We drove over to the other side of our land to find a good path to the cave. We have a Sacred Cave visit scheduled for Bel-Summer and I thought it might be nice if we could find an easier path than climbing down the cliff face. As it is anyone with difficulties walking or moving probably can't get in the cave in the first place but I didn't want to make it more difficult than it had to be.
We spent two hours tramping about, climbing down the cliff face, going around the bottom and back up another route, down another trail and over again trying another approach. Eventually we stumbled on a deer trail that took a somewhat meandering approach but was an easy hike around the bottom. Wild roses grew all along it and many were covered in buds. It is going to be spectacular when they open. And we did get back up to the cave and start down again another path to find that it connected to the deer trail near where we had parked our car.
Tom cut the brambles back from the path and we moved larger tree branches out of the way but it is still fairly wild. Grape vines hang down across the path and grow up to trip the unwary. A huge wild rose bush snuggles up to the path dripping in buds. I don't know if they will be open for Bel-Summer but it would be lovely if they were. Of course, then people will have to be calm as they pass the bees. We are calling the trail Wild Rose Way.
The other day I was taking a walk past a line of flowering bushes (don't know what kind of bush, though. I have to look it up and see if I can identify it. I think the flowers will be distinctive enough to make that easy.) Anyway as I approached I heard a buzzing that got louder and louder, first I thought it was machinery out on the road. Then I thought it was a swarm of bees somewhere near by and began to scan where I was walking and the bushes and trees around since I was not the slightest bit eager to get too close to one. I was nervous. However, I saw that the bushes were covered with bees going from flower to flower, and bush to bush. It was a wonderful sight. There have been other years when there were few bees out and we worried about the bee population with the mite infestations. I hope this is an indication of their recovery.
Copyright © 2000 Kyril Oakwind