Just wanted to post a couple of pictures from a hike I took with the fourth grade kids from our little grammar school yesterday. We went up what's called the pinnacle trail locally. after an hour of climbing the trail we had a view of the west that went for miles (though the furthest distant mountains were hidden in mist). It was amazing to see the millions of trees in every direction, mountains as far as you could see, and no houses or signs of civilization at this distance.
It was an overcast day, but the trees lit up the forest under the canopy in bright yellows anyway. The kids collected different kinds of leaves for identification -- black, yellow, and white birch, beech; red, white and striped maple, red and white oak, hop hawthorn, ash, cottonwood. And acorns and beech nut burrs. it was a great day for all, and pretty good exercise for us older folks, to say the least!

