Livingston State Park

Livingston State Park

November 21, 2010

Looking for a hiking trail between Woodville and Livingston somewhere close to the Alabama-Coushatta Reservation , and unable to find it, we decided to go on to Livingston State Park. Once we arrived we drove around a little bit to get our bearings. I have to say, that it was a bit confusing even with our map, but eventually we found the mile long hiking trail we wanted to take. It showed it had a frog and a duck pond on this loop, so we decided to try this one.

Right away we notice that the boardwalk, however nice to walk on for exercise, kept us "up" and away from the nature that we was wanting to see, somewhat disappointing. There was even signs saying not to stray from the path. We also had signs warning us to yield the right of way to the horses. So when we came to these signs they would act out a dramatic play of stampeding horses and our failure to yield to them. As you can imagine it was quite interesting and humorous.

We come to the "Duck Pond". Needless to say, there was much left to be desired with the "pond." It was mostly dried up, a little swampy slough with not the first duck. Beside it was the "Butterfly Garden" that also needed some work, but I suppose the season was not helpful on that problem. I did see some pretty little Calico Asters but not in the "garden."

Anna and Austin find what I vaguely identify as an All-thorn. "Mom these are the kind like in the crown JESUS wore!" Anna relates.  She poked herself with and states, "Ouch, that hurts!" I say, "Yeah imagine how JESUS felt." Austin pulled off one of the thorns and when he let it go it hit Adam in the throat. Thank GOD it wasn't in the eye. Austin, of course felt bad and apologised but I scolded him good for it. We kept walking along the boardwalk trying to find something to investigate and we noticed these little blackish berries on one shrub, and some red berries on another, and plenty of beautiful oak leaves changing colors. We try to identify the trees but I have realised that I rarely have enough information to correctly identify them.

Instead of reading the information placard, my husband begins reciting the late great Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a dream" speech. Anna was not impressed at all, so we move on. The two little monkeys fight over who gets to stand on the stump and pose for a picture, when Anna wins, Adam goes and finds a post to stand on. Anna having been outdone, looks on with jealousy.

We take a time out for Adam to tie his boot. We have all bought hiking boots so we look the part of great adventurers. We watch as a Red Admiral butterfly plays with Stewart. I decide that it is only after his watermelon gum. I get a pretty good shot of it when it rested on a nearby tree. Stewart finds this vine in-circled stick. I ask his what did he find. He says, " A curly thingy nature made!" My husband has such a wonderful since of humor. He tried to keep it interesting. Adam finds a vine to swing from. When I looked at the picture I noticed his shirt says "OOPS" because the "H" in "HOOPS" was covered. I thought that was a perfect narration for the picture. And of course Anna not to be out done, goes for a swing also. 

We walk on a little ways and I look up and see Adam holding the creek sign.
"Adam, what are you doing?" I inquire.
"Holding a sign," he says sweetly. Apparently it was laying on the ground and he thought he would be the post for a minute.
Adams next attempt at vine swinging was short lived, the vine stretched down to the ground and he just spun. We walked on and saw that the trail lead through the sewer treatment area. I am not sure who thought out this part of the trail but I would have to say I would not have had my visitors walking through the smelly sewage area. Adam, after being told what the smell was, runs, falls down, and says dramatically "I died from the stinky place!"

We arrive at the frog pond and it was not much better than the duck pond. A dried up little pool of stagnant water with no sign of froggy life. We heard gun shots, I holler, "Hello, people walking here!" I just love hunting season in Texas. Trigger happy people shooting in a state park. I decided we needed to get out of there pretty quick before we were mistaken for very loud talkative deer.
Anna finds a fallen tree to pose on, Adam almost falls trying to get on it too. I did find one mushroom on the whole trail. I believe it is a White Oysterette. While I tried to identify it with my new iPhone app, Stewart found another Red Admiral butterfly to play with, this time the butterfly lands on his hand many times and even once on his head.

