Loving the Forest

Today we went exploring in the forest behind Webster Elementary.  We love exploring in the forests around here.  I love going regularly from the time spring just begins until Summer is in full swing and seeing how much the forest changes from day to day.  The way the ground cover is first to spring up, then the wonderful wild flowers, then the rapid growth of the maple seedlings and then how quickly you can no longer look through the forest because the leaves have filled the trees.  It's a marvel I never tire of year after year.  I love the sounds of the birds and the skitter of little animals.  I love how many deer we have and how beautiful and majestic they are up close.  We are so lucky to live within biking distance of the 2 biggest forests for miles around.  The best part of any forest is when there's a river running through it.  My kids can never get enough of playing in the river, regardless of the temperature, depth of the water or, in my opinion, the visible nastiness of the water.  Unfortunately, Peter fell asleep in the bike trailer on the way there today, so I said I'd wait with him and follow when he woke up.  He never woke up!  He'd taken such a lousy first nap that he was really tired.  So, I didn't get any pictures of today's adventures, but I heard they were fabulous.  Except that the 2 days of rain had swollen the river so much that Bella didn't dare cross it and was left stranded for 30 minutes on one side while her brothers crossed and explored the other side.  Here are some pictures of previous adventures from earlier in the week in the forest behind Rotary Park and the forest at the end of our street.