Sprung!

Spring happens all in one week here, it's icy and bleak and everything is fifty shades of grey without a necktie in sight.  Then, one bud shows up and the next day more and by the end of a week, trees that looked dead are fluffed out like fancy chickens.  Sunday was our first really truly spring-warm day with sun and birds and all that.

We got up and got going, cleaning the house for hours-moving and dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, making small repairs, filling in carpenter bee holes in the new facia boards.  Dang bees!  Shook out all the rugs, washed all the bedding-washed windows, it is so lovely and airy fresh now!

Monday we went to the park to see who was around to play in this sunshine and Gina was the only one who showed up, so we hung out a bit at the wildflower garden and then headed to walk back to Welti Falls.  She had not been and I was happy to go take a peek after all that rain we had.

The girls climbed up to the falls and then STOOD WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE DROP.
This is not what you do when your mother is watching!  Gina and I did some kind of combo 'trying to ignore them while sending out little requests to the Universe to keep them safe and also trying not to panic' sort of thing.  It's just-that's a rocky drop.  Probably would not be unbruised.

Between these two shots, I mis-stepped and managed to somehow twist my weak ankle.  It was wrapped well in sports tape, but it turned the other way this time-toward the arch.  Not as much swelling, a shitload of pain. Probably a torn muscle.  I am back on bed rest for 10 days to 2 weeks, no driving, no weight-bearing, crutches when I need to get anywhere.

I am going to miss ALL of the rest of the early unfolding of spring.  I don't know what to do-it was a slip of 2-3 inches. I am too young to just give up on hiking as too hazardous, but this is the first really uneven trail I have been on in 8 months and I am laid up now.  I am SO angry.  So many plans-all that money and time and research buying the rest of our backpacking kits-I can't even carry a plate of food 20 feet from the kitchen.  Fuck this, I am ANGRY.  Sitting on my ass while it gets even wider and watching the world green up is some kind of cosmic joke or punishment one and you know what, Karma?  FUCK YOU.  I think saddling me with that woman for a mother was enough punishment for one lifetime and really, tissue paper joints is just too far.  Go shit on someone else's life a while, I am done taking it.

The following were taken before the shots above, but blogger has its own plan for arranging things.

Chan got hot and put her face in the water.  I guess it worked, she seemed pleased.

Despite my current situation, I am looking forward to getting out and doing stuff this spring.  I HATE that I am missing the best of it-the earliest growth and the first warm days and the lowest levels of pollen, mosquitoes and poison ivy of the year.  I am holding out that it's 'just' a pulled muscle and if I baby it really well for a few days, it will be good enough to start walking again.

Spiders

We were all set to head out and have lunch and go jump at Shakalaka today when Jake mentioned his right ear was hurting.  I looked in it and then around it and behind his ear up at the top was a dime-sized mound of pus with a hole in the middle and rimmed in red.  I immediately concluded it was a brown recluse bite and rushed him off to have a hot shower before rushing him to the doctor.  I have, honestly, never seen a bite that nasty, I was scared.  I should have taken a picture, because when he got back from showering, it had popped and even though I cancelled everything and have looked at it every 20 minutes all day long, it's just a gross bump now.  I (do I even need to say it) covered it in antibiotic ointment.

So, just like the time I lost Chandler for the longest few minutes of my life and later reflected on what to do, I ended up spending a couple hours today investigating bug bites and being beyond grossed out by photos of bites.

I decided to do this post in case I had the issue in the future, mainly to keep me from seeing what I saw ever again via searching for spider bite info.

THIS is a link to a large chart showing 6 US spider that bite, plus what their bites look like (don't look while eating), what medical treatment is needed and a map of where they live.  Here's a tip-5 of the 6 are located in Alabama.

I also DID find a few useful charts and pics that did not leave me wishing I had seen Slenderman instead.
As with any of my photos, you can click on any of the following info sheets to make them larger:

I love the way it assures me the wood stove is what did it.

from venomous spiders dot net
Mainly posting this because they used the word venomous, not poisonous.

