Gentle Hike

My niece Emily, called a couple of days ago to ask if we were going on a hike over the weekend. Actually, we hadn't had any plan but since she was asking, we decided to create a hike for her.

After several map consultations and a drive to a trail head north of us, we decided on a trip up to Mud Lake. Other spots were still too wet or snow covered for a hike. While we've been on the Murphy Lake trail on other dates, we haven't been there this time of year, and even on the gentle side, it was still too snow covered. So Mud Lake it is.

The hike was good. Not too muddy but there were the "trail turned streambed" that I had expected. But overall, not as muddy as anticipated. I did spot some newly sprouted yellow woods violet. On my trip to Georgia, there were lots of these flowers, but here, it's early enough to take a real joy in the first blooms of the season. (I am calling these yellow woods violets but I'm not sure of the real name.) All I know is that this early in the year I'm just glad to get out.