We got to the end of the trail and decided to go back to the store and boating area. That was the highlight of the trip. There was a look out tower the kids wanted to climb, so up we went. I have a fear of heights so I only make it to the second story and Anna stayed with me while the boys went to the top. After getting a quick picture of the ducks below, I went back down to get their picture from the ground view.
The kids wanted to get a closer look at the ducks so we followed the little guys around for a while. I do not blame them for abandoning their little "duck pond" when they have this big beautiful lake to swim in. Adam thought the white duck was a goose I tell him, "No, it is just a domestic duck. The others are Mallards." We discuss the differences in the girl and boy mallards and why the girl must be in her camo. We noticed a stump of a post with a little bushy plant growing out of it bearing white flowers. It reminds me of the poem, "Bloom Where You are Planted. "
Though this was not the best trek we have taken I am glad we came and made the most of it.

Kirby Nature Trail

Kirby Nature Trail

November 14, 2010

It is my baby girls birthday today. I got up and cooked her what she requested for breakfast which was Jimmy Dean Sausage Cheese Balls. After we finished breakfast we decided to head to Village Creek State Park for a hike. The ranger at Martin Dies Jr State Park said the Village Creek Park was a really good one. We had bought three camo back packs for the kids to use as Science packs, I figure it would work out better for longer walks. They transferred all their Science stuff over and was ready to go. We drove towards Beaumont and come across a road sign that says "Big Thicket Visitors Information Station" I request, "Honey, stop there so we can maybe get some more info on hiking trails around here," so we pull in. Stewart and I get out and go in. The lady was very nice and helpful. Apparently there is some kind of informational video class going on because she had to change out the videos for some people, that is interesting for a future visit. She tells us that there is a small 2 mile hiking trail right up the road that was free and gave us a map to it. So we go and take a look. It had a nice parking lot and a neat little Log cabin at the trail head along with water fountain and port-a-potties. "Y'all wanna do this one?", I ask my group. "Sure!" was the eager reply. We gear up and head out. There was a beautiful old Live Oak tree in the yard of the trail head cabin so of course we had to get a picture. We figure this tree has to be a couple hundred years old to be this big and beautifully branched.

First thing Anna does when we get on the boardwalk is walk on the edge and slip off taking Adam down with her. They both get back up and dust off. No one was hurt but Anna got a grass stain on the knee of her new jeans and we still have to go to Beaumont to shop. I scold her a little bit because she was not careful. A few feet later we find a sign that say "Caution: Wet Boardwalks are Slippery" "yeah, ya think?" was my response, now they tell us. So Anna poses by the sign with her grass stain.

The boardwalks are very pretty with the fall leaves littering the way. Stewart and I had bought "hiking sticks" which were designed to be used for a more complete workout by using them like ski poles but we wanted to use the for hiking sticks. Stewart's pole was not extended enough and I picked on him about walking with it like it was his "pimp daddy" cane. So I take a quick picture of him and then adjust it to be more of a hiking stick. I honestly think I prefer Austin's cane hiking stick but I will use the one we bought. Austin was trying to get a leaf of some sort off a tree by the boardwalk. It was just out of his reach, he tried and tried almost falling off a couple times. I was primed and ready to get a picture of the "fall" but he never fell. The Stewart picks the same kind of leaf off of a tree that was closer and asked "Umm, is this what you are wanting?" We all laugh, poor Austin after all his hard work.

My little Birthday girl rock star grabs Austin's hiking stick and jumps on a stump and starts singing, "La la la, oh yeah!" We look at trees and moss growing on them and different kinds of bark. Stewart makes me take a quick picture withe the kids before trekking on.

Along the trail we see (numbers correspond with pictures):
(1) I had a hard time identifying this one because I needed to "lift up its skirt" to see more and didn't because I didn't want to disturb it
(2) a pile of slimy mushrooms that I can't identify but we called it the "scat" mushrooms jokingly
(3) Bearded Tooth
(4) Grass Spider's Web (it is a nice side view)
(5) these little shelf mushrooms appear to have algae growing on them
(6)Turkey Tail (Adam totally "called" this one, "Mom, look it looks like a turkey's tail.")

