Woodland photos (du-w!)

I took a hike in the woods this afternoon (would you believe, we had temperatures in the 70's!!) Best day that I've played hookey from work on, so far. :) Though there is a ton of runoff and melting snow that made most of the woods a soppy mess, I still got out there for an hour or so.. but it was reeeeally windy!! So here are the fruits of my labor..

A general view. Pine forest, mostly hemlock.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...woodstrees.jpg
Sun through trees:
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...s/suntrees.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...hemlocksky.jpg
Sad to see some of the tallest ones falling; but that is the cycle of Nature.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...nesfalling.jpg
Salamander Falls (I named it myself!)
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...anderfalls.jpg
This is known as Monkey Creek on a map, bu I call it Toadwood Creek.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...s/thecreek.jpg
Here is a place I call My Spot. I found it in 2002 shortly after we moved here; someone had built a weird teepee that's about 4 feet tall, out of sticks, and a circle of stones next to it, near a tree stump beside a natural pool (like a small pond in the woods.) Mark laughed at first seeing it, asking me how tough it was to build.. I laughed back at him and said I didn't put it there.. we still have no idea who or what did this. ;) Since I am Wiccan, this is a very spiritual place to me. The longest stick in the teepee is about 8 feet long.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s.../teepeefar.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...eepeewoods.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s.../theteepee.jpg
The Pool
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s.../woodspond.jpg
And the Circle of stones.. I am actually tempted to dig under these and see if maybe someone buried something here!
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...leofstones.jpg
One final view before we say goodbye..
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ordialwood.jpg

Nice pictures!

Thanks! I will definately get more taken back there once the weather breaks and things dry up.. as it was, I walked home with wet feet/ankles/boots!

yeah, i hear the muddy wet part, I took my gf's dogs out for a romp in the woods on saturday and all of us were quite the mess after it. Especially the puppy though, since he jumps in every body of water he finds.
nice pics too!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by qiksilver

yeah, i hear the muddy wet part, I took my gf's dogs out for a romp in the woods on saturday and all of us were quite the mess after it. Especially the puppy though, since he jumps in every body of water he finds.
nice pics too!

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Isn't it nuts? A piece of ground looks perfectly dry, and you step into it, and the next thing you know, you're ankle-deep in cold water.. I even fell through some ice!

Kinda reminds me of my hike this weekend. The only difference is I had snow to deal with!!! But with temps rising to about 20 (68F) it should be gone and my biking season can start :D! Plus I want to bring my camera because we found a deer trail and I would like to get some deer pics. It looks like you had a great hike! Your spot looks amazing!!! :D :D :D :rockon:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phreak

Kinda reminds me of my hike this weekend. The only difference is I had snow to deal with!!! But with temps rising to about 20 (68F) it should be gone and my biking season can start :D! Plus I want to bring my camera because we found a deer trail and I would like to get some deer pics. It looks like you had a great hike! Your spot looks amazing!!! :D :D :D :rockon:

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Hiking is just something ya live for, isn't it? All winter I have been waiting for this.. I am not much for snowmobiling, and it is a long walk from our house, through the fields, to the woods.. I am jsut waiting now for the Spring Peepers to start up any night now..

Hiking and biking will always be big parts of what I do. I love being outdoors no matter what season etc. This year I plan to get into nature photography because I believe that the natural beauty of our planet is better seen through pictures than an antler rack on a wall.

I actually want to get into snowshoeing or something, to be able to at least enjoy nature a little during winter. Although, most of my winter time outdoors consists of trudging water buckets from the mudroom out to the barn for the horses and getting stuck in the driveway.. can you tell I "love" winter? :)
I love those winter days though, that are still brisk, but sunny.. where walking outside is a little more tolerable.. basically I love winter, but hate wind.

I find when I hike in the winter the woods block most of the wind. Plus seeing deer, rabbit or fox tracks fresh in the snow can really be worth it.