Buggy Adventure along the Wintergreen Trail

I was going to try and identify all of these before posting. That is what I normally do. 

Some of these are going to get a general guess of what they are like the following that I found along the Wintergreen Trail in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. 

Rich said he was 'ok' with me going for a morning hike. He didn't seem to like it or really agree to it, but I promised not to take a llllooonggg trail and I would get back before lunch time.

Since the Reserve had up to 7" of rain in spots, I knew that it would be buggy. The river had risen out of its banks and blocked several roads but those were open again. I thought I'd take the Wintergreen Trail since it runs above the river.

Right off the bat, I saw some cute little fungi. So I squatted to get a closer look and The Killer Mosquitoes attacked. I realized that I'd forgotten bug spray and wanted to kick myself. 

I finally dug my head bug net and dropped it on over my baseball cap. Let the little buggers swarm me! 

Charlie and I sought relief at one of the bluffs overlooking the river. The sandy soil was not conducive to the skeeters and we spent some time gazing at the muddy 'Poo and mourning the huge cottonwood that had succumbed to the latest flood.

I made the executive decision to continue on. Most people stop at this point and return to the parking lot. The trail is really rather easy but mushy in spots and there are some stairs made out of rocks. The terrain is not bad at all, but nicer without the bugs. Fall, Spring, and Winter are the best times to hike this. I wanted to find fungi though and knew I had to brave the bugs.

My hands suffered and it was a new experience to 'shoot' while looking through netting.

I didn't do anything fancy but took quick shots and moved on.

Once we got into the pine forest on the last bluff, the bugs weren't so bad. Still, a person didn't want to stay still too long. I gave Charlie a treat for being so good. I looked down the side of the bluff and eyed some places I'd like to climb down into when it wasn't so buggy.

Some of our cool finds on this part of the trail:

I don't know what these were at all.

I'm pretty sure this was one of the Coral Fungi

They hadn't grown very tall but I was really happy to see them. 

Now this next fungi/mushroom was pretty cool. I actually braved the bugs to get a decent shot. I found them also underneath pines and in a damp area. There is a small spring that runs over the rocks nearby on this part of the trail. In the winter it looks like this....

...where the ice ends, it is a drop off of about 10 feet.

So Sunday morning, I found this!

I believe it is Lacatarius Indigo or more commonly known as Blue Indigo. It was stunning and there were more hiding in areas around the trail and up into the woods. 

That was quite the find.

I can't wait to go hiking again, though the next trail will be on dryer ground and not in low areas. 

I am still catching up on all of the cool slime molds and other things I found in the days right after the rain. It was hot and muggy which the slime molds used to their advantage. 

Fall is Fungi season if all works out right! 

Where did it go?

Time, that is.

10 months ago, a self portrait in April of last year. Don't mind the messy table, it is always that way. Of course this is where we eat, discuss life, and hang out. It is my 'work' station and our dining area. 

This morning.

I don't like self portraits per se. Especially now that I can see how I have aged. I wonder why it is okay for guys to be aged with wrinkles and it isn't so cool for women?

I'm an outdoors person. Most of my time is spent outside in all the weather. I've beat the hell out of my facial skin. Hopefully wrinkles will come in vogue. You know those lines around the eyes and mouth. That ugly neck that everyone covers up with fancy scarves. 

I thought it would be fun to do some black and white work while I was in the mood.

Hands. My hands and how they have aged.
Once upon a time I looked at hands that worked in an office that were primped and polished. Beautiful nails and smooth skin.

Funny how I never saw the arthritic bumps and lumps and rough skin that are my hands now. But that is the progression of age and outdoor work. Our skin is the organ we all choose to ignore.

I remember being so impressed with my grandmother's hands. They were knotted, crooked, and bumpy. I recall standing with her as she used a scrub brush to get the garden dirt out of the cracks in her fingers. She was going to church and didn't want the other church ladies to see her rough hands.

