Two Small Easier Trails Today

Week two and we are off to a great start.  Three trails down!  Today we decided to do two shorter easier trails.  I had a pounding headache.  Michael had homework, and Ella was going to tag along today.  We weren't sure how she was going to do.

 

A boy and his faithful dog.  Ella was sniffing and leaving her scent on every leaf and every speck of dirt on the trail.

I think I caught her smiling!

I thought this tree looked like a Blue Jay.  See the big beak and the feathers standing up on top of his head?

The underside of this fungi was so smooth and level that it looked like someone had built a shelf on the tree.

Interesting tree formation that were are going to ask the Naturalist about.

Michael just knew that Ella needed a drink of water from the creek.  Nope just some green grass to munch on.

Going to ask about this.  

 

We are walking along minding our own business and I just happen to look to the right and see a doe standing so still and quiet.  I can't get the words to come out of my mouth but in my head I am screaming, Michael, keep walking and take the dog up the hill and please don't let her see the deer.  He finally figures out what the tugs on his jacket and what Michael, Michael, Michael mean.  They make it to the bench on the hilltop.  I am frozen in the path, clicking away on my camera for all that I am worth.

She just keeps staring at me!

I move just a smidge and what do I see, another doe!

 They have been keeping one eye on me and the other on Michael and Ella.  They never seemed frightened which concerned me just a bit.

 

And then Ella saw them.  She just looked for a little bit and then she decided that they could run and play with her.  But she didn't get to far with Michael with a death grip on her leash.

 

It was a nice time at the Nature Center...as it always is.  Just a little above 46 degrees and the sun was shining.  Once you got on the trail you warmed right up.  We didn't see too many people today.  But the ones we did see, most has at least one dog.  One brave man had five! Husky type dogs..