First Landing State Park
Spring will not officially arrive for forty days, but yesterday I had spring fever. The temperature reached an unseasonably 70 degrees, so my husband and I went hiking in First Landing State Park.
We picnicked under loblolly pines and live oaks then headed for the trails. We chose one called Long Creek. Meandering uphill and down through cypress, pines, oaks and elms, it brought us to a stretch that hugged an inlet. Sunlight gleamed on the water; boaters trawled slowly through the no-wake zone. The sun was so warm, we removed our light jackets and tied them around our waists.
After an hour, we came to an intersection of trails and had to make a decision. We could continue on Long Creek, or we could take one of the other trails and head back toward the park entrance where we had left our car. The weather was too beautiful to end our excursion so quickly. I chose to continue the Long Creek trail.
There is a reason it is called Long Creek. After another half our with no end in sight, I wished we had taken one of the shorter routes. Finally, we came to another trail divide. We took a route that would lead us back to our car. Still, we had quite a distance to go. A family came up behind us. The dad was pulling a cart with a toddler inside.
“I’ll give you fifty bucks if you give me a ride back to my car.”
I must not have sounded desperate enough because the father chuckled and kept going. I wouldn’t have left poor George anyway. He had the keys.
I can’t end this post without including a picture my Boston son sent me last night. He took it from the steps of his apartment. Such a contrast!
Coming East 
Ha! That’s what I’ll do for a job. I’ll hang out at the park with a little red wagon in tow.
New England is getting hit hard. But, they are hardy up there and it does come with the territory. Loved living up there and experiencing winter, we had one like the one they are having this year, it’s tough to say the least. I hope your son stays safe.
On the other hand, your walk sounds delightful! We went for a walk on the beach today. It was windy and brisk, and a bit overcast, but it was a good walk.
I am so glad to see you writing again, and I appreciate your encouragement too! DAF
I’m glad we encourage each other, DAF. Our weather, by the way, has taken a turn for the worse. Cold, windy and rainy today. Oh, well, we had a great weekend, and it is February.
I hope you don’t get hit too hard with weather, it is cold and windy and rainy here today also. Stay warm and dry!
Same here today. Quite a change from this past weekend!
I will take the cool and rainy over the heat and humidity any day.
Wow! Look at all that snow! I’m a little envious. No snow for us here this year.
I had to chuckle about your hike. My husband and I did something similar yesterday. It was warm here too (mid 60’s). We took a walk on the beach and then decided to hike a woodland trail where we wandered off on other trails and turned what was supposed to be a 1.6 mile hike into a 3+ mile hike (after already walking 2+ miles on the beach).
And hiking three miles is a heck of a lot harder than taking a three-mile walk in the neighborhood. You are a little farther north, Robin, so don’t give up on the snow just yet.
Seventy degrees. I’m jealous. We won’t see that up here (in southern Ontario) for another couple of months at least! You are so lucky.
Well, it didn’t last, Margo. It was just a tease. Rainy, windy and cold today.
I can NOT believe what is going on up in Massachusetts! Before we moved here, we had been living in Worcester where a friend just said they’d received 83″ in the last 17 days! Boston isn’t far behind as your picture shows! Outrageous. People are getting kind of depressed over it!!!
One of my sons, who doesn’t have driveway privileges, is afraid to move his car because he’ll lose his parking space. During snow emergencies, drivers are only allowed to park on one side of the street.
Oh I know! makes it incredibly difficult. such an ordeal!!
70 F is perfect for a trail walk. I like the first photo, beautiful blue sky and blue river. We had a cloudy week last week, it’s sunny and going to get upper 70s. Boston, I just don’t know how they endure, one storm after another….
And they are expecting another storm on Thursday!
Oh no, not another one…!!