Yesterday's Hike

I am hiking in many areas this winter. I want to get a record of different places and return to them at future dates in different years and different seasons. Here is a photo of a trail that appears to me to be carved out of the ground by use and erosion.

To the right is a farm pond.



From this view the trail is on the other side of the ridge at the top of this photo.

The weather while on this hike was in the mid 20's. The snow is not crunchy but is not powdery either.

Making my way further down the hill I came across an unusual tree. It was bent over but and the branches are now the leader growing upward.

Camping at Wilton on Katy Trail

Here I am camping for my second night on the Katy Trail. There was a store there where I bought a pizza for supper.

Vines Cover Forest

Here is a good, summer shot, showing vines completely covering the forest. Certain areas of the woods are like this and other woods don't have any trouble with vines. I wonder if it is in the chemistry of the trees. One of the trees that I notice a lot of vines around is Honey locust.

Snow

I stopped from work and took this photo.

Woods in the snow is quieter. All seems to be quiet when snow falls. There is no crucnhing of the leaves as I walk.

Snow brings a sense of cleansing. It cleans the air. But what it does to my attitude is allow me to think of new beginnings.

I like snow to follow tracts. I have not done much of it but is interesting. You can't hide what you are doing in the snow.

Long Lost Bench

I came across this bench while hiking in the first snow of the year. I remember this bench from a couple of years ago. I was walking along a trail that I had not been on and when I saw this bench I was glad and surprised. When I came across this bench in the past I had come at it from a different direction.

This bench represents one of the reasons I hike in the woods. It provides a place to rest and reflect on life. My walk with God is benefited by finding quiet places to think and wait on Him.

First Snow of the Year Last Week

Brilliant Yellow Maple Leaves

Bluffs along Katy Trail

Here are a couple of interesting photos of river bluffs on the Missouri Katy Trail. Riding my bike in this area was rewarding. It was rewarding to experience the river to the south and the bluffs to the north.

Why is it that we are attracted to bluffs and mountains? There is a visual granduer that is true. But I think there is also a longing for heights because of the protection or challenge they present on getting up there.

God says he is in a high and lofty place and also He dwells with the lowly. We can look to God and have peace and contentment in our heart no matter where we are at. It was easy for me to be at peace with God on the Katy trail. But would I be at peace if I was stuck on a job in a factory? Normally I would not. But with Jesus in my heart it would not make a difference where I was. Peace would not rely on me or my circumstances but in God's goodness to me. I am so thankful that Jesus lives in me.

Thank you Jesus for your goodness and Your word to my heart of peace in the midst of trouble which life throws at me from time to time.

John 16:33
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world."

Recap, Blogs and Info

Here is a Youtube video showing chickens stop rabbits from fighting.

Fall Color Video

Here is a fall color video that I took the 1st week of November.

Native Grass

I hiked along this native grass park a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised how tall this stuff gets. In the summer I got some good wildflower photos in this field.


Walking along the side I shot back to where I started.




I thought the sun made good effect on these fall grass plants.

A Clearing in the Wilderness by Fosburgh

A Clearing In the Wilderness
by Hugh Fosburgh 1969
An account of the Adirondack woods by a true woodsman.

Hugh Fosburgh lives and works in and around Bakers Clearing. Near Northcreek New York

His accounts of bears, beaver, lost dogs, deer, and other wildlife is delightful.

He talks about logging the woods and what is needed to get through the seasons. He is not just a logger, but a caretaker of his land.

Deer Video

We saw a buck and doe rustling through the woods coming towards us. I told my dog to check them out and she went over to them. The doe ran on ahead past us but the buck was cut off by my black Labrador retriever. The buck then turned and

ran alongside us and stopped to look at me. I was fumbling to get my camera ready but by the time I got it out the buck was gone.

We walked further in the woods going up and down gullies and finally came upon the buck again. My camera was ready this time. But as I started to film I could not see the Buck in the view finder. I was on target but started to pan to the left looking for the Buck. Just then the deer buck bounded off into the woods and all that was seen was its white tail.

Recap News & Blogs

Acorn counters were at work again to check on the mast production in Missouri.

Tree sculptures

Arbour sculpture

I found a site that links to different posts on the "Economic Benefit of Trees" I have added this to my links list.

Break on Katy Trail Pilot Grove

I stopped at Pilot Grove to read and rest. This was nearing the end of my first day on the trail. I rode 43 miles that day and was enjoying myself.

The hustle and bustle of society becomes an irritation to me at times. I like the silence of riding my bicycle. The Katy Trail offered an opportunity for me to reflect on my life and plan for the future and listen to God for His direction.

Pslam 62:1
"My soul waits in silence for God only;
From Him is my salvation."

Hickory With Fall Color

Zooming in on the buds of this hickory I ID it as a Bitternut hickory.


I always enjoy the fall. One I like it because of the revitalizing I get by the cool weather. I don't work up a sweat hiking through the woods. Of course the color is enjoyable. There is some sadness as the trees drop their leaves. But I enjoy the easiness of hiking through the woods off trail.

Fall A Time For Color

Kids have a ball
when they roll in the leaves of fall.

