[at-l] Taste of Fall in No. Georgia

[janl2@mindspring.com (Jan Leitschuh)]

>  would really love to hear some plans for hiking the AT or other trails.I think I have cried more these last few days than in
> my entire 62 years of life.
> I'm ready to hear some happy news.

	Well, when the Georgia Mountains opened their arms to me last week (did
I only get home seven days ago!?! seems like an age away), fall was
starting to kiss the ridges. Temps were noticably cooler at night. Dew
was heavy in the mornings, and at sunrise weeds glistened like diamond
stickpins.

	The sourwoods and sumacs are already starting to redden. The poison
ivy, turning yellow, was no less toxic to my dermis. Beggar's tickweed,
asters, Joe Pyeweed, goldenrod and other wildflowers were in abundance.
I even saw a new plant for me, a black-dotted white berry on a striking
magenta stem, eerily called Doll's Eyes.  From the rannunculus family.

	The mast seemed particularly heavy this year, with hickory and acorns
abundant. With 2 rocks, I tried to split a hickory nut to taste the
sweet meat, but no avail - I smashed a finger instead. Woman, the tool
user! Where is Euell Gibbons when you need him?

	The squirrels had already taken a close interest in the nut abundance,
and were chuckling in the trees. In  fact, I probably saw more squirrel
activity than bird activity this trip.

	At one point, there was the great rustling and chttering of a squirrel
food fight above my head in the branches, When I looked up (the hall
monitor in me!), a heavy, green-husked hickory nut beaned me right in
mid-forhead, driving me to my knees! A confetti of hickory leaves
drifted slowly after.
	
	I wish I could say thusly, Mother Nature knocked some sense and wisdom
into me, but alas! my sensibilites remain largely unchanged. 
-- 
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    Jan Leitschuh Sporthorses Ltd.

http://www.mindspring.com/~janl2

E-mail:  mailto:janl2@mindspring.com

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