Do Trees Have Arthritis?

The forest floor, covered with ferns, looked dark and foreboding.  The heavy canopy of trees kept the sun out from within the animal kingdom.  We drove miles through a state forest yesterday afternoon, and with each turn of the steering wheel, there was something glorious to take in and to bring joy to our day.  Few squirrels and birds.  Either they were sound asleep, or they're disappearing.  We've noticed that before on other outings. 

My Branches Ache

Gnarly trees fascinate me, and we saw many of them deep inside the woodsy acres.  They pose for the camera with no pretense, proud of what they've withstood and endured.
Our drive took us by trout streams, equestrian trails, we visited with horseback riders who were out enjoying the fall weather.  One of the horses walked right up, almost face-to face with my hubby, and the gal riding it said, "She only wants you to pet her." 

Lots of campers, some with rv's and the rest with tents set up.  The state grounds have no electricity, but that doesn't deter the serious outdoors man.  Little girls were skipping on the park roads, children were fishing in the stream, campfires were burning already in the afternoon, some people were sitting in their canvas chairs reading, others munching on snacks, and the entire place spoke of relaxation and good people making their lives into a great day.

We watched as the DNR stocked trout.  The guy took a dip net filled with good-sized trout, walked up to the trout stream, and dumped 'em in.  The fishermen standing close by were more than tickled to see the trout so they could do their best to pull 'em back out of the water and get 'em into the fry pan for supper. 

The darned mosquitoes were nasty, though.  No matter how serene and welcoming the outdoors can be, there still remains the fact that there are little biters out there who can make an outing miserable.  I got bit by one such tiny beast that decided to stick his stinger into my upper arm.  It may have been a good bite for him, but it also was his last.

Before returning home, we stopped at Kwik Trip for a thin crust pizza to nibble on at home by the t.v.  We also replenished our supply of onions, eggs, and bananas.  I picked up a couple day-old, half-price chocolate chip muffins.  They're moist, delicious, and they make my eyes cross.  If there's a better way to start a day than a chocolatey-chippy muffin, well, I'd like to know what it could possibly be!

Today's Trivia Question:  How many children did former President Jimmy Carter have besides his high-profile daughter, Amy?