Mothers Day Hike

So very much has happened since the last post a month ago.  And maybe we will fill that gap, but its most important to put something up to capture our Mother's Day Hike.  It was our first visit to the John Radcliffe Conservation Area in the southern extent of Chesterfield County.

Can you believe this one will be 7 next week?!

Banks of the quite swollen and swift Appomattox River.  

It was a perfect crisp Spring morning.  Lesley commented that Mothers Day is the best time of year.  I agree.  Lots of birds resident  and migratory - many we see and hear are headed to the farther northeast or Canada.  Early Spring butterflies (e.g. zebra swallowtails), wildflowers, and all the other forbs and shrubs and trees just emerging and/or blooming. Frogs calling from trees and wetlands.  And here lately, the pollen has let up alot so its perfect for spending a morning wandering in the forest, finding each little surprise that comes up.  They are always sure to.  We found a small snapping turtle an saw our second snake of the year (first was a beautiful garter in our beds in the yard).

This is just a great photo for the the eyes-shirt matching.

Heath made up this game that we played for awhile.  We had to pretend to be some organism (charades, basically) while we were walking and see who could guess….  

They are best friends, and complement each other so perfectly.  Its amazing how they do.  And they admit this when asked.  Good time for a Grateful Dead line:

Don't get in the way, there's nothing you can say
Nothing that you need to add or do
They love each other, Lord you can see it's true

Heath brought his bamboo hiking stick from home and back.

Boy, Heath was dragging near the end!  We had two neighborhood parties the night before and stayed up late!  We had to make this hike happen early to make it work.  Heath slept on the way home, as always, minding his needs for a nap.  Interesting note, the plaque on the bridge indicated that it was built on the very day that Heath was born.  That was fun to notice together. 

And upon returning.

And we got home in time to plant Mom's Lilac shrub, do some other piddling in the flower beds, host an impromptu play date as neighbors dropped by, cook out and so forth.  Days like this we are reminded that we are so fortunate for the world-sized happiness we have in our little lives together.