Ava Hometown Hotrods Festival — 100 Mile Cruise, stop at Hodgson Mill. +1

Jim’s 1978 Chevrolet Scottsdale Pickup. Ava Hometown Hotrods Festival — 100 Mile Cruise, stop at Hodgson Mill. +1

Ava Hometown Hotrods Festival — 100 Mile Cruise, stop at Hodgson Mill.

Lanie — Just Lanie being herself. Walk by the creek.

Blue Bowl, Blanket Box, and Crocs — I was passing through the ‘Sparkle Zone’ when I noticed the light on the bowl, blanket box, and Crocs. The latter, with their color popping.

Journal: Five days R&R in Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2024 — After my last backpacking trip in April, the weather got too hot, and then we spent August in the UK. I was overdue for some lakeside R&R. With the minimal three-mile hike and five days of lounging around. It was more hammock camping and hardly any backpacking!   Journal: 5 17

Gary at Piney Creek Wilderness — I spent most of my time sitting and watching the lake and trees, with the occasional swim to cool down, which was exactly what I wanted to do.

Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (looking southwest).

Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (looking southeast).

Just another picture of my campsite by Table Rock Lake. Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri. +1

Yet another visitor — I was sitting by the lake enjoying the view when this tarantula ambled by. I’ve been told there are tarantulas in Missouri, but I’ve never seen them, until now.

Another visitor — This time a Stick Insect, or Walking Stick, as Ginger calls them. Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri.

Clearing skies after rain. Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri. +1

Lil’ friend — Unlike all the other Harvestmen in the area who were busy doing their harvestman things, this one chose to come and sit by me for an hour while we watched the rain fall. +1

Cue the ‘Twilight Zone’ music — Last night, stumbling around in the dark, my headlamp picked out a glint in the rocks that make up the campfire surround. When I went to investigate, I found a Pilot pencil, just like the one I lost in February some 2½ miles away near the stock pond on the Lake Trail.

The view from my hammock. Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri.

Rainbow at sunset. Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri.

Sunset at Piney Creek Wilderness, September 2024.

Back at my Lakeside Retreat — Time for five days R&R by Table Rock Lake. +2

Welcome to Eastney Beach — No trip back home to Portsmouth would be complete without a visit to the beach — Ginger was getting her nails done, and I spent an hour on the beach and even went for a swim.

Selby Abbey – North Transept window. Selby, North Yorkshire.

Rood screen detail — Selby Abbey. Selby, North Yorkshire.

Selby Abbey with visiting German choir. Selby, North Yorkshire. Being here took me back to my days working for The Diocese of West Missouri. One-minute read.

Selby Abbey, stained glass window. Selby, North Yorkshire.

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