White Hill Lake Trail

When my husband was a kid, he spent a lot of time in nature:

 swimming, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and camping with his friends.

And when I was a kid, I also spent a lot of time outdoors: 

mainly playing running games with my brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends.

But we also ventured further from our houses
and devoted considerable time to exploring and enjoying nature.
Taking long walks through meadows, fields, and wooded areas
was one of our favorite pastimes.

So it's no surprise that one of my husband's and my favorite things to do 

is to go hiking together.

Last Sunday, after visiting the A.R.E.'s grounds,

we headed for the 64th Street entrance to First Landing State Park 

to hike into the Park's maritime forest.

We hiked along the White Hill Lake Trail
which connects to the Long Creek Trail and the Cape Henry Trail,
both of which we have hiked before.
No matter how many times we hike in First Landing State Park,
it never loses its magic and mystery.

Below is a photo of my husband's favorite hiking scene,
one where the trail rises and falls before disappearing into the trees:

There are so many unusual facets of nature to discover.
For example, I had never seen a branch
completely covered in this type of fungus.
I thought at first it was white paint:

The forest is full of other fungi, too.
This fallen branch appears to be hosting turkey tail fungus:

Here's a specimen of fungi called oyster mushroom fungus:

And although it's not covered in wood decay fungus,
this fun guy :-) reminded me of the Alf
television character from the 1980s:

Tomorrow, other sights along the White Hill Lake Trail.
And on a more personal note,
Happy Birthday to my own fun guy.
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