Day 41: Collins Sanctuary Nature Trail

November 4, 2010

Another gorgeous day. Supposedly the last one for another 10 days so... we went for a nature hike this morning. Driving over the Tualitan Mountains (I think) when we go from our house to town, I always see these trails. And the forest is just gorgeous: valleys, ravines, streams, tall old fir trees, moss. I've been wanting to check them out but not necessarily in the pouring rain. 

Bee-UTE-ee-ful!! Lush, green, moss covered everything. Leaves on the ground, old wooden bridges to cross, the gentle sounds of water falling downhill over smooth, moss-covered stones. Whoa. Jacob wanted to ride in the Ergo, which made my job easier and got me some exercise. He loved looking down into the streams and talking about the moss. He really wanted to see a moose, he told me. I think he gets that from his book. I told him we might have to go up in the mountains more to see a moose but that we could look for deer. 

We saw some "teeny, teeny mush rooms". Also, a couple new birds for me: a varied thrush and a winter wren. The thrush is really pretty with a dark blue back and head but with an orange belly and throat. Really cool. The wren is pretty much an LBB - little brown bird. BUT, it was just teeny and the cutest little brown bird I've ever seen.

Like I said, moss everywhere.

And ferns. Maidenhair ferns all over. On the ground, in the trees. Really nice.

Finally Jacob wanted to get down. We were looking at deer tracks and he wanted a better look. He also wanted to touch some of the moss. Of course, like any toddler, he also wanted to run, not walk, down a lot of the path. That's fine when you're on a flatish path, but this path was curved, wet, muddy, downhill and with a steep valley off to one side in many parts. Needless to say, the running stressed me out a bit. He eventually took a little spill, got a bit of leaf in his mouth and held my hand from then on. Experience is the best teacher. 

Thankfully, he didn't land on one of these when he fell! Hahaha.... Slugs are groady (grodey?). Not fast like snakes or eight-legged like spiders but startling in their own fat, slimy, sluggish way. Yeack! And of course, they're everywhere out here. I picked up a piece of recylcing at our house the other day that had missed the bin and sure enough, a little slug inside. I dropped that thing faster than if it had burned me.

We both loved looking up at the beautiful canopy. This whole trail system was near the Audubon Society's offices. At least some of their offices. And a little store and discovery center. Really nice area. It smelled so good. Apparently this area is next to Forest Park, the largest forested city park in the U.S. Neato. We'll be sure to take more trips on the other trails.

Also, finally got the starter fixed on my old hunk-a-junk car. At least Fraser won't have to push start it now. That's one thing. We've decided to try and keep using it to avoid car payments. In a year, it's a possibility that we might think about buying so, we'd like to have as much money saved as possible. Even though it will dreamy one day to have a car where all the parts work like they should. 

Tons of neighbour kids out this afternoon playing in the leaves. Jacob ended up having a glorious time in the middle of a leaf fight. Adorable. Sadly, I did not have the camera. Damn. I love cute kid, leaf pictures. Maybe we'll have another sunny day when he can play in the leaves. We'll see...