Once More Into the Wild (With My Sister)

There were once two sisters

who were not afraid of the dark

because the dark was full of the other's voice

across the room,

because even when the night was thick

and starless

they walked home together from the river

seeing who could last the longest

without turning on her flashlight,

not afraid

because sometimes in the pitch of night

they'd lie on their backs

in the middle of the path

and look up until the stars came back

and when they did,

they'd reach their arms up to touch them

and did.

~ Jandy Nelson, The Sky is Everywhere

Even now when we get together we have a tendency to run "full out." And this visit was no different. We wandered -- in the garden, at the mall, to the ponds, and along the trails of Mother Neff Park. 

In between our chats were talks with our brother, communications from kids and grandkids, dog kisses, and surprise cat acceptance we shared meals with friends and attempted to pace ourselves. That, however, never happens as we crashed on the sofa sometimes in the middle of a story.

Unlike past visits we did not rescue any plants (although we might have found a few at the nursery).*

A short and sweet visit. No fights. 

Here's the proof.

THE MALL: 

I needed shoes for a birthday party. I could not wear a lace dress (it was a formal party) with hiking boots or tennis shoes or garden gear or dog-chewed sandals. I am always ready to climb park trails or wade through questionable water, but I had no appropriate footwear for church or fancy party. Who better to take along for an adventure in "shoe shopping"?

These were rejected.

These would work with the dress (and I already had a matching purse). Go figure.

THE GARDEN:

We walked the garden and noted those early blooms that announce spring is almost here.

Snowflakes and crab spider (This is my sister's photo)

Wood violet

Four-nerve Daisy

THE PONDS:

The birds showed up - even the Loggerhead Shrike. We only took a short drive, but it was lovely. My sister was impressed at how many duck species I could identify. I was too.**

Loggerhead Shrike

Eastern Phoebe

Green-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal

Great Blue standing tall.

One of the Bald Eagles perched over a pond the entire time we were there.

Eastern Meadowlark - singing as we passed by.

Not birds, but my favorite turtles - Red-eared Sliders

MOTHER NEFF PARK:

The weather threatened for days, but the worst of it held off long enough for me to join the gang and hike to the cave and back. It was a delight to hike with my sister's fearless and adventurous grandchildren and to watch their brave and adventurous parents calmly watch them stretch themselves - climbing walls, navigating challenging trails, and investigating under rocks and along the edges of the wild.

I was offered pillbugs, empty snail shells, pretty rocks, and bits of moss. These budding young naturalists were already identifying so many things - including some of the wildflowers along the trail. ["Those are bluebonnets," noted the oldest after he had recognized the leaf rondels that will soon enough display one of our showiest wildflowers.]

And we were lucky enough to use the birdblind to see some Chipping Sparrows and Northern Cardinals.

What a treat to spend one more morning with my sister and part of her gang!

Tiny Treasures

Wolf Spider

I thought bringing up the rear made sense as often one child or another would need to investigate "something" and lag behind (children after my heart).

These trails are not difficult, but one must pay attention as rocks, stumps and roots populate the main path.

Stunning.

At the far edge of the cave.

Chipping Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

NOTES: 

*I found Winecup Mallow for a friend and a peppermint to corral in a pot. My sister found a few too. We planted nothing as I planned to catch up after all the excitement of the week. All vegetables are in, for now.

**Ducks are hard and certainly not my favorites. I will just chalk up my seeming knowledge of "who is who" on the ponds to the recent Christmas Bird Count. I haven't had time to forget them.