CNC in March

It was such a gorgeous day that I hated to waste it by just working in the yard so in the afternoon Brooke, Emmy, Michael and I jumped into the van and headed for the Nature Center....with about a million other people. Because of the very mild winter  everything is greening up and blooming just a little early. There are shots of flowers that I do not know the name of but I am sure Mark will know or my friend, The Hocking Hills Gardener. There are a bunch of shots...sorry I couldn't decided what not to share so you get them all!

We love our Nature Center.  There are still hikes we haven't been on.  Today we went a totally different way.  

We needed so spot by the gift shop for some snacks...we did remember to bring our water.  Their snacks are way better anyway.  I saw this and thought...hmmm...I think I can do this.  I have plenty of wine bottles and I know where I can get some bed springs.

I love this quilt, just wish I loved to do applique.  Charley Harper is the artist and  is the quilter.

I asked the naturalist for a scavenger hunt and he gave me a booklet called 'Letterboxing'.  According to the booklet...'Letterboxing began in 1854 when a hiker placed his calling card in a bottle and hid it on the shore of Cranmere pool in southwestern England.  Those who found the bottle were invited to add their cards and they soon began to plant bottles on their own.  Some would even leave a self-addressed postcard in hopes of receiving a note in the mail from the visitor (thus the tern 'letterbox' was born: letterbox is a British term for mailbox).  Over time letterboxing has spread across the globe and matured to the form we are familiar with today.'    

The clues in the booklet are written in riddles.  You first must read the riddle and them decipher it.

Letterbox #1

Out the front doors, you're on your way.  The path on the left is where you must stay.

Turn left at the pole that is bright yellow.  The gravel path is by far the best way to travel.

The ash tree and the flagpole are a sight to take in, turn left at this point and continue again.

Under the trellis, please watch you step.  Look at the flowers and then take a left.

Find a place to sit down, where you might read a book.  This is how you will know it is time to look.

Keep your eyes open to the insects you might meet as you look for a small box close to your seat.

We had a little trouble finding letterbox #2.  We decided to get into with the naturalist and ask if maybe it had been removed.  But we place to check out one of the remaining four on our next four trips.  It is fun a a lot like geocaching that we do also.

The lenten roses were in full bloom. And they were beautiful!

snowdrops

While looking for Letterbox #2 we stumbled on the Maple Syrup Trail.

This is how I remember gathering sap.

I can't wait until I show Andy and Lizzie this contraption.  The tree to the far right is 300 plus years old.  It ans four other trees have been tapped and the clear sugar goodness is running into the 5 gallon bucket thru plastic tubing.  A sight to see for sure.  I can't wait to hear what he says about this.

I know that this year at Cedarmore Farm they weren't able to collect much sap.  I wonder if this will make the price of the syrup we buy in the grocery store more expensive.  Thank heaven we still have some left from what we got from Cedarmore Farm CSA last year.  And I honestly think theirs tastes way better that the syrup you buy in the store.

That explains it.

At the end of the Maple Syrup Trail there is a pond and all the turtles were on the logs sunning.  We thought the ones on the left long looked like a turtle family with a Mom and a Dad and two kid turtles.

I want to go back in a week or so to see how this hillside has changed.  It will be bursting with flowers!

trailbalzers

We were looking for moss and it was everywhere!  I never realized that their were so any different kinds.

Brooke and Emmy running to jump off the bridge...getting ready...

starting...

running...

jumping...sort of

That little speck is Michael running back to tell us what he discovered.

more running

She's in it to win it!

And then there was the creek.

I'd say by that grimace that the water was just a tab bit cold.

Contest...who cold stand in the cold the longest.  Doesn't look to goo for Team Michael.

But Em's looking a little uncomfortable too.

Remember when Emmy beat him in the race down at the bottom...paybacks are cold today.

Hey Bresson's...we could rest here when you come.

Emmy thinks she is Queen of The Creek.

I'm thinking that this might be wild ginger?  Anyone know, Lona?

There was the coolest little cabin sitting next to the creek...wonder if the would let me homestead there?

We can hardly wait to take Ellis and Alaire here to splash in the water wen it is 100 degrees.

I love these birds but they are aggressive and they do tend to make  big poop mess.

But look how nice a calm they look floating on the other side of the boardwalk.

After hiking and our little snack we were starving.  Brooke and Emmy decided that we should go to The Works in Loveland.  Fine by me.  Then afterwards we stopped at the Dairy Dip.  Cute cones were had by all.  Ellis and Alaire, we are taking you all here too....Only because the frozen banana lady was closed.

It was a better than great day and I still had sunlight to finished up the wine bottle border on the raised flower bed...with Emmy's help.