Below are some more things we studied:
(1) holes bored in a tree by a Sapsucker
(2) Yellow House Plant Mushroom (maybe)
(3) Austin Spotted a wonderful array of  Soil Layers in the root system of a fallen tree
(4) A beautifully colored Holly Tree
(5) a pretty white mushroom the kids said it looked like a flower. I looked up Fungi Cycle thought that was cool
(6) a cocoon Anna found, no telling what came out of it

Adam was trying to use a Holly leaf to cut the pretty yellow leaves we see on a bush.
We walked and read all the cool little signs they had saying what kind of tree was represented.
Anna found a funny tree branch nub that looked like a saddle, so of course she had to "ride" her horse. Adam was worried that it would start raining so he decided to cover his head with his back pack.

We came across this creek bed that was dried up, but within its banks was the most beautiful huge Cypress Trees. We walked down into the creek and got to see them up close. It was an awesome opportunity. The "knees" of the big tree was taller than Stewart's head. We had read from an earlier hike that the "knee" could have been used to obtain food or air for the tree above the water line. We noticed that at the base of the tree the knees grew into it making the big bottoms. So maybe they help with stability while in the water. I wish there was a way to tell how old these trees were. GOD is awesome. Just to see the mighty works of his hand is enough to make your soul smile. This was the high light of our hike. The kids played around the knees and climbed the big trunk. We found a gray tree frog here, perched on a Cypress knee. Anna petted the little frog, saying "Aww your a cute little frog aren't you?" Yay, my girl is not a girly girl and is not scared of frogs. She is right in the big middle of it all, just like I was as a kid.

(1) a lovely Gray Tree Frog on a Cypress Knee
(2) I looked everywhere trying to find this little Caterpillar and could not get a positive ID but I thought it was beautiful
(3)these holes in this tree Stewart says is probably from Flying Squirrels
(4) a young Bald Cypress Tree

After we left the Cypress grove we walked until we reached a big bridge. The signs said Inner Loop, Outer Loop, and Sandhill Loop. Since I forgot to bring the map I took from the Info. Station we did not know how the lay out was.The area by the bridge had a little picnic area where you could enjoy a rest and lunch. We decided to take the Sandhill Loop because it crossed the bridge where I took the pictures that are posted below. They reminded me of a postcard.

The bridge was scary because when you got to the top of it, it would sway and I have a fear of bridges anyway so I fussed at Stewart for swaying the bridge too much. We continue on for what seemed like for ever. The whole time we are sure we are going to get to the car just around the next curve. The kids are getting tired and so were Stewart and I. Finally we come to another big bridge this one was more rickety than the last but we see a map sign on the other side so we cross it, timidly. Once we get there we see that we have been on the wrong loop ever since the last bridge. We have no idea where to go from here except deadhead back the way we came. The kids and I are almost in tears out of shear exhaustion. We suck it up and turn around and trudge back the way we came. I am hurting in my feet and hips pretty bad and end up stumbling and falling and getting both my knees dirty but I did not hurt myself. The kids got real quiet. I ask what is wrong. Austin tells me Anna is afraid I will not want to go on into Beaumont and shop now that my knees are dirty. I tell her, "You know what baby girl, mom fell and got dirty too because I fussed at you for doing it and I shouldn't have. I will still take you out to eat and to Toys-R-Us for your birthday, dirty knees or not. We are country folks that have been out hiking and I don't know these people in Beaumont so I really don't care what they think of me!" That seemed to reassure her and we trudged on. She was cold so I gave her my long sleeve over shirt. She slipped it on, over her pack and all. So I called her my little hunch back. She was not real impressed with that. Adam whined a little bit and Anna started dragging up the rear. I tell Adam if I am not whining he is not allowed to either and I take Anna's hand and we walk on. I prayed, "God, please give us  the strength to get back to the car and please do not let it rain on us." Amazingly the trip back to the car took no time at all and the good Lord kept us dry. My best guess is that we walked close to 4 miles because of my mistake of not bringing the map. A mistake that will not happen again. I am actually proud that we walked it with very little problem.