Another 'all over' chart.  Usually pest conrol sites

sent to me, no info

from about 60 sites, could not find the original

Still not totally sure what got Jake, Matt has had several theories but none are horrifying enough for me.  Infected follicle and rampant pimple are just not satisfactory after looking at dozens of bite photos and besides-there's a bite hole!  I am thinking Parson spider.

So, if you suspect spider bite, avoid the search engine and come here and merely scar your brain at the one link above that has all the info you actually need, there is no need to see the same 'exposed bone via necrosis' shot I have seen at least 15 times today.  Or that one shot with the bright red swelling that was the same size as a baseball.  Or the one...okay, well, just be glad I am sparing you (and future me) the UGH of research.

Well, okay, I will post ONE terrifying spider bite picture:

from various prepper sites

I am not enlarging it, if you want to see it better, click on it and do it yourself.

Jake's ear-thing was the 18 hour stage x3 in size and scare.
Knowing what 36 hours looks like, I did not want that happening!  aaaaaaaa

Camping, Spring, Hikes, Doooo-dads!

All of my favorite things on the planet are coming together in one fantastic wave of yahoo.  Camping, with friends, in the warmer weather.  Swimming, hammocking, hiking, canoes, the beach AND the mountains, backpacking, fireflies, photography, wildflowers and of course *insert fanfare* looking at do-dads.  This year is going to be the best one yet.

I have three camping trips and one canoeing trip ON THE CALENDAR so far (as in already booked) and several weekend backpacking trips plans awaiting the perfect weather.  I am giddy.  I have whittled my list down to just a few final items, which is never totally finished as I can always think of more stuff I am sure we will 'need'. Though I can roll my eyes at men who already have a TV and who instantly want a bigger TV, I do understand that itch, I get it looking at 'accessories' in the camping section.  We might need bear bells. We do need flashlights, and check out the machete-surely that's vital! Though I know I won't do any bushwhacking, that 'what if' alarm buzzes.

Really-my worst weakness is in first aid because, I need to think I have things under control.  Band-aids are like crack, I cleaned out the shelves in my bathroom and there were over 200 in there.  *shame*  Then, I nearly immediately bought a box (2 boxes) of sparkle band-aids. And then some with Marvel characters and I use the Hulk ones on wounds I am most pissed about getting. And I am nearly out of Hulks. 

I know he's not a pirate, but it's not like anyone had a pre-made pic of Hulk complaining about burning his finger.  TWICE IN A ROW.  You get the yargh because that is my Hulk noise.

I may have found a solution to my continual browsing and occasionally buying (usually x5) via get cairn dot com. I will update when the box arrives, I sent myself a single month as a gift-though I would love a longer subscription to see a variety and may go for a 3-month stint.  I really like trying out new stuff, I hope this will scratch that itch. Though-like a man and his TV, I will probably be back at the store perusing the newer model anyway.  After all, I probably need to pick up some bandaids.

Beyond the usual yearly stock-up (sunscreen, bug dope, pain meds, moleskin, solar lights (not usually an annual thing but Henry ATE MINE, bulbs and all) and paper products) I made new backpacking cooking pouches which I will blog about later when I actually finish them (it's Matt's fault they are not done yet) and I bought one new thing based on nothing more than seeing it and thinking, 'oooooo' and that was a Luminaid solar lantern.  Go check them out, I got the brighter version, though I kind of covet the newest one with the color changing lights.  I have my ghost lights that do that, so...I went with a regular light-light.  Though I have a birthday this year, so feel free to hook me up, it will be available in April.  hahaha!

Our scheduled trips so far-Florida with friends to swim at the springs, the Smokies with Katy to see the synchronization of the fireflies (I was so super lucky to get a spot!!) camping at the lake with the homeschool group and canoeing a 6 mile stretch of Little River Canyon with JSU.  And that's just the start!  Dayhikes, more backpacking, lounging days with friends and hammocks and creeks-swimming afternoons, stargazing, the drive-in, wading! I LOVE Spring and Summer, bring it on!!

