"Simple like an uncarved block."
Tao te Ching


"Like an acorn that holds the promise of a thousand forests."

Sunday, July 19, 2009

SUNDAY STROLL

A walk back to the lake seemed a good stroll for today. The path has not been cleared this year and it was pretty wild and filled with bramble and downed timber. So carefully picking our way, with Flutemaker in the lead to clear spider webs and tromp down briers we made it to the lake and the jumping off rock ledge often uses for swimming parties. I love how the lake is slowly revealed as we approached. The path is a slow ramble and possibly an old animal trail.
This little lake is the source of the municipal water works and is fed by another lake piped underground and our little creek that runs through our property.

It is an overcast day with temperatures in the low 60' . Sorry the sun didn't choose to shine on our outing. But--"the sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar--tomorrow--."

It's a pretty lake. Here we are looking across at a pasture where cows are protected by their donkey friends. Locally farmers keep donkeys in with their cattle because the donkeys are said to dislike coyotes and stomp any that get near the herd.

This is the inlet where our creek flows out and we are looking toward our nephews home place here on the right side of the creek.

If we could have seen around the bend of the lake you could almost see the bridge on my nephews land, some of which is on the other side of the creek.

Along the stream are wonderful bushes and stands of Jewelweed like you see here. I believe smearing jewelweed on a mosquito bit is suppose to soothe the itch. It is a tried and true remedy for poison ivy. (I have added this because Aisling reminded me with her comment.)

A friendly dragonfly follows us along the pathway as we wander homeward.

Here we have found some very curious looking mushrooms at the base of this tree. They look like thin wood shavings that have curled around into little disks. I continue to be amazed at the different ways mushrooms choose to appear.

Finally our last photo opportunity is at the site of a beavers handiwork. This log didn't get hauled away and seems to have been here for a few years. We took many more pictures along the way and had a good time reblazing the old trail.
Be sure to check out the other strollers who have checked in at The Quiet Country House.

6 comments:

Marcie said...

Pretty stroll. That really is a pretty, secluded lake. I have heard of jewelweed as a treatment for poison ivy (and it often grows near the itchy stuff) but never for mosquito bites. Interesting!

Cloudhands said...

I guess if it works for one itch it might work for another, then again maybe I just made that up. I wonder if it would work on tick bites. They are really terrible this year. I have four tick bites in various stages of itch right now.
I need to do a lake stroll in the fall when the color is showing and do it on a nice bright day.

Socratease8 said...

We live in a special place. Send you visitors on over to Socratease8 site
to see more of the neighborhood from my walk.

Cloudhands said...

If they comment they'll see it here.

Rebecca said...

You have a delightful way of bringing us along with you - your eye and camera have captured some very interesting sights & your words are instructive - wonder if there is any jewelweed up here in N.E. Indiana???

Cloudhands said...

Rebecca,
I'm glad you came along on our tramp through the woods and along the water's edge. Indeed, I am sure you have Jewelweed in Indiana. Try it on mosquito bites, but the truth is I'm no longer sure about that after Aisling (my daughter) reminded me about the poison ivy. I'm sure you can find that as a fact on the internet and in books. Visit anytime.