Morning walk at Point Au Roche (in progress)

I was just about to step out of my apartment this morning, intending to take the cat for a stroll in her stroller while getting my exercise, and i received a surprise call from my brother Herb, who said he was up from Syracuse for the weekend and was staying with my sister Karen. He asked about my plans for the day and I told him I was about to go for a walk and, as it turns out, so was he with his partner Ken, my sister Karen and my brother Tim. So, instead of a not-so-exciting stroll around the neighborhood near my house I was glad to receive the invitation to walk with them up at Point au Roche State Park. It was a GORGEOUS day and a very pleasant time spent with loved ones. We enjoyed seeing some flora and fauna too. (pics still to be posted)

Tim, Karen, Ken and Herb

Ken took the picture here and I took his spot in the pose for the picture (oh, and let me not forget the trilobite fossil that Tim is holding and Karen found smiled for the picture too)


Ken and Herb


Me and my sis


This is the property of Camp Red Cloud. We used to have our station picnics here years ago.


We weren't the only species getting some exercise. There were 3 of these dogs, one stayed on shore while the other two swam after the stick their owner threw for them.


A pretty little cove


I like how well you can see the dragonfly in these next two pics.



Herb scoping some American Black ducks.


What a relaxing view!


Tim posing. Nah, he wasn't posing. I don't think he realized I was taking a picture of him just then.


This is a Touch-Me-Not plant


A Touch-Me-Not flower. Sorry the foreground is blurry. At least you can get a look at one in the bottom left of the picture though. I'm still experimenting with my new camera.


Trying to coax a Touch-Me-Not flower to open.

Tim said they only seem to open when touched earlier on in the season. It also seems to be a natural protectant/preventative against poison ivy, according to what what little I have read on it today. I could have used that a couple of weeks ago when I got poison ivy or something that acted like it from God only knows where, since I hadn't started walking regularly at that point.

The small pond where the Touch-Me-Not was found


A close-up. Pretty, huh?