We go on in to Beaumont and take Anna out to eat at Brazos Cattle Co. Then we swing by a couple clothes stores for me and then out to Toys-R-Us so the kids could spend their money they received from Pops & Mawmaw Husband for their birthday. The only kid  that found a toy was Adam, he bought a Bionicle.

We decided on our way out of Beaumont that we would go by the Village Creek State Park since it was where we was suppose to hike today. I figured we could at least drive it so we can see what they have for next time. We get our Pass approved and go on in to have a look. They have a play ground that we let the kids play at for a few minutes while Stewart and I look at the map.

This park has several loops to walk, even a mini trail for little kids. We walk the mini trail and it has foot prints in cement and info signs of different kinds of animals scattered along the trail. It was exciting and interactive for the kids. Adam really liked it because he got to see a beaver foot print and a bob cat track. Austin would run ahead and cover the sign and we would guess what the foot print was. Anna had to blow the dirt out of some of the track so we could see them better.

We go and look at the creek, it has amazing white sand on the bank on the other side. Adam said, "Mom, is that snow?" I laugh and say, "I wish, but no, just really white sand." He says, "I wish too, cuz then I could build a snow man." I ask the family if they are up to taking on a trail, but only a small one because it would be dark soon. They surprisingly are up for it. My family are such troopers. We actually ended up taking four trails but just pieces of each that made a small loop of only a half mile. The park seems well equipped with picnic tables and a rocked walking trail for part of it, also walk in camping sites.

We see some hog tracks, I am getting to where I can tell between them and deer tracks pretty well. It starts to sprinkle and Anna says, "Ahhh hurry up we are going to get struck by lighting!" I tell her it is not lighting silly. She still plays the drama out a bit. Adam asks me how do I know there is no lightning in this rain. I tell him I know what the different clouds look like and these clouds did not look like storm clouds. I tell Anna, "Dodge those rain drops girl!" So she runs in a zig zag pattern pretending to dodge them. Adam has his pack back up on his head. I stop and take a picture of a pretty tree that is very colorful and Stewart takes the camera from me again. I look at some white flowers on a bush and he gets a picture of me. "You look like you are studying that pretty hard!" He laughs. I swipe my camera back. The kids are urging us to hurry, the rain is no fun to them at all. They are still chattering about lightning. I snap a picture of a very unimpressed Austin trudging on in the sprinkling rain. In no time we are back to the car. Anna hollers, "Hurry daddy unlock the car. Lightning!" Silly, silly children, I almost think they wish it was lightning so they could have a thrill of being scared.

We all agree even though we walked a long ways today, it was a good day.

Martin Dies Jr. State Park

Martin Dies Jr. State Park Hike

November 11, 2010

Well, today was Veteran's Day and after spending some time with my dad this morning and reading him " My Daddy" poem we decided to go for a hike at Martin Dies Jr. State Park .

Hubby asked if I wanted to invite my sister & her kids to go with us and I said, 'Sure!"

My "Sis" and her kids "B" and "L" joined us but prefer to not be pictured in my blog, in the famous words of "Shrek" "I like me privacy" (imagine that being said in my best Shrek voice.)

Thank GOD I have a Tahoe that seats nine people because we all piled into it and drove to the park.

We are used to going to parks that cost $3 to enter, so imagine my surprise when they said it would cost $15 for all of us to have a picnic and hike the 2.37 mile  "Slough Trail". Stewart and I had been thinking about getting a "Park Pass" for $60, since we go hiking and picnicking so much. We decided to go ahead and buy one, since $15 dollars of today's charge is a quarter of the whole cost of the "Pass". I did not realise that Texas Parks and Wildlife Parks were different than the Federal Parks we have been going to. But honestly these parks are really well maintained, so my money goes to good use. 

