Fall Lake hiking and Blackberry Vodka

 

Waiting for everyone else.

I am so excellent!!! Today, I went hiking with friends at Fall Lake State Recreation Area Rolling View Trail head (part of the mountain to sea trail). It was rainy, but it was awesome! We gather in the parking lot before the entrance and begin looking for the trail.  At first the rain was light but we had our rain gear just in case.  We found the trail which is what we thought until it took us to a campground so we back track and found the right trail.

Review the map

Throughout the trail, we saw some cool looking mushrooms and the cutest Eastern Box turtle. I did see a deer but it move so fast no one else saw it.

This mushroom is called Amanita jacksonii.

So Cutie!!!!

Half way, we pick blackberries.  Picking blackberries is not so easy for there is blood and the battle of tug o’ war with the thorns.  A few time, my hair got stuck and I got my fair share of cuts. It started raining again when we got to the blackberries and it rained heavy on the way back on the trail. It rain so hard on the way back, most of the trail was flooded.

I got all the blackberries I need for making Blackberry Vodka. Which I made today after hiking with my friends. It is pretty easy to make.  You just need blackberries, sugar, a jar, and vodka.  It takes about 4 months of fermentation and 5 months of aging. I will be moving in a week so it will make a great center piece for my breakfast bar.

Before

After

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Hiking in the Rain

Today, I hiked in the rain on Cole Mill Trail.  I was prepared with my rain gear and my waterproof camera.  I felt silly but I enjoy taking pictures of berries and flowers. Sometime I worry too much about what other people thing of me that sometime it keep me from trying new things out. So today I choice  to not think about what other people think of me in full rain gear.  I don’t like getting all wet plus it look like it would rain cats and dogs the next minute.

Plus today I really needing to get out and clear my head.  Rain is just an excuse to not do anything. That is the reason why I have the rain gear in the first place, so I can go hiking ever when it rains. Plus I got some cool pictures out of it. Rain does have away of washing things away which is refreshing.

 

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