A Walk in the Park

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We were having a quiet Easter Sunday, and Steve suggested we go to nearby Mike Roess Goldhead Branch State Park for a walk. We ended up hiking a little over two miles along one of the trails.

We took some photos:

the top of this dead tree stands like a lonely sentinal along the trail. Look at how gorgeous the sky is in this shot.



But what really makes the tree interesting is its bottom portion. It's amazing it still stands.



We had frost on the windshield the next morning, but the calendar says it's spring. Some of the plants are in bloom, like this Hawthorne. Or what I think is a Hawthorne. It's pretty, whatever it is.



This lizard looks evil. He's also pretty darn fat.



We encountered this fellow on our way from the trail to the car.



After our hike, we wandered over to the picnic and swimming areas. This is Big Lake Johnson. The lake is only a fraction of its former size. Development and drought have done a number on it and the other lakes in the area.



Here's a close-up of the warning sign. It really makes you want to go swimming, doesn't it?



We had a really nice time and hope to go hiking there more often. There are several more miles of trails we have yet to explore.

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