Finally, we are on our way to our picnic. We choose a table out by the lake so we would have a beautiful view as we ate. I lay out my table cloth and set up the food. I learned from our last picnic that bringing my table cloth would be much better than trying to remind the kids constantly that the table is nasty and not to let your food touch it.

While we eat our sandwiches and talk, I snap a few pictures.

I did not know Magnolia trees had cones or that they had beautiful red seeds. 

I think the trees with the Spanish Moss hanging from them are so beautiful. It reminds me of my childhood and my granny having it hanging from her trees. 

I thought the hole in the tree was neat, Austin said it started at the bottom and went all the way through to this hole.

Austin hangs from the lantern hook and climbs a tree, probably showing out in front of his cousins. "B" picks up some of the Magnolia seeds to take home. 

We load up our leftovers, our trash and our family and drive over to where the hiking trail starts.

We take some group pictures and then we are on our way.

"L" seems to want to "speed hike" so we have to keep calling her back and telling her to slow down. She is missing nature as she walks through it so fast.

We are kind of disappointed that our  "Slough" we are supposed to be walking through was all dried up. I tell them we will have to come back after we get some much needed rain. We was hoping to see some Alligators , because there are plenty in this park, but no slough means no gators close by. The only water we was seeing so far was the lake so we had the kids sit for a picture.

The girls are chattering constantly and leading the way with Adam hot on their heels. "Adam, dont you do it!" I warn as I see the "hiking stick" go into the air. I am sure he was only acting out what he was imagining but I thought I should make sure. I figure their chatter was probably making him wish he could whap them.

We spot some neat mushrooms along the way.  The first one we find is maybe a Honey Fungus Mushroom, although I am not positive. Next we find a Puffball. I remember as a kid I would stomp these and send the spores flying, now my kids love it just as much.  

"Hey, honey look at this!" Stewart calls he has found an interesting Earthstar Mushroom. We had never seen one before so of course I had to take a picture so I could look it up.

Adam finds a small tree to stand on, trying to "surf" it, but he was to heavy and it just bent down.

We liked the bridges it made the hike more interesting. We kept hoping that each bridge would have water running under it but we was disappointed each time. Stewart goes to hop up on the edge of one to sit and "flop", over he goes. I can always count on him to be the "comic relief."

Having "Sis" with us, we had a nice opportunity to get some pictures of my whole family so she and I took turns taking pictures for each other.

 

We came across a  Snapping Turtle nest but it looks like the  Armadillos or Raccoons got to it before they could hatch.

We also came across a snake skin, which Austin took as a sample to investigate further, but it gave us an opportunity to call the "speed walking" girls back and remind them why they should not walk so far ahead.

 

Anna finds a leaf that looks like a little canoe and puts it on her ear, "An ear cover" she announces then gets shy when I want a picture. I think she is only acting shy because her cousins are with us. Adam is not shy at all, he thinks his sisters idea was the best idea yet, so he got a "cover" for each ear. His daddy and I think he looks like he belongs in a Star Trek movie. And of course if you have ear covers you must accessorise with the fashionable nose cover too.

A few more mushrooms was on the tour. My best abilities of identifying them via Internet, these are maybe a Butter-wax Cap, some kind of  Cauliflower Mushroom, and  a Shelf Mushroom. Do not take my word for it on these identifications because they are way to easy to miss-identify.

We continue walking and "L" says, "Hey there is an outhouse." I crack up laughing.  "Honey that is not an outhouse that is a deer stand." I correct her between my giggles. A little while later while voicing my need for a restroom my oldest son so sweetly says, " Well, mom, we could always go back to "L"s "outhouse and use it." I start laughing again, "Son, I do not think the hunter would appreciate that very much." Stewart pipes in, "Yeah, he wouldn't have a deer around for miles." We all have a good laugh.

