Last Hike of the 2013-14 Winter Season; Countdown to Spring.

Yesterday morning when I saw that the temperature was 55 degrees I knew we couldn't stay inside all day minding the fire. So I put together a crock-pot of soup using a recipe* a pal had posted on Facebook and we headed out the door and down the road. Because the Poop Trail, the closest local trail, was too muddy to even attempt we made a b-line to one of our alternates -- an oil road out Droney way.

We got to the t-junction by the access road after a little slip-and-slide on the ice and at first I wasn't sure the Jeep was going to be able to get all the way off the road, but we did it! Took three attempts with the fellas at the factory watching* to get in exactly the right spot. Drove right up the snowbank that the plow had been building up all winter. Was kinda wild; the Jeep kinda teetered there for a second, but we made it.


Once we were safely parked, I grabbed my gear (water bottle, leash, cell phone, camera) and walked around to let bonehead out. I knew we were parked at an angle, but you could have knocked me over with a feather when I rounded the rear side-panel and found the floor of the Jeep at waist level and the hatch at shoulder level. Now, I know I'm short -- but I'm not that short! For a fleeting moment I wondered if I'd be able to close the hatch once it was opened. S-t-r-e-t-c-h. The important thing to remember: we were parked safely off the road.

Hiking a muddy, end-of-Winter trail.

Now, "Mud City" is how I refer to oil roads in the Spring. The picture at the left says it all. Thank goodness that this is still early enough in the thaw that snow lines the edges of the road most of the time; the ground that has melted is rather squishy. Knowing that dirt washes out and off, we set off to see what we could see.

This is actually one of our favorite hiking trails because there are several streams along the way where pup can get a drink (or lay down in the water to cool off).


Another reason we like to hike this road is the scenery. Doesn't get much better than this.


This sharply-angled, squarish boulder has become a standard photo opportunity whenever we travel this way. It rests less than a quarter of a mile from what I consider the 'trail head'. I believe I now have a picture of it in every season. At times I wonder if anyone else remembers all the "Four Season" paintings, photographs and thread-art (cross stitch, embroidery, etc.) that were so popular back in the 1970s; same scene in all four seasons. Should I ever consider a four-season set, this will probably be the scene (or maybe not).



There's something about the way a pine tree - even a scraggly one like this - evokes a sense of peace in my soul. Makes me think of this poem by Joyce Kilmer titled Trees:

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray:

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.




The East Branch of Tunungwant Creek. In this neck of the woods, we pronounce it ˈkrik. According to internet sources the name comes from the Seneca language and means 'cooked creek'.

This picture gives you an idea of how muddy pup got on our walk. Am very thankful he likes to roll around in the snow on his belly. Sure saved a lot of clean-up time.

What a mess! LOVED IT!!!

Eight more days until the start of Spring. Yippee!!




* The soup recipe was taken from Cottage Bliss Facebook page.

7-DAY DIET WEIGHT LOSS SOUP (WONDER SOUP!)

This is also known as the sacred heart diet, the diet they
give to people that need to lose weight fast before a surgery. You literally can eat as much as you want and still lose weight because it takes more calories to eat it then it contains.

INGREDIENTS
½ head of cabbage, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup white or yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
and cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add celery, onions, bell peppers, and carrots.
Saute until slightly tender.
Stir in garlic.
Pour in chicken broth.
Stir in tomatoes and cabbage.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.
Cook until cabbage is tender.
Stir in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt (if using)
Taste broth and adjust seasoning if needed.


**The boys at the factory watching me drive the Jeep with Bandit standing up in the back were seeing: Forward and back, forward and back -- get out and look to see if it's off the road yet. Forward and back, forward and back -- get out and look to see if it's off the road yet... I'm sure they're still laughing their butts off. They even followed me in a pickup from the dirt/mud road until I hit the pavement when we headed back home. At first I thought they were going to tell me that I was on private property. Then I realized that one of the supervisors probably told a worker "Hey. Go follow that lady out to make sure she gets out okay. If you don't we'll probably end up pulling her out of the ditch."  awww.... isn't that sweet?!