While I was thinking about hands hubby sat down to cut up and apple. He didn't realize I could 'shoot' from across the table. The benefit of having live view and a flip screen. I set the camera to silent.

If I didn't know these hands belonged to my husband, I would have thought they were my father in law's hands. Age, medical conditions, and medicines all contribute to this dramatic change. 

I find it intriguing and curious. I see his hands while he is using them, but they look so stark when caught in a moment of time.

I'm making my mind up to get more comfortable with the looks of age. After all, I can't avoid it at this point. And I am not going to look suddenly younger. 
The face in the mirror is still aging even if I don't quite feel it on the inside.

Then there was this matter of going upstairs to clean up the room I'd left a mess with things scattered about. Suddenly, I found myself distracted. 

And amused.

I went to put some things away and organize some other things.

Ahhh. 

Well there you go. Another benefit of aging.

You can always give the excuse that 'my mind wandered' while I was upstairs.

Time keeps going. Funny how we are surprised at the changes we never noticed.

Keeping Calm in an Insane World

There I am ... messy hair, morning coffee...and updating a photo program while keeping a journal.
My journal was started for the Master Naturalist Class. It turned into a daily weather/virus and thoughts journal with some observations I didn't want on the internet for others to read.

I've been a bit remiss this week on the journaling. Mostly it is because I am out by 7 AM if the sun is shining. I have mules to check on in the forest pasture and morning Morel Hunts to take with Charlie.

When I get home feeling rather refreshed and very hungry, I sit a bit with Rich and have coffee while I go through our day. He may forget by evening what we talked about, but that's okay. I don't mind telling him over... our mornings give us a chance to feel like our old selves. The pre cancer/stroke/PE issues. And why not?
It is a good way to start the day.

Morel Hunting today in the light rain. I was hoping for a real rain as it is getting awfully dry around here.

We need rain.

I'm finding myself 'snoozing' people on social media for some rather radical 'shares'.
I read the morning news. And I keep tab on the Covid-19 counts. I don't know why I do this, but I am.
I've decided to stay off the internet each evening and limit my hours in the morning. I have so many better things to do.

And as I've had it pointed out to me, I am very lucky.


Indeed I am.

Enough for today.

Next up. Murder Hornets?
Where's the Beef?

Dislike Self Portraits and what not.

This shot I did 'In Camera'. I didn't know that you could take two shots and merge them. Really? Wow!

The snow was on March 1st of this year. The other shot was a self timed shot of me looking out the window. Uninspiring I know, but it was a rather uninspired day.

A year ago I decided to try a type of photography that I knew I would never like at all. Still Life.
However that seems to be really quite fun.

I find myself looking constantly for new 'things' to add into my shots.

Tea Time:

or...old sewing drawer and dried flowers.

Or antlers and pearls...

However I've decided to expand into a bit more people photography. The rub is that there are not a lot of  'models' or people for me to try out the tricks of the trade on.

Hubby has been pretty good about it, but not always a willing participant.

But he hasn't gotten 'owly' about it when I point the camera at him.

His face is a lot more interesting than mine is.

Of course this was after a haircut.

Yes, I actually smiled and had to work for quite a while experimenting with the available light to get a shot that didn't show off my 'mature' skin too badly.
It isn't easy to set up a tripod and use a remote to take your own photo.

I can live with this photo. But I am getting a bit more comfortable in front of the lens.

I'm hoping  to expand on my models.

Before my haircut...

I have been following some tutorials on lighting. Oddly enough there are no photography tutorials that specifically address photographing a person that is mature in age. One photographer Mike Browne does address this issue, but mostly uses younger people in many of his shots.

I found that natural indirect light works best, direct sunlight is really not very nice to my fine wrinkles and crow's feet.

Mature men have great faces. I have to laugh at that. Older women are not really discussed at all!

I leave you with this shot. Hubby giving me the wink and nod...