Hays Preserve, Part 3

Where'd I leave off? Ah, yes...meditating. Zenning out. Totally immersed in the water thing. I tell ya this is a peaceful place. It's quiet except for the birds twittering and water babbling and the scritch-scratch of creatures in the brush - undoubtedly more birds. Okay, to be honest the occasional bicycle-riding family would swoop by but things always settled right back down.


The sun is slowly sinking westward which makes the water turn a beautiful blue. When I began this missive I stated that the water gets even more beautiful toward the end of my visit but I'm taking that back. This water is just beautiful, period, regardless of time of day.


I'd spotted a pair of mallards. Around the next bend a small cleared area off the pathway provided a photo opportunity. Despite my moving around the area there were always twigs in front of Mrs. Mallard's lovely self. Mrs. Mallard was completely at ease with my presence across the narrow river but Mr. Mallard was growing more and more nervous.

Mrs. Mallard was clearly enjoying the sunshine. Mr. Mallard was tense.

"Hey! I just got comfortable....my leg up and everything!"

Mr. Mallard is so outta here. Mrs. Mallard eventually joined him but she seemed perturbed. I never saw them again after they disappeared around some brush in the river. My friend had told me the trail ended just ahead and a new trail was being cleared. Time to investigate. Walking along I begin hearing a low rumbling. A waterfall?

Sure enough! A lovely little waterfall spilling water from a hillside stream. This stream feeds the Flint River with clean, clear water. Again with being mesmerized for along with my love of water comes a love of waterfalls! Who doesn't love a waterfall? I stood on the little bridge for a while watching the waterfall and listening to the birds in the trees. Sunshine on my face, shoulders relaxed but beginning to get a little thirsty. Time to begin my trek back to the car. ....but I feel something watching me. .....again.

My heavens, a blue frog! Okay, it's not really a blue frog but a gorgeous tree fungus of some sort. I've never seen fungus with this coloration before. Naturally, I had to walk down to the tree and see all of the fungi on parade.

The bark looks pink here.

I guess the fungi must be of a certain age before attaining that luscious blue coloration. There were other blue ones but the frog is my favorite!

I'm really, really thirsty at this point. The pleasant sun is actually beginning to feel a little too warm since I prepared for cooler temperatures. Still, I have to stop often to look at the water again since the colors are so different.

Next blog will be a wrap-up of the Hays Preserve. I hope you are enjoying the tale as much as I am enjoying the telling!