wednesday
In my ideal life I would just be some eyes perched on feet, capable of walking in the woods, through nature, up hills and down. Endlessly taking it all in as I go. That's all. That's all I want in life anymore. And nap time. Which isn't asking for much. It's also not giving much back to the world either. So today I need to get busy and start cleaning the house for company tomorrow and preparing foods.
Jan and I went to Oil Creek yesterday. There are two main paths in Wildcat Hollow: the red trail - written up in the map as being more difficult, over rocks and climbing major hills; and the blue trail, easy, flat, looping around a wetlands. We decided to take the red trail and get done with that first so we could finish with the easy blue trail. Oh boy, the red trail was difficult with slippery snow and wet loose leaves, cold with the sun cut off by the steep hill above. I was so glad we got through it without an accident. The blue trail was like moving into a different world - almost like winter turning into spring. The sun was warm, the ferns and grass were green. Little birds flitting about. Some pictures:
Some kind of strange moss?
I looked it up. It's called Liverwort!
Cold. We were both wearing scarves. An old wooden oil barrel in the background. They are everywhere in this region.
The icicles really did hang down at an angle. Maybe a breeze was blowing when they formed.
Steps up to what the map said was a Native American rock shelter.
Nice dry flat area. Too bad someone hasn't dragged a log in so you could have place to sit after your climb up the hill.
Down in the valley. Lots of old timey oil equipment scattered around on this lower trail.
Found a dead dragonfly on one of the little wooden bridges.
Kind of looks like a cannon but it's not.
Says it was patented June 17, 1924. So they were still pumpng oil here long past the old oil bust days of the mid 1860's.
Well, time to see if I can get back to sleep. I've been up since 2 am. Need to get some more rest for a busy day ahead.
Jan and I went to Oil Creek yesterday. There are two main paths in Wildcat Hollow: the red trail - written up in the map as being more difficult, over rocks and climbing major hills; and the blue trail, easy, flat, looping around a wetlands. We decided to take the red trail and get done with that first so we could finish with the easy blue trail. Oh boy, the red trail was difficult with slippery snow and wet loose leaves, cold with the sun cut off by the steep hill above. I was so glad we got through it without an accident. The blue trail was like moving into a different world - almost like winter turning into spring. The sun was warm, the ferns and grass were green. Little birds flitting about. Some pictures:
Some kind of strange moss?
I looked it up. It's called Liverwort!
Cold. We were both wearing scarves. An old wooden oil barrel in the background. They are everywhere in this region.
The icicles really did hang down at an angle. Maybe a breeze was blowing when they formed.
Steps up to what the map said was a Native American rock shelter.
Nice dry flat area. Too bad someone hasn't dragged a log in so you could have place to sit after your climb up the hill.
Down in the valley. Lots of old timey oil equipment scattered around on this lower trail.
Found a dead dragonfly on one of the little wooden bridges.
Kind of looks like a cannon but it's not.
Says it was patented June 17, 1924. So they were still pumpng oil here long past the old oil bust days of the mid 1860's.
Well, time to see if I can get back to sleep. I've been up since 2 am. Need to get some more rest for a busy day ahead.