were heading back up that LONG hill to go home.

The creek meets another creek at a 180 degree junction, I have never seen another confluence like this one.

Matt's pic of us, Ben has my camera!

Ben took this one! See my feet?  hehehe!

Another Ben shot!

another one from Matt as Ben had my camera...again

The view from my feet.

at the top of the large falls looking down

See Ben and Chan?  They are waving at you!

My Matt for scale

likely coyote tracks

That brown thing is a leech swimming along.  UGH

We messed around for an hour or so at the falls and found a trail!  

Looks like it's been around a while!

Ben chillin' at the leech creek.  

The water in the main flow is leech-free, they like the quiet pockets and leafy bottoms of the calmer water.

The trail we found goes back way above the top of the falls, I had to take another shot of them.

One arm and one leg Ben!

Beatboxing.  He can do this ALL DAY.

Can't fall off this log!

I had to get in the water!  I was trying to catch water striders.

See that tiny pocket on her strap?  That's where the fairy stone goes.  She looked through it a few dozen times today but never reported anything of interest.  Apparently I look like 'Mom' through it.  

I have this thing for finding hearts out and about.  This time of year the saw brier, ginger, violets and several other early leafers are ALL heart-shaped.  I found a rock, which I brought home but this was a new one.  A heart-shaped puddle!

Hepatica
(hep-attic-uh)
People I otherwise admire call this Hepacia (hep-ay-sha)
I am about to make a series of wrong id blog posts

Long, long sloped climb.
Mile and a half of this.
I was winded at the top, I do NOT truck on hills.

Looking at trotter prints.  We saw possum, raccoon, coyote, deer and feral hog tracks today.

But NOT piglets.

Ben hung with me all day, we talked and talked.  He is wound up about spring and getting out more.

I don't know what this is.  I thought some type of galls, Ben thinks it's insect cases.

Wait...that's the same thing.  hahaha!

I say wood frog eggs

The single most useful egg in the water guide ever.  I have used it for years.

Ben loved this so much we came home with several seed heads so he could grow it.

Southern Swamp Monkey, juvenile and lacking some plumage. 

When we got to the van, they wanted to run down the road, so we told them to take off.  We waited a few minutes and went to get them and Chan was at the junction waiting on Ben, who was running backward.

In all, a good weekend and a great day today.
I am gung ho about being outdoors more this year, I hope this summer is another mild one!