Here are some random photos taken along the Ice Age Trail. My daughter loves every minute of the time she spends out in nature and since I can't get out and hike myself she knows how much I appreciate seeing her photos and hearing about her adventures.
Wild turkey hens with their poults, scurrying for the protection of taller foliage.
Staghorn Sumac thrives along roadside and the sunny trail edges. The Non-poisonous, red-berried sumac berry clusters can be made into a tart, pink, refreshing beverage high in Vitamin C. By soaking in cold water. ( hot water extracts bitter tannins from the central woody stem)
Once dried, the outer coating of the berries can be processed into a red spice. It is a staple component of the spice blend Za'atar and is commonly sprinkled over hummus and roasted meats. During winter the berries ptovide an emergency food source for birds, wild turkeys, and small mammals when other forage is scarce.
Deer skull in the ditch seen along a road section of the trail. It had most likely been hit by a car.
Some sections of the trail are easy hiking, other parts are strewn with boulders that were carried here during the last ice age and left behind when the glaciers melted.
There are few facilities along the trail This is a pretty new rustic outhouse and was a rare find.
It has a plastic composting toilet with a closed lid.
A thick black PVC pipe extending upward draws odors up and away from the enclosure. Mounted on the left wall is a large jumbo roll toilet paper dispenser and a Purell hand sanitizer unit.
The outhouse was being guarded by this very large fishing spider..they are often found in wooded areas. Their large size can be intimidating, but they are shy and non-aggressive. She didn't seem too worried about sharing the outhouse.
All photos are from my family albums
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