Camping

A day out in the wild is always good for one's soul. It was hard to get away at first as I am also getting ready to go to California for a  week but we did it! It is still a bit muggy here in Houston but still there was a lot to enjoy.
First, a complaint. I absolutely hate air mattresses. It is hard enough for me to bend down and crawl into a little tent but then ti be jostled around and have my balanced threatened. It is a bit too much. I found if I settle in and lay absolutely still, it is endurable. I really do have to find something else however.
The grilled dinner was fantastic, excluding the one chicken leg that fell into the fire. Kiona took an unannounced shortcut and got lost for 15 minutes. That was a bit of excitement as it was dark. The Hoot (Screech) owls kept me awake quite a bit and basically I lay awake listen to all the wonderful night sounds, thinking of how alive the forest was all around. I began to feel smaller and smaller. I WAS SURROUNDED!
The next day, we woke early on for a bike ride to Lake Isabel. It was a 3 mile trip, made a LOT more exciting by a wild boar dashing across our path. She either didn't like us or she was in a big hurry to get someplace. The only time I have ever seen a boar up close was Kochi. We were traveling the mountain road between Kochi and Matsuyama and stopped at a Sport Shop for food. They had cages of wild boars that men could come and buy. Then the boar would be turned loose and they would hunt them. I thought that was terrible sportsmanship but Japanese are always in such a hurry and so efficient.
The lake itself was small. It is actually a bog lake, surrounded by  Bald Cypress trees. It was actually the most beautiful lake I have ever seen and so clean. We laid on the dock and watched the fish. I am sure there was lots of wildlife there but they were hiding, all except the swamp rabbit. which wouldn't go away.

We took a walk around and I was surprised as the area had suffered a firs and the trees had burn marks around the bottom. They all still lived though. There were also woodedn troughs discarded which looked remarkably like the gold sluices I would run across on the Yuba river. I am sure there wasn't gold in the bog. Anyway it was a mystery. I am sure it has a history.
Since I had the small city bike, I barely made it back. I felt every bump. I am thinking I need a Mountain Bike- granny style.
Anyone up for camping? I have a year's membership at the Wilderness park and can take 3 extra people!

PS to Spider lillies

Now for the real spider. I was raised in Northern California and meeting up with Black Widow spiders and rattle snakes was nearly an everyday occurrence. One time in particular was when our dog had puppies under the house and I had to crawl way back under to get them all out. There were black widows hanging everywhere and I was crawling 50 feet or so and back to get the puppies. I have not seen one for approximately 50 years. Today I was quietly sitting on the park bench at Jesse Jones Park. The kids had been playing after our hike and had just come back from the slide. I was leaning to the side and put my hand down on the bench by Jude when I felt something soft and squishy. Now, that can be anything when you are taking care of a  2 year old. My finger was just a bit down in the crack of the bench. I looked and saw a big spider egg and a Black Widow spider just next to it. She looked as if she wasn't too happy to see a big finger smashing  her babies. I was in shock as I had not seen one in so many years and it was too close to me and my Grandson Jude. I picked up a stick and chased it. I was explaining how poison it was but Jude wanted to touch it so bad. I had to quickly smash it and then he still wanted to touch it. So, I had to give him one of Grandma's scary lectures. I have to be so quick when I am with Jude. I had to grab him with one arm and smash the spider with the other. I just am terrified of those awful creatures. I really didn't think they lived in Texas- at least this part.