Joanna's Birthday, Part 5 , July 28, Sunday, 2013
NOTE: When I first put the photos on this web page, I had enlarged them quite a bit. But just last night, February the 17th, 2016, I noticed that it was impossible to see the previously enlarged sections of the photos outside the normal text-photo column. Sorry about that. So now, I am working on reducing all the photos back down to the standard text-photo column size, so that the complete photo may be seen. This might take a while. Sorry about that too. So for the photos I have downsized to their original format, and for the ones I have yet to do so, follow these instructions-- To enlarge the photos & text, hold down "Ctrl" & press "+" one or more times as desired. To reduce the photos & text, hold down "Ctrl "& press "-" (to left of "+" key). Then, click on scroll bar at bottom of screen & drag it all the way to the right to see complete photos. I can enlarge 5 times on my widescreen laptop & still be able to see entire photo & text. It may be different for your computer screen.—
4:28-5:04 p.m.-- Nottingham County Park, Nottingham, PA, continued...
171-- 4:28 Either a continuation of our trail, or entering new trail. Vicki now holding leash; Justin in front of Seth--
* * * 172-- 4:30 Vicki points out Wax Myrtle bush to us--
I think it is somewhere between this & the next few photos (definitely before we reached the Pine Barrens, seen in Photo 176) that we pass a woman kneeling down with her dog--an elderly Golden Retriever-type, I gess--who looks wet & tired. She says her dog was worn out (I think).
Just before we came up to the woman, we heard what sounded like a wagon being pulled by someone way behind us (I think we later caught a glimpse of the person pulling the wagon).
Then, after we pass woman & dog, one of us suggests that the person pulling the wagon is bringing it for to put the dog in it & for to take said doggy back to parking lot.
* * *
173-- 4:30 Seth goes off-trail-left-uphill thru narrow "doorway" to corn & field--
* * * 174-- 4:30 Seth comes back downhill to our trail--
* * * 175-- 4:30 Vicki's looking at something--
* * *
176-- 4:36 The Pine Barrens, at T-junction of our trail--
Vicki tells us that we're hearing a Parula Warbler just after we reach the Pine Barrens & turn right at T-junction (the "cross-bar" of said "T" is that rocky road going horizontally across above photo; "vertical part of "T-junction is in line from Vicki to Seth to me, as I take above picture, as we come up the trail we were on, approaching "cross-bar").
Justin is just visible beyond Vicki. [I think Joanna asks Vicki if there is only one Parula Warbler, or more, that we're hearing. Don't remember what Vicki answered, or if she could even tell whether there was only one, or more.]
At these Pine Barrens, we continue on our trail, which now leads downhill, off the "cross-bar" & turns 90 degrees right.
At this point, I say, "This area reminds me of Valley Garden." Joanna, Justin, Seth comment on Valley Garden (just outside Wilmington, heading toward PA) & mention the last time they visited there, at which time, Nathan was with them.
Joanna tells about a program she heard on NPR during which she learned that cicadas have 3 sounds. [I think she said that they make sounds to find their mates. Don't remember if she said both sexes sing, or just one.] Joanna begins talkin' 'bout old radio programs [which I think she heard on NPR].
She tells us about one especially interesting old detective radio episode in which the main character, a private eye, refuses the urging of his best friend to take a vacation.
As the program progresses, the friend invents an elaborate plot to connive the detective into taking a vacation. I told Joanna that I remembered her telling me about that maybe a year or so ago.
Then we start talking about letting Tumnus go into the water to cool off. Vicki leads us back to a spot on the little stream to which she had seen other people taking their dogs (photo below).
* * *
177-- 4:51 When we get there, Justin lets Tumnus walk in, & lie in, water .
This is the spot, to the left of our trail, that we'd passed earlier, & to where Vicki leads us back to, where she'd seen people letting their dogs go into the little stream--
* * *
178-- 4:51 I said previously that Vicki "led us back to here." That's because we'd already passed it.
At this time, &/or just after, I think it is Joanna (or maybe Vicki?) says, "Tumnus looks precious lying in the water"--
* * *
179-- 4:51
After Justin brings Tumnus out of the stream to the trail & we're walking again, I think, is actually when Vicki or Joanna mention "...precious...," (or they mention it again) because I remember we were walking when I started singing one of my favorite songs (because it starts with the word, "Precious") titled, "Precious & Few" (by Walter Nims & sung by the group Climax--which I never knew till I looked it up online). It goes something like this:
"Precious & few are the moments we two can share;
Quiet & blue like the sky I'm hung over you;
And if I can't find my way back home,
it just wouldn't be fair;
'Cause precious & few are the moments
we two can share."
"Precious & Few" was 1st recorded in 1970. It became a hit in 1971-72. Another great song with a similar sound is "Cherish."
Joanna sees a butter fly in the sky; I say, "Sky-high butterfly."
[Awhile later, we get off our wilderness trail & back onto the exercise trail.]
We all walk on the walking beam (final exercise spot on exercise trail). Justin, holding the leash, tries to get Tumnus to walk on it;
Vicki spots, &/or sees, a flock of Titmice & Chickadees. Tumnus goes out in bushes behind walking beam, pulling Justin with him. [Don't know what Tumnus was after, but he was determined to find whatever it was.]
[I tho't for sure I took a picture of Justin & Tumnus at the balance beam, but when I looked back at the Olympus camera file, it wasn't there.] * * *
180-- 5:04 Butterfly Garden, near parking lot; camera on tripod & set to auto-take--
The reason I'm wearing back pack is for to carry tripod, plus my dress shoes, to put on if sneakers I'm wearing were to tear apart during hike (soles of both shoes already separated partially from upper parts). These are probly one of the several pairs of shoes my sister Jane bo't me when I was visiting in Micanopy.
END PART 5