Meadows of Wildflowers

Yesterday's Wacky Wednesday was spent hiking along the Pocantico River Trail in Rockefeller State Park Preserve. It is one of my favorite walks in the Preserve and many folks saw why yesterday. I heard so many comments among our Kids Unplugged parents yesterday about the simple peaceful beauty of the trail.

We took the long route yesterday, which was actually quite long for short legs, and the kids did very well. In fact, I found myself feeling tired long before them yesterday!

Any time there is a body of water in which to fling rocks with fairly reckless abandon, kids are happy. There was much tossing of stones along the banks and playing of pooh sticks along the way http://www.theenchanted100acrewoods.50megs.com/poohsticks.htm
There were walking sticks to find and smaller ones to gather. There were stones carried in pouches made by t-shirts to be carried along the trail to the next good tossing bank. And there were birds. Pairs of red-winged blackbirds tussled happily in mid-air, playing hide and seek among the tall meadow grasses. A large, pileated woodpecker treated us to a very up-close visit as he searched an old stump for yummy ants.

And then there was the meadow. I have walked this trail many times but have never seen the meadow so blooming with wildflowers. Debbie, our wonderful photographer, shared a similar sentiment. She writes, "What a fantastic day. I love Rockefeller so much, such year round appeal. However, I do not think I have ever seen those wildflower meadows ever looking quite as amazing as they did yesterday. This is picture book stuff. I am sure the children will forever have fond memories of romping through the grass in search of flowers for their parents!"