Another Winter Outing

The weather was decent yesterday (it wasn't quite as cold) and it was Rand's day off, so we thought we'd get out of the house. It's only January and I'm already getting that I've-been-cooped-up-in-the-house-for-too-long feeling. We geared up to search for some nature, complete with our bird-finding kid binoculars and a little turtle bag in case we found some treasures (leaves or rocks) that just had to come home with us (Wyatt kept saying that if he found a cool squirrel he was going to pick it up and put it in the bag). It's the first time we've been on the trail since the trees all lost their leaves, so it looked like a totally different trail.

Right at the beginning of the trail we found this huge bees nest. Don't remember seeing that when all the leaves were up!

Brendan totally didn't believe us that it was a bees nest. He kept saying, "But I thought bees nests were just yellow." Yeah. They are......in cartoons! Note to self: Get out more!

Here's Wyatt looking for some birds out of the wrong end of his binoculars...and walking backwards to boot!



Brendan with the turtle, treasure bag. We did bring home one big pine cone. Probably should make a little bird feeder out of it.


Found something!

Don't know if you can see it very well. We saw this huge nest up in a tree and heard all this rustling around. Out popped 2 squirrels. You might be able to see them better if you click on the pictures.


Recognize this?

The trees here are so twisty and mangled looking with vines and branches going all different directions. You can't see it until all the leaves are gone. I love it.

Same spot in October


This is the spot where we turn around. The path beyond this tower becomes a very steep down hill slope. We made the mistake of riding our bikes down that hill once. Big mistake. Going down...really fun. Riding back up with a kid on the back of your bike.....impossible.


If you want to know what the tower is all about, you can read this little sign here:

(click on the picture and you can see it nice and big)

Winter in the Park

Today we went for an outing at Valley Forge Park. It's freezing so we mostly stayed in the car. There is a driving path called the Encampment Tour and you can tour (in your car) through the park and stop and get out at some of the sites if you want to. I love this park. It's beautiful, for one, but I easily get caught up in the history that makes it so special. During December of 1777 through June 1778 George Washington's Continental Army camped here for rest and training after enduring a couple significant defeats by the British at both Brandywine (PA) and Germantown (PA). They constructed over 2000 log huts to "camp" in through the winter and suffered as they endured the harsh winter weather with very little supplies.
The British were in Philadelphia and Valley Forge was close enough to keep the British from gaining the interior of Pennsylvania but far enough away to prevent surprise attacks. Washington's army eventually marched out of Valley Forge in June of 1778 to pursue the British who were heading to New York. The war went on for 5 more years, but Valley Forge became a significant turning point in the life of the Continental Army. No significant battles were won or even fought here, but it has become one of the most renowned aspects of the American Revolution. The hardships the ordinary soldier endured while living in makeshift log huts has become legendary.
It's a pretty sweet park. It's worth the trip out here to the east coast (hint, hint).

2008

I just tried writing something like 5 times and I can't. This collection of pictures all together makes me so sad. Something about time passing burdens my heart. It makes me sad for the things that are now in the past.
Despite that, I know I am blessed...

Welcome 2009