The color of tree leaves lined up on the street.
The cool weather relieves from the summer heat.

A time of hiking
Family raking

Color to see.
and be amongst the trees.

Leaves fall to the ground.
the freedom to get out of town.

I am not a poet
but I don't know it:)

Two Toned Chinquipin Oak Leaf

This is the same Chinquapin oak leaf. I flipped it over to take a picture of the back side. I saw a little bit of red in the veins on top and when I flipped it over the red dominates the bottom.




Life is always interesting to me. I see in myself some rough edges in my personality. I try to be nice to others but there seems to be at times something that is selfish. It can't be hidden. When this occurs to me I go to God in prayer and ask forgiveness. I read the Bible and pray for God to soften my heart and make me like Him. When I am relying on Him to live through me I am able to help others and not just look out for myself.

Psalm 69:5
You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.

Missouri River Jetty

Here are a couple of photos I took of the Missouri river that is flowing over a rock jetty established by the Corps of Engineers. At the current time of these photos the jetty are covered by the height water of the Missouri river.




Above is a photo of the same jetty exposed by lower water. The purpose of this jetty is to slow the current at this point and cause debris in the water to settle on the river bottom. The slower the water is flowing the less volume of debris it can hold.

Over time the river will deposit enough debris to fill in the bed to become part of the bank of the river. Why?

The Corps of Engineers wants to straighten the river and narrow the channel. In part this will make it easier for barges to use the river.

This is good strategy for barges and economic development but not for wetlands. Wetlands provide habitat for wildlife. They also provide a storage area for flood water. If the river is diked there is no place for flood water to go. Therefore the floods will careen down the river channel until a dike is broken. Then with the broken dike and damaged farmland, (which depended on the dike), the flood water finds a place to store the excess water. If the river was left alone this would have happened naturally.

Man can change nature for a time but only with constant effort. The forces of nature will continue to chew away at what man has put in its way.

Do we try to set up barriers against what God has planned for us? We may succeed for a while but in the end it will fail.

To cooperate with nature seems to me to be a much better way to manage lands and to cooperate with God also makes more sense.

Matthew 11:28
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Pin Oak Parkway

Riding my bicycle on a Sunday afternoon I decided to stop to enjoy this parkway and see if I could get a photo. I kneeled down to get under the branches and was able to get this shot.


Luke 11:10
"For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, to will be opened."

Pawpaw Fall Color

It is interesting as I walk further into the woods the Paw paws get more yellow. They are the undergrowth trees with the large oblong leaves. This was probably the best day for color which was the 2nd of November. As I remember in the past the best day in these parts would be the middle of October. Anyway I was glad to be out and getting a few photos.

Recap, News & Blogs

NatureServe is an environmental web site whose mission is: " to provide the scientific basis for effective conservation action." The is the first Environmental organizations I have added to my list at the bottom of my blog for a while.

Environment has an article on the cost of losing diversity in the environment.

This blog was mentioned in "The Festival of Trees" hosted by Via Negativa. I submitted my posts on Black oak. There are also interesting photos of Bald cypress. My Bald cypress photos were taken outside of its range, but these old growth trees are amazing.

Osage+Orange blog had a nice article on Osage orange.

Creek Along Katy Trail

Creek along the Missouri Katy Trail provided a rest stop for me while riding. One of the reasons I ride a bike is to rest mentally while I exercise physically. Physical activity in nature have a way of putting problems more in perspective. Just as reading and letting God's word bring peace to my soul causes me to relax in Him.

Smooth Sumac in the Fall

Here is some sumac photo taken on 20 Oct 2008

Below is sumac from the same area in the Nov 2007





There was a lot more color last year. Why? It looks like the mowers had cut into the stand of Sumac.


Exodus 15:11
"Who is like You among the gods. O Lord?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?"

Moring Sun on Winding Road

Riding down this road the early morning sun could be seen intermitenly as it struck some trees but misted most. This road was on a north aspect of a hill resulting in a lot of shade.


This view catches the sun just shinning on the yellow tops.


Here I am coming up on some sun.

Shade degrades the beauty of the woods, but it is still there. You just don't get to see it until the conditions change. The clouds above show the pormise of a sunny day.




Jeremiah 31:35
"This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD Almighty is his name:"

Lofty Trees

Today is the election in America. We have been a lofty country. Will we be able to continue to lead the free world?

Isaiah 2:12
"For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning
Against everyone who is proud and lofty
And against everyone who is lifted up,
That he may be abased."

Maple Trees Around the City

Fall Bald Cypress

Bald cypress turning brown in late October. I am going to keep up with these trees to show them losing their leaves.

Katy Trail Tunnel

Metal Tunnel along Katy Trail NE of Clifton. There is not much romance in this tunnel. It reminds me more of a culvert. But it serves its purpose of getting the path under a road. Most of the trail was great but this reminds me that man is directly involved in my enjoyment of nature.

Man's attempts attempts to reach God at times is not nice either. We try our own way and endeavor to please Him with our own rules. God is not looking for people to keep rules but to humblely come to Him and repent.

Luke 5:32
"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."