"Let's Hike Down to the Lake," He Said...

The true adventurer goes forth 

aimless and uncalculating 

to meet and greet unknown fate. 

~ O. Henry

Aimless? Almost.

Where does this path go? Down to the lake.

Who knew? Well, we hoped.

"Grrrrrr!"  This from a dog who doesn't bark or growl (very often). When she wouldn't move any further down the path it became clear - a shadow cat* was likely out in the brush watching us. 

"Grrr! I go no further!"

The group finally moved down the path to the shore of the lake. 

Despite the blog title, this was NOT a "walk in the park." We watched the round for loose stones and snakes.

This lake is closer than it appears.

The water is down some four feet leaving a rough stone beach and silt. The silt is deep enough to catch a curious dog. She was strong enough to break the grip of the mud and reach safety long before her companions had finished the game of Rochambeau** (Loser wades into the muck to save the dog. Winner wades into the muck to save the loser and the dog...or maybe just phones*** for help.)

"Awe, heck****! She's stuck in the mud!"

"It looked okay, Mom!"

Embarrassed dog.

The plants are lush at the edges of what should be the lakeside. Wildflowers, protected from the heat and drought bloom.

I would call this a "devil tree." Everything in Texas sticks, stings, or bites. There you go!

But it may well be a Honey Locust.

Maybe a Heliotrope. I am waiting for experts to share.

Upright Prairie Coneflower

Marsh Fleabane - I knew I recognized it from other swampy walks.

Mullein bloom

A Great Blue Heron flew over and Canyon Wrens sang their downward scale song.

Great Blue Heron

Really - GBH

As the sun cleared the far cliff three walkers climbed back up out of the wild with commitments for more exploring (in cooler weather).

What else did we see?

Fossils are often found in this crumbly limestone ledge - this part of Texas once under water.

A spider scurries by.

It was cooler walking in the shade on the other side of this finger of the lake.

Maybe an Apache Paper Wasp.

Doodle bugs*****

Lots of driftwood

Z didn't want to go home.

Z heads to the mud

Freshwater clams

NOTES:

*https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joel-sartore-on-wild-cats/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/02/photo-ark-little-cats/

**http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/23932

***Two bars at the top of the cliff...but 4 bars at the bottom. What?

****That's what he said. Really.

*****"What the heck is that?" he asked.  [I LOVE hiking with DH. He didn't grow up here. I did.] "Doodle bugs. No big deal." I replied. 
http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/doodlebug-identification/

Deer greeted us on our way to and from this hike. They can be a driving hazard, but I never tire of watching them. Some of these - especially the fawns seem very thin - perhaps it's a result of the drought.

They can be difficult to see in the woods.

This doe crossed the road just ahead of us. There was another resting just to the left of this one.