Girls in the Woods

We had just a beautiful walk in the woods on Monday. We almost didn't go, because the next day was my birthday, and I thought maybe we should "save" the walk for a birthday activity. I'm glad we didn't... Tuesday was rainy and about 30 degrees colder than Monday's idyllic temperatures. But Monday... ahhh. It was a perfect day for such an outing. We went to Lake Patterson, a favorite haunt that is just down the road from our house. There is a lake there (obviously!) with a walking/biking trail around it, and paths through the woods, and a really big hill that is fun to climb up to the top of. There is a big rock at the top of the hill... a great place to sit on and enjoy the view. Here is Gwen doing just that. I love that profile! We realized as we were pulling into the parking area, that the last time we had been to to top of the hill we didn't yet have Gwen. In fact, the last time we had climbed the hill was early last fall, before we even had her referral. We had brought breakfast to the park, and had our devotions... and prayed for Gwen, when we didn't yet know who she was.

The boys brought their fishing rods on Monday and spent the whole time at the lake trying to reel in a fish... that's why I don't have pictures of them with us in the woods! The girls and I climbed the hill and the rock, then walked into the woods. It was like a fairy land! Violets, little striped spring beauties, jack-in-the-pulpit, and may apples looking like elfin umbrellas, were all waiting there to greet us. The tree leaves are still small, so the woods was almost sunny with all the light that came through. We had such a lovely time exploring. Woods in spring always take me back to 1816 Westhill Blvd, to the house where I grew up, because of the woods beyond the back lawn there. All these same spring plants at Lake Patterson were there in my childhood woods, too. It was so lovely to be able to share them with Madelyn and Gwen.

Here's a flower I didn't recognize... maybe in the trillium family. Anyone know what this is?


Madelyn hides under her may apple umbrella!
Do we have to go, Mom?