 After walking most of the trail with out any water in the "slough" we finally come to an area that was swampy. By this time it was getting dusk and the frogs were croaking, crickets chirping,  and mosquitoes swarming, but we did get to look at the trees and ferns that grow in a swamp area. The little ones were a bit worried that we might see an alligator and it beginning to get dark made that worry a bit more intense.

 We finally get to the end of the hiking trail but we still have to walk all the way back to the car along the park road. We come up to the park store and I tell Sis and the kids wait for us here, Stewart and I will go get the Tahoe. Sis is relieved because her back was starting to hurt. Poor girl worked all day then I drag her out to hike 2+ miles. Not to mention  the little ones were beginning to wear down. After a brisk walk we return with the car and we all pile in and head home. It was a good day.

"My Daddy" Happy Veteran's Day

"My Daddy"

(a poem)

My dad was in the army

Way before there was me,

But they taught him stuff

And in turn he taught me.

Obey you elders,

Show them respect,

Do as you are told,

An image you reflect.

Silence in the woods,

What tracks do you see?

Stay close, don’t get lost.

Make sure to follow me.

Pull back the bow,

So it don’t hit your arm.

Careful with the gun,

Do others no harm.

Bait the hook with a worm.

Tie a knot just this way.

When there is work to do,

Make sure you don’t play

Don’t trust people,

They will hurt you for sure.

Boys want to take,

And leave you impure

Don’t you start a fight,

But if the fight comes to you,

Make sure they are the ones

Who can't do what you do.

Crying is for sissies

don’t you shed a tear.

Never show weakness

or the least bit of fear.

Pine cones have a nut

You can live off the land.

Throw the knife by its tip

With a steady hand.

Don’t take what’s not yours.

Trespassing is a crime.

Work a honest day

If only for a dime.

Keep the tools clean

Each one has a place.

I knew he meant business

By the look on his face.

Computers are the future.

Learn all you can from me.

Reading teaches all things

With endless possibility.

If you’re going to drive

Know how to work them too.

The oil, the tire, the plugs

The broken brake shoe.

In pain, shrug it off.

Tell a joke, when scared.

Know when you are listened to

And when they no longer care.

Life happens.

Things die.

People hurt you.

People lie.

At camp, we were safe.

Dad had a gun.

Anyone come up

He could put them on the run.

He knows karate

Boxed above his class

Anyone hurt us

He’d knock them to the grass.

Daddy taught me plenty.

He could be really hard.

But he is who I thank

For being on guard.

A bit tuff on us girls

But that was OK.

He made me into

This woman today.

I thank my daddy

For being willing to fight

For my country, My freedom

And my liberty and rights.

 

(certain identities hidden by request)

Ratcliff Lake Hike

Ratcliff Lake Hike

November 7,2010

Daylight Savings time changed and we were up at seven in the morning on Stewart's day off, so I ask hubby, "What are we gonna do today?" "Well, first you are gonna cook me breakfast, something yummy, then lets go to Davy Crockett National Forest and Ratcliff Lake." So that is just what we did. I Googled and found there was a Davy Crockett Memorial Park in Crockett so I told Stewart I wanted to go there first and check it out their Veteran's Wall since Veteran's Day was this week.

On our way we saw an awesome barn I just had to take a picture of it and share. I would love to have this kind of barn. Shoot, I would love to build a house to look like this barn and live in it!

When we reached the park in Crockett, I have to say I was disappointed. The park was not well kept, maybe in an old part of town and the Veteran's Wall was very small but there was a tank in front of the Veteran's building so that made it all worth it to the kids. Adam shouts, "Is that a real live tank?" I laugh, "Well, it is a real tank but I don't think it is alive."  As soon as his feet hit the ground he was off to crawl on the tank. He looked to find a door to crawl in but only found ones welded shut. "That is to keep little boys out of there." I explain. Then up on the front and down under the track and on the back, our little Adam crawled.

"Ahhhhh help me!"

Anna was not feeling to well so dad set her up on the tank so we could take a picture. After a look around the tank Austin opened up a compartment and found some signs that said "Please Do Not Crawl on Tank." I laugh and say "Well I believe it is a bit late for that."

