Scouting it out

After my Wistful post bemoaning the lack of native plants in our new neighborhood, I decided to make a concerted effort to explore more of our local parks. Wednesday we went to Historic Stagecoach Park …

Don accompanied me, which was a good thing as the trails were potentially hazardous to a single female walking alone (a gendered reality I’ve always resented, but have learned to accept, albeit grudgingly). Fortunately, Don is a willing and much-appreciated walking companion. Further good news was that the surface was relatively even, with a decomposed granite covering that left a satisfying crunch underfoot. And there were many familiar native plants along the way, recognizable even in their winter attire.

Near the end, we came upon an interesting sight …

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Obviously a fire pit, I decided to find out more about it when we got home. It was clearly visible as I zoomed in on a Google maps …

the large limestone blocks casting afternoon shadows, with longer shadows being cast by the taller compass-point markers.

And mothers of boys may well be nodding their heads at this juncture, recognizing this as a “Council Ring” which is used by local scouts (and others, to judge by the cigarette butts and broken beer bottles).

So, two parks down. And the very good news is that our new hometown has many more to go.

Process note: the patch is another bit of Burnley &Trowbridge linen stitched with some limestone-colored silk/cotton floss dyed by Tierney Barden and shadowed with DMC black floss, which I recently purchased on a cone (along with a cone of white). The cones are a great improvement on skeins; yet another great tip gleaned from Jude.