Catalpa Flowers

Hike Photos

Here are some photos of my hike a couple of Saturdays ago. We start by crossing a couple of creeks.

Then we come to an eight stem basswood tree. Basswood often grows in multi stem clumps. It is a soft wood tree and the bark grows in veritcle furrows.

Then we come to the leaning Chinquipin oak tree. I have measured this tree. It is where I leave the trail and go into the woods. Of course the winter woods are much easier to negotiate than these summer woods. But we make it through.




We go through some thick Asian Honeysuckle bush. This stuff is so thick that I have to get down on my hands and knees to get through. My dog of course does not understant this. She just goes right on under



We cross a trail and continue down a dear trail to we come to the trail I am looking for.






We get to my bench which I use as a place for devotions and paryer. It is a two stemed Bur oak.


Next to bench is the Shag bark hickory. this tree is not big but I enjoy watching it. It is like life where usually there is nothing. Life is sometimes dull. And if we don't pay attention there will be no advancement. With dullness we can be spectators in life. I try to break out of dullness by participating in life and not spectating. We learn not by listening in a seminar but by doing. If we do what we learn that is good. If we ignore what we learn it is a waste of time. the Bible is like this. I learn a lot from books sermons etc. yet I hadn't done much. These past few years I decided to go with doing over listening.


After this we head home.

Devotions at Black Willow Forest

I came to these woods along the Missouri river to have devotions. I read the 3 chapters of Titus. It was good just sitting and watching the wind go through the leaves. I saw an Indigo Bunting. All blue. But time marches on and I had to leave. I had been near here before and I definitely want to return to this site. God is good and I enjoy being still in the handiwork He has made.

The goodness of God continues to be with me. Thank you Lord for your wonderful works to the children of men.

Willow will dominate an area that is prone to flooding. Another species that thrives here is cottonwood. Willow has an edge on Cottonwood in flood areas. Cottonwood has an edge on the amount of seeds it puts out. I was looking at the sky near here yesterday and it was full of contwood seeds. It almost looked like it was snowing.

Purple Martin Houses

Purple Martin's eat a lot of mosquitoes. For this reason man has built houses to have these birds close by.

Hike Before the Storm

Starting our hike we come across what looks like some watercress.


Not realizing a storm was brewing we go deeper into the trail. The bank is eaten away further down and we inch by but have no problem getting through.


Beautiful fluffy colouds are moving in.


Now the storm is starting to make itself known. Jill is a good trooper and hikes out while it is pouring down rain. She had fun and that is the main thing. Because we will again find ourselves in another hike with bad weather.

Revisit Lightening Strike tree

A revisit of the Kentucky Coffee Tree that was struck by lightening shows that the tree is effectively dead. There are a few leaves on a couple of branches But the tree is a goner. The last post showing the photos below was on 22 May 2009.


Here is a Kentucky Coffee tree that was recently struck by lightening. The bark that peeled off the tree is on top of the grass. There is a dead squirrel next to the tree that apparently was killed by the strike.


Why did the lightening go down the trunk in a spiral?


How much of a chance does this tree have in surviving this strike? I have read in books that trees can survive but it will be a tree that I want to revisit in future years.






Notice the feather compound leaves. They are double compound.

New Growth Kentucky Coffee Tree

Hathorne Flower

New Growth Shagbark Hickory

New Growth Paw paw

New Growth Paw paw.

First Responce to Spring

Forsythia and Asian honeysuckle first to leaf out this spring. April 1, 2010

Setting Sun

I took these photos walking around the block after supper. The sun in the west through trees provided a partial view of the sunset, while the clouds looking to the east reflected the setting sun well.

Black Walnut Buds

Black walnut buds.

We have this hope of Christ waiting for the promise of the Father. Let us live ready for His coming just as this bud waits for spring.

River Birch Bark

March photo of River birch bark. Papery and colorful.

Shagbark Hickory Bud.

Shagbark hickory bud.

Camouflaged Red Tailed Hawk

I was out of gas in my work truck and came to the gas pumps. One pump was slow and that was the only one open. I took this as on opportunity to search the sky for the Red tailed hawk that frequented the area.

I saw what looked like a clump of leaves with my binoculars. I took my camera and zoomed all the way to get the shot. After taking the photo I looked at the screen zooming in again as far as I could and I realized I got a photo of the hawk!

It was worth waiting for the diesel.