Travels in the One Acre Woods

I figured it  was the last day that I could do it.  Before the gnats completely took over the Earth.  It was early Saturday.  The temperatures had not yet soared.  The days when even the mornings are super hot were looming.

We have lived near the lake (glorified pond, actually) for a couple years now, and I had never taken the time to walk around its entirety.  There is a path connecting to the other side of the lake, but to start it, you need to go on someone's property to get to it.  Saturday I saw that the people who owned the property you would have to go through were not home.  Now the people that own the property are people Alison knows, and are good people.  They would not mind us going.  Nevertheless, Mr. Shy Guy preferred to take advantage of this time that they were not there.

So I started the path that would lead me around the lake. 

The first thing I hear is a water rushing sound, as if a giant bathtub was being filled up.  And I see in the lake what is pictured above.  Right or wrong, the first thought that came to me was....Redneck Waterfall.  This caged open pit represents some kind of drainage for the lake.  I should be grateful.  It probably reduces the flooding chances for our neighborhood.  But the sight of it was entertaining, nonetheless.

The path that leads deep, deep into the One Hundred Acre Woods.  Okay, more like an acre.  Well, maybe more like a half.  Never mind,  It's a woods, ain't it?  You can see the light from the clearing near the end of it.

This is a view of the lake from the path.  It looks pretty impressive.  Like a real lake. like a real natural wilderness.  I should have brought a backpack.  Or a snack,  A backpack filled with snacks.  I would pick up the trash, of course.  I am not a litter bug.

I am also not a fisherman.  So I would not have brought a pole.  The country club on the other side of the lake keeps it stocked with fish.  I thin you have to pay a fee to fish it.  No worries.  Like I said, I don't fish.

When the path through the One Acre Woods ended,  I found myself on a public golf course.  I kept trying to stick to the golf course paths, but they kept disappearing.  I didn't know where to walk.  I don't golf.  I hoped by crossing some holes I wasn't violating some unknown etiquette rule that would get me into trouble.

Looking out on the lake, I saw two people in a small boat fishing in the middle of the lake.  I wondered if they had to pay the country club for the privilege.  I got a picture of them, but it didn't work because I couldn't get the zoom right.

One of the homes that fronted the lake had an artificial sandy beach.  I thought that was pretty clever.  My picture of that didn't work out, either.

Jutting out from the Country club is what I call Duck Point.  They are very pretty.  They also make a lot of noise.

I did not take pictures of the rest of my trip, leaving the country club and coming to a residential area, because the gnats woke up and I was too busy swatting the rest of the way home.

I really love walking.  I really hate gnats.

Sigh.