I tell the kids to come on and lets looks at the Veteran's Wall. We looked for names we recognised but found none we knew. I did come across a strange inscription on one though. It said :

THE UNQUALIFIED

TO DO UNNECESSARY

FOR UNGRATEFUL

I called Stewart over and said, "Hmmm, that is kind of a strange thing to write." We talked with the kids a little bit about why this man may have wrote those words. I explained it like this, "Maybe he felt unqualified to fight in a war, which he thought was unnecessary, and knew the people are ungrateful towards the military." They seemed to understand that. It is so sad that he thought no one was grateful. We are very grateful that we live in a country that brave men and women have fought for to protect us and give us the liberties we enjoy. GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES!

We needed to stop by a Wal-Mart so we decided to go to the one in Crockett. Anna still feeling sick, ended up throwing up in the Wal-Mart parking lot on our way into the store. Poor baby, I asked her if she felt better, "Yep, perfectly fine now!" was her cheerful answer. We bought her a Sprite to help settle her stomach and picked up the few things we needed and headed toward Ratcliff.

After paying our $3 entry fee we drove around the whole park before deciding where we was going to park and start our hike. We came across an old Sawmill Ruins, so we got out to investigate.

We thought it was really neat that the foundation was made of bricks and not a poured concrete slab. The kids enjoyed climbing all over it and investigating. Austin discovered that it apparently was a wonderful home for lizards, they were all living in the cracks between the bricks. We took turns guessing what could have been attached to the huge pieces of threaded re-bar sticking out of the foundation. "Maybe it was a crane?" was one theory. I love provoking the thought process, it encourages them to research things for themselves.

Beside the mill ruins was a small playground that we let the kids play at for a little while. Anna and Adam played "fireman." They would start at the "look out tower", run across the bridge, and slide down the pole to go on their fire call. I enjoyed watching the imagination of my children at work.

Austin sat and enjoyed the swing, he is such a calm natured child. Anna on the other hand was running wide open on the playground equipment. I would not have believed she was sick about a half hour ago had I not been there myself. Adam jumped in the kiddie swing so he could "buckle up", Lord only knows what he was playing in his mind. Stewart even gave the swings a go, getting in touch with his inner child I guess.  

Austin decided to try the fire pole out, passively of course. Then he climbed back up the pole and gave me a big smile when he saw I had got a picture of him. Adam ran back to the bridge and grabbed both chains and shook it like crazy..."Earthquake!" It was time to head out on our hike, though the kids thought it was much too soon. I was afraid they would get wore out on the playground and not feel like walking the hiking trail.

We drive around to the hiking parking area. After a quick stop at the little store to get a hiking trail map, we go and look at the sign. The yellow markers is for a 3/4 mile hike one way, the blue is for a 2 mile hike (assuming one way), and the white is for the 20 mile hike (unsure if it is one way or not). Stewart asks, "Are we going for the twenty?" "Have you lost your mind!!??" I reply, unsure if he is serious or not."Goodness, that is as far as Zavalla is from Lufkin." I think that registered in his mind a little better. I told him I think that the small trail will do fine, round trip it will be a mile and a half. That is a good size when you have little kids and out of shape folks walking it.

 I told Adam, "We have to follow the yellow markers to stay on the trail we need to be on, so you watch for them OK." We start off, Austin toting his Science Pack and his "hiking" stick and the two little ones in the lead. I remind them to watch for snakes and to slow down. Every time we past a marker on the tree Adam would announce, "Blue, white, yellow." "Blue, white, yellow." "Blue, white, yellow." This became old pretty quick, so I told him just tell us when it is no longer all three colors.

Adam was in the lead walking like he was a man on a mission. We could barely keep up with him. He was pretty determined to find the trail marker that would tell us which path to take. Anna was trying to out run him and had to be called back so she flashes me her mischievous grin.

