Soggy Sunday at Salt Springs

It was raining pretty good this morning, but I decided to go for a hike anyway.  Around here, if I waited for the rain to stop before I went outside, I'd never leave the house.  So I grabbed a raincoat and off I went.

In a steady rain, I pulled into the parking lot at Salt Springs State Park to discover it ... empty.  Good!  More park for me. :)

Due to recent severe storms and flash flooding, the main picnic area was no more:

And the creek bridge which leads to most of the trails had been washed away and replaced with ... a rope handrail.  I crossed over on the rocks.  Onward! 

All the rain has made things green green green:

And I swear the rain makes bright things look even brighter:

An old favorite, Penny Rock:

I thought the orange part of this fungus would be slimy, but it was firm and smooth instead:

This big ol' tree had grown across a bigger rock:

In bloom:

Heart rock, in the midst of all the flood damage:

and raindrops on the flowers:

By the time I was done hiking, my boots and socks were soaked and my jeans were wet up to my knees, but that's okay.  It still was a good walk.

Easter Sunday, Taughannock Falls

First off, for all who are wondering, Good Boy is doing great!  He is chilling in the foster room, because I want to take introductions to the other cats very slooooowly.  But he is happy as a clam and purring it up. :)


Easter Sunday dawned cold and rainy, as so much of this spring has been.  So I decided a little road trip was in order.  Because why not?  Time to do some hiking.

Well, THIS looks promising!  :)

Stairs. Why does it always have to be stairs?:

Before you can see the falls, you can hear them:

These guys brought their shovels:

Past the main falls are the upper falls:

And the main event:

I headed across the street to the marina, empty this time of year:

and the lake:

and something totally unexpected:  Loons!

But soon enough it was time to head home, with a stop for Easter dinner:

A fine Easter Sunday, indeed.

Sunday Stroll

Well, the sun was SUPPOSED to come out today, but it declined.

But I decided to go out walking anyway.  But first I had to drop some traps off; it seems to be some unwritten rule lately that I can't go anyplace without taking a car full of traps with me.

And then I had to stop and get an oil change, because every once in a while I have to adult whether I like it or not.  THEN it was time to walk.

The skunk cabbage is up!  Surely Turtle Day can't be too far behind.

Beavers have been busy:

A deer bone tableau:

Hmmm ... an unlocked outbuilding at a deserted summer camp ...  Did I go in?  NO WAY.  I've seen WAY too many scary movies to fall for THAT trap:

Bug heiroglyphics:

See that thing up on the tree?  That white blob?:

I got out the binocs, then the zoom lens, to get a better look:

Anybody know what kind of fungus that is?

Finally, it's not a walk around here without spotting a deer or two:

Pretty good camouflage.

Winter Walk

Today's walk

Spring flowers are all over the woods this time of year.

According to James Fitter, this is a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak:

Spring has sprung

Here is proof that Spring is here no matter what the weather:

I have an extremely pregnant foster cat:

The dolphin plant is blooming:

 

The car is parked in the driveway instead of the garage:

 

The bleeding hearts are up:

 

The flamingos have returned:

 

The skunk cabbage is up:

 

The eagles are nesting!

 Hey, heron, get outta the way, I'm TRYING to take a picture of the turtle:

The turtles are back!  A friend informed me last night that yesterday was Turtle Day, which I sadly missed, so I made sure to get out today to get my fill of turtles:

What's the surest sign of Spring in your neck of the woods?