June 4 White Pine Trail, Rockford

Saturday Afternoon:  I had an errand to run up in Rockford today--goal? Buy a small birthday present for Harper (Kaity's good friend) who is turning SEVEN soon. The party is Sunday afternoon and I have been invited to come!

Naturally, I shopped at Aunt Candy's Toy Company--the best toy store anywhere in 100 miles of here (at least!). After looking around and wanting everything in sight, I got some pretty cute stuff for Harper without spending too much.

While I was in Rockford, I decided to get some walking in. It's a beautiful day today--VERY mild--high 60's and kind of overcast. I was dressed to go into the woods ... so into the woods I went! I love some of these pictures. We have SUCH an AWESOME Creator ... I am always happiest out in the woods ... or over at the beach (but that is a much farther drive--and with gas $4.99/gallon today, I have to be careful!).

Today, instead of beginning my walk on the White Pine Trail from downtown Rockford, I drove north about 1.5 miles and parked in a warehouse parking lot at the back where I saw a tiny pathway going down to the trail. There was no indication that I would not be allowed to park there, no prohibitive signs, so I parked!

This is a familiar "spot" on the trail for me, and it is almost exactly where the pathway from the warehouse parking lot dropped me out ... I marked the spot in my head so that I wouldn't LOSE MY CAR and not be able to find it ever again! And then I just walked north (with little diversions here and there) ...

This picture is taken from the "lookout" and I have about 100 pictures from this exact place in every season of the year ...

As I walked farther north, I noticed this little lake to the east of the trail ... what lake could it be? How could I get down to see it closer? Hmm ... I puzzled over this for quite awhile. There really were NO paths through the thick woods and there was quite a DECLINE between the Trail and the lake ... should I just venture on through the woods anyway?

Well ... I HAD TO ... as it turns out, once I was close enough to photograph the lake there were "NO Tresspassing" signs everywhere along the water--so I did NOT GO IN THE WATER! There! I just walked along the edge and snapped a few pictures. So arrest me if you must!

Getting back up to the main trail was a bit of a trick ... firstly because I couldn't remember WHERE I had come down, and then ... the mosquitos were really hungry, and I was a tiny bit worried they would eat me alive. But ... no worries. I made it up to the main trail again and headed back the way I came. Actually, I walked up to 12 Mile before turning around. There is a very nice parking lot just off 12 Mile where I will park next time I come. THEN I will hike further north to see what I can see.

Meanwhile, I cautiously walked down this root stairway to the bottom so that I could get a nice picture of the Rogue River.

Beautiful, beautiful place! I WAS SINGING FOR JOY BEFORE THE LORD ... I couldn't hear the trees, but I bet they were too!