Who Cooks For You?

I find peace where the sun kissed leaves dance 

in the melody of the cool breeze that floats through the air.

~ Saim Cheeda

I love Berry Springs Park (hereinafter BSP) and I love to take people hiking there. And the park director knows it. Every now and then I receive an email with contact information for people who would like to take a guided hike.

The last two requests arrived in October for hikes in late November. "Wow," I thought. "These people are optimistic." I would never think late November weather would be good for a hike - too cold, too wet, too cold AND wet.

Of course I said "yes." I have been working to finish the doves project/work - really working and really finishing. So I've barely made it outside  and I knew I would need those hikes. So planning started. I thought about what would be out in the park. I went a few times when in the area for other things. I got permission to do a couple of things not "technically" according to "leave no trace principles."  I was ready.

Then I fell down the stairs.

Okay, I only fell down two steps, but that was enough to break my ankle. It was the week before the first hike. I was walking around with a boot and figured I could manage the hikes okay. And a friend had found a knee scooter for me. So I'd have that for the long sections.

Then the orthopods said, "We have good news and bad news - the good news is you don't need surgery. The bad news is we want to cast your leg." Great. It would be a non-walking cast. Great.

We tried out the cast (WE because everything is WE now. Poor DH is doing his best to take care of me and everything else. WE are irritated as WE are used to being independent. WE cannot wait until the cast is off.) on the knee scooter in the park at home. It wasn't pretty, but it was "do-able."

Hike #1 was with students from the State School for the Blind. Yes, I know you understand the challenges for this hike immediately. The students, a group of young adults, planned to camp overnight at the developed campground. The goal for the hike was to introduce them to BSP.

Hike #2 (a few days later) was with Daisy Girl Scout Troop 3456 (how does anyone get a number like that?). The girls were very young. They were new scouts. This was their first hike. No pressure!

Two good friends, AR and TH, had each agreed early-on to hike with us. [This just proves that Girl Scout practice to be essential, broken ankle or not. Everyone needs a buddy!] DH had to drive me. While he doesn't normally come along with me on these hikes, he would this time. Zelda was able to attend one, but stayed home for the hike where there might be someone allergic to dogs. Now we were really ready.

We learn with each hike and each adventure will influence future plans. So, here is a little of what we did. And photos. A couple of these photos may help you understand/experience a little of the magic.

Come on. Come take a little hike with us.

1. ALWAYS START WITH THE DONKEYS!

Really. How can you go wrong if your hike begins with a greeting from Pedro and Little Bob? [Because of the lack of convenient handfuls of grass, we had permission to bring healthy snacks for the donkeys.] The donkeys indicated we were welcome to come back.

2. HISTORY

As much as I know about this park there were questions asked I needed to go home and research. We did talk about Native Americans and John Berry and how it is that Berry Springs Park has something for everyone while maintaining habitat for so many species of wild things.

3. SCIENCE

There a number of citizen science projects ongoing in  BSP. We talked a bit about some of those (Texas Nature Trackers game camera monitoring, monthly Amphibian Watch, and Eastern Bluebird house monitoring to name a few). 

4. GIVING BACK - COMING BACK

Because this is the time of year when the park is all about seeds - harvesting pecans and wildflower seeds/planting wildflowers/removing invasive species (or at least taking stock) - both groups planted a few wildflowers in areas where it was appropriate. There was method to our madness - once you've planted seeds don't you want to come back to experience the flowers?

5. COMMUNICATION (learning about the neighbors)

The turtles were basking on a log in the creek so we examined turtle shells. We listened to bird and amphibian calls (and learned how to “speak” cricket frog and Barred Owl) and we discussed the other creatures that make the park their home. [The Barred Owl often calls at dusk. "Who cooks for you?" is what the call seems to say. We don't know if the campers heard it that evening or not. We did practice the call so the Barred Owl knew it had friends in the park.]

6. NOW WHAT? 

We bid goodbye to our new friends with lists of thing to research, invitations to return in the spring for wildflower hikes, and observations and stories to share.  We also received another lesson in accessibility and a renewed our commitment to finding ways to share the wild.

7. DOCUMENTATION OF SOME OF OUR OBSERVATIONS

[Okay, there were more photos, but I have rules here (no identifying shots). I was also just learning to juggle the scooter and gear. The hikes were the focus. Photography was secondary. Thankfully AR and TH took a number of amazing photos while I was fumbling around.  See...buddies are essential in this life!  

[I've mixed-up the photos of the hikes by activity rather than by hike.] 

Yeah. I'm a little hesitant with the donkeys, but they love me anyway. Here I'm testing the snacks before  we met our group. 

Adults get emails about who we are and the plans for the hike. Here I'm sharing my "scouting bona fides" with the troop.

Patiently waiting for a treat.

IMPATIENTLY waiting for a treat. 

Meeting the donkeys

One last bite.

A teaspoonful is still a lot of seeds...we guessed over 100!

Tiny asters were still blooming. A promise of things to come.

Examining the dandelions and making a wish before blowing the seeds to the wind.

Experiencing the Pecan Orchard, one tree at a time.

It is not "ring-around-the-rosie." It IS "how big around is this tree?" How can we measure it?

So much for worrying about the weather. Both days were clear and dry. The turtles were out "sunning" in the creek.

We didn't "catch" any turtles but examined plastic examples and a couple of REAL turtle and tortoise  shells.

Checking out the creek.

How big is a cricket frog? What do they say? Clicking rocks approximated their calls.

8. THANKS!

Wow! This was an amazing group effort. Thanks to friends who volunteer and are ready for anything! Thanks to friends who find a loaner knee scooter (it's been a lot of fun, that scooter). Thanks to the fearless and engaged hikers! Thanks to Susan at BSP! Thanks to Williamson County for taking such good care of our park! Thanks to DH and Zelda for always being ready for adventure! Readers, stay tuned for the return trips.

I hope the park visitors enjoyed themselves. For us it was magic - many moments of "awe." 

NOTE:

Berry Springs Park and Preserve information can be found here:

https://www.wilco.org/Departments/Parks-Recreation/County-Parks/Berry-Springs-Park