Mini-vacation #4

(After ABVD)

Part 4

The rhododenron flowers above were taken at the parking area of the Blackwater Falls handicapped accessible trail. My good wife mentioned in the blog of July 16th that I always take photos of the trees that are at the beginning of this trail and whose roots cling to the large rocks.

Guess what? Judy took the picture below of the same trees this week with new models, but the trees and their root systems are the same!





Grandpa checked out the Riverside Park in Davis. This park is located directly across from the Shop and Save. It was my thought to see if this would be a possible fishing spot for Flora.

A gazebo graced the park's entrance.

The Blackwater River with its stocked trout flows gently beside the park. The bank was a little steep, but.....

..... this pond seemed to be an excellent place for small fisherman to wet their line. Grandpa and Flora did not get the opportunity to fish - too many activities and then it rained a couple of afternoons. Maybe next time we will be able to check out the fishing in this spot.

I did mention that we were on the way to a picnic lunch at Blackwater Falls State Park. Grandma prepared all the goodies.

When Rachael and Sarah were small gals, we had many picnics in this area. It is now Lucy and Flora's turn to picnic and check out the forest.

Flora discovered that Native Americans (Well?) had prepared a lodge. All the girls needed were animal hides to finish this shelter. My guess is that animal hides would not be used by our animal loving grandkids - most likely a sheet made of cotton fibers or braided rushes would be used.

Once we had finished eating, a stroll through the forest was on the agenda. This particular area is amazing for its populations of trailing ground pine (club mosses).

There are several species of club mosses in West Virginia. The species below is an upright club moss. Club mosses do not produce flowers, but reproduce by spores.

Most folks are familiar with the club moss below and call it by its common name of "trailing ground pine". This particular species as been used to make Christmas wreaths. It is rare to find in some areas because of this practice.

An interesting note - the spores were once used as baby powder and also utilized during surgery as an absorbent dusting powder. My favorite use was in early photography. The spores were the basis of flash powder. These same spores were used by early stage designers to produce lightning effects for their plays. The spores are really flammable and produce brillant light.

The spore capsules containing the spores can be seen on the tips of the club moss below.

We leave our Blackwater Falls picnic adventure by observing this small yellow flower that grows in amongst the grass. Is this butter and eggs? Check out this critter by using your wild flower references.

Tomorrow the Canaan adventure continues.