We come upon a wildlife viewing booth, so we stop for a photo op. We set and look out the viewing area, we saw a few butterflies and noticed bird and squirrel houses on different trees. Stewart says jokingly, "Que the deer." We were all talking and laughing and Adam scolds, "You guys be quiet or the deer won't come out!" I laughed and explained daddy was only joking, and that the deer were not going to come out right now anyway.

Those crazy kids of mine are photo hogs I swear. They found a fallen tree and boom up on it they go "surfing." "Mom take a picture!" We look at a few more trees, "Looks like a Tornado must have came through here." I decide. I point out how the tree was twisted and broken, not just fallen over. We hurry to catch up with Austin and Stewart, who has started leading the way. 

I get a picture of a Buckeye Butterfly and right after snapping the shot it flutters and almost lands in my hair.

Finally we come to the fork in the trail and Adam walks right by it. I ask him if he was still watching for our trail markers, ooops, he had forgot with all the other things we was looking at. Anna races to look for the marker we was at and she pointed the way, much to Adam's disappointment, she can be such a little stinker to her brother.

We go a little farther and cross over one of the park roadways and go onto the bridge-way. They liked walking on the bridges, I explained that more than likely the water would be all the way up under the bridge-way if the water level was where it was supposed to be. We spot some more bird and squirrel houses. I am beginning to wonder for sure what kind of house these are we keep seeing. 

We come across a big vine hanging beside the trail. Of course my two little monkeys have to try to climb it but much to my surprise my biggest monkey has to also. Maybe Stewart was playing Tarzan, who knows? I am just glad that he is a man who can be silly and have fun and makes me laugh. Austin is completely unimpressed, as most teens are when there is such antics going on.

We look at the sign that tells us what all can be seen in the area. Then walk on to where the creek flows under the bridge. Time for a photo op. for me. Stewart tries to remember to make me take pictures too. He says the kids are always going to wonder why mom was never there if I do not make an appearance in a picture or two. So against my will, I allow a picture to be taken, I feel much more comfortable on the other side of the camera. The little creek is pretty, we can see the reflection of the overhead trees in the water below us. Anna spots a red bird, but not in time for a picture.

We walk along a bit more and Stewart calls out, "Hey guys look! Beaver chew marks!" Sure enough, this area had beaver chews on almost every tree. We look out in the water and see how he dammed up the back end of the lake and we see a clump of brush that is probably his home. The beaver had chewed on some trees that was way to big for him to carry off. Anna being silly, pretends to gnaw a tree like the beaver. "With those big ol' teeth of yours, you probably could!" we tease her. She just laughs and shines her big beautiful pearly whites. She is such a care free soul.

The cypress tree was growing a bunch of  Cypress knees up beside the bricked area of the lake so we stop to take a picture. Adam tries to climb a tree, then he and Anna hug the huge pine tree. My little tree huggers, I am so proud.

We spot a woodpecker, I am pretty sure it was a Red-cockaded Woodpecker but a lot of giggling scared it off before I could take a picture of it.

We make it back to the main part of the park and come to the Amphitheatre . We play "church" for a little bit. "This is my kind of church ! Right out here with GOD. Adam, go ahead and preach son!" I urge. He steps out from behind the "pulpit" and says "I'm to short!" Austin is looking at the other "pulpit" and Anna has to come see if he is finding anything worth looking at, but no, nothing there. I tell them to line up for church so I can take a picture, Stewart looks mighty "at home" behind that pulpit.

The view of the lake was wonderful. We walk out on the pier and look around. Austin looks through his binoculars to see if he can see the beavers in their homes, but no luck.

We had a really good time at Ratcliff. I believe someday soon we will have to camp here because there is much more to do in this park than in the ones local.

I have linked information to certain things of educational interest. Partly for my own homeschooling needs but also to show people how homeschooling children study under a different curriculum than public school children. This is why I can not "label" which "grades" my kids are in. They are all learning so many different levels of things at different times. The "standard" that the government uses to categorise the children do not apply to us.