The house down the road

The house on the corner has been abandoned for a couple of years. The owners came by about 3 months ago and spent a few weekends tearing off the roof. We were delighted, it had become a real eyesore. Doors caved in, windows broken, trash bags full of stuff piled so deep you could see them in every window. Finally-demolition!

Then they never came back. There are scraps of tar paper and random shingles all over the yard and they blow across and get tangled in the field fencing on the other side of the road. And the house has all the walls but no lid.

There is a new dog in the area, a tan and white hound of unknown homage, though we suspect he lives at the house CJ is renting. It started going in the house and pulling out things to play with. In the road.

The first thing was Woody from Toy Story. I ran him over coming in from dropping the recycling, it was late. I did not see him really until just before he thumped under the van. A flash of his jaunty hat and the slight whack of him hitting the undercarriage. I was mortified. I roadkilled Woody. I imagined him murmuring, "there's a snake in my booooooooooooot" as he died.

The next few things were stuffed toys. A bear, a frog, a large soft stuffed doll with yarn details and glassy eyes. Then nothing new for a few days, the old amusements growing damp and mushed or tangled in the neighbors fence.

Then the dog hauled a life scaled plastic baby doll, naked and pink, out into the road. I started going the other way after that, but today I forgot, needed to run the recycling before it took over the kitchen, so off I went. The doll is just an arm now, fat dimpled elbow and curled fingers, sticking out of the grass below the fence by the road.

Sometimes, I think about moving.

JSU Frog Pond

The first Saturday in March, April and May, Dr. Cline from Jacksonville State heads out to the Frog Pond from 6-8 pm and wades around in the water fishing out critters while curious folks pay $5 to stand on the wooden dock and look at and occasionally poke at them.  As soon as the event was posted, we signed up.  Well, Katy signed us up!  She's been the impetus behind almost everything I have actually gotten out and done the last month at least.  And on into the future as she picked our campsites for 2 upcoming trips, thanks, Katy!  :)

We arrived really early because I can never remember how far away the pond is.  We went here last on Mother's Day several years back and then again 2 years ago with Suzette while checking out a campground in the area.  At any rate, it's just over 2 hours.  Not nearly 3.  So with 45 minutes to spare, we wandered around a little while and Maggie (Katy's sister) showed up, I was charmed by darling tiny Lucky and we all chatted a while.  Lucky had a chameleon bubble wand and proceeded to blow bubbles until even I felt faint.  She's just turned 3, but since she was about 6 months old, she's been talking in complete and very complex sentences and is so freaking cute.  She looks like a fairy child with her long blonde hair and serious eyes.  When she was about 18 months old, she explained to me about her dog (also named Esther) who had undergone surgery for hemotoma in her ears.

Anyway, more and more folks showed up and Katy finally dragged in as we were headed to the pond. Now the pond is 1/8 of a mile south of White Plains Elementary School and 1/4 of a mile down Joseph Springs Motorway, which is a gravel and mud road that winds off up a mountain in the distance.  It runs to the Pinhoti in about 10 more miles.  You park in a tiny muddy gravel lot and walk down a solid mud road for about 200 yards until you reach the pond.  The woods around the pond have been clearcut recently, making it even muddier and it's ALL middle Alabama pine and red clay. If you have never walked in Alabama red clay, it's slick, sticky and the color NEVER comes out of light clothing.  By the time we got to the pond, everyone was 2 inches taller and slipping around standing still.

On the night before "Spring Forward" day, it was full dark by about 6:15, luckily I had a flashlight in my bag and Matt had actually thought ahead and brought his, too.  It never occurred to me!  Ben quickly took over mine and I floundered in the dark the rest of the night.  Oh well.

It was really dark!

We stood on this decking and Dr. Cline dipped into the pond and pulled out a huge assortment of things, considering it was early March and there had been an ice storm 2 days earlier.

Pinchy little waterboatmen, fairy shrimp, newts and salamanders, eggs galore (viable and dead) and a helgramite.

Alex and Ben spotted this glob of eggs, so he waded over and picked them up!

Salamander embryo!

The salamander mom would be 5-6 inches long and she made this glob of protective snot gel to encase the eggs from her tiny body.

He told us about a strand of toad eggs that went from one end of a football field and back again to nearly the middle-130 yards long!!  From ONE toad.

Stars!!

More eggs gobs:

Helgramite baby.

He's showing how long the adult fly (Dobson fly) will be.

The babies bite, the adults don't.

The boys spot another glob of eggs!

Their little noggins popped out over the ledge to watch, so sweet.
(I say little but Ben's head is a good bit bigger than mine!)

Poking the mass!

After about an hour, some folks started leaving as it was COLD.  We hung around until the end, mainly because Ben had my flashlight and he and Matt and several others in our group had headed out to skirt the edge of the pond and look at more stuff.

We heard chorus frogs, peepers and geese. We saw a couple bats!

We did not see any frogs at all, just salamanders and newts, but we could hear them quite well.  The chorus frogs are at the end of their mating cycle, they start around Thanksgiving.  I can't imagine being a frog and having to be amorous in ice water!  ACK.  And they are tiny frogs, too.  It seems like they would freeze solid in just a few minutes out there in the winter.  It's amazing.

After the talk, we slogged back and tried to get some of the mud off our feet! My pants were covered in mud, it looked like I had slid into first base, though I was upright the whole night.

We headed to get some dinner all together and ended up at Baja California in Jacksonville, which was HUGE and they had a big table just waiting.  We splurged on cheese dip (love it!) and had flautas, netting probably around 1200 calories to counteract the 2 hours of shivering we just endured.

It was well worth the drive and the shivering, science is the best!

Moss Rock Preserve

We ended up in Birmingham for a LONG day last Saturday while Jake and Chan went to KamiCon for about 13 hours.

We got them dropped off and checked in and headed to get lunch at Jason's Deli and walked around in town a bit. Then decided since the weather was so nice, to get in a hike.  We decided to try Moss Rock again, we went there several years ago when there were only a couple of trails and totally missed the rocks!  By the time we realized there was more to it, we were too tired to explore more.

In the years since our last visit, there are new houses galore and a row of shops, mostly restaurants, along the main entrance between 2 roundabouts.  In the second one, there is a sign directing to park, so we headed up the little hill and parked in the red clay parking area.

We headed off to the left of the parking area toward some rocks and just wandered up the trail a while before deciding to drop down and skirt some of the boulders.  Once through, we could hear the creek quite clearly.

All along the way there were people of all ages (and dogs) climbing rocks and lounging in hammocks, kids running all over and it reminded me of Cherokee Rock Village, but much more tame.  Still plenty of big rocks for big kids, though!

We crossed the little creek on a small wooden bridge, interrupting 2 women who were taking photos of one another with their phones and seemingly posting them immediately.  They were VERY intent and had 3 hats each.  I found it bizarrely amusing, they would snap and then furiously thumb their phones, change hats and do it again,  They seemed a little put out that we wanted to use the 2 foot wide bridge and huffed as they stepped down, which was even more funny to me.  "Let's go take pitchers of each other and post them down at the park where there will be at least 100 other people and only one bridge!"  "OKAY!  And let's stand ON THE BRIDGE!"  "Ooooh, yeah, PERFECT. Which hat should I wear?"  "Oh gosh, I can't decide, just bring 'em all!"  "Whooo!  Great idea, no wonder we are besties!"  LOLZ  ( I'm just jealous.)

Anyway, we followed along by the creek, up and over the little waterfall cliff and there were bunches more people in hammocks all along the way.  I could see this was shaping up to be my kind of place. Ben said we should come back with friends, so I set up a date to do that as soon as we got home.  :)

I did not get many shots as I was suffering from a lingering chest cold and walking up and down the hills was working my poor diminished capacity lungs.  However, I will be back soon and likely get more. (Photos, not lungs)

There was still snow in our yard, 60 miles to the north.

It's a lovely spot, some 10 miles of hiking trails are in place.  I can't wait to go back-with my hammock of course!