Mother's Day

For Mother's Day I requested that the boys go to Shaker's Village with me and go hiking. Shaker's Village is on about 3000 acres and has many miles of trails to hike. After a rainy, stormy week that included a tornado hitting the south, west corner of Madison County (about 9 1/2 miles away from our house), it was a beautiful sunny 70 degrees with just enough clouds in the sky to make it even prettier. I wanted to go after the rainy week so that the waterfall at the Fulling Mill would be running. Fulling was a part of cleaning wool in the process of making cloth. Very difficult work, mostly done by women, prior to the invention of fulling mills. There had been so much rain that the creek was flooding across the trail requiring some hiking through water. It was worth it in my opinion, Joe was not so happy - but went along with Shea and I for the adventure.

Wild roses abound. This flower is about the size of a nickle.

Well, I've seen no walking, no hiking, no smoking, no eating, no cars, etc...but I think this is the first time I've seen a no carriage sign.

Shea explaining something to Joe

Joe crossing the creek for a second time. We didn't know we'd have to go back across when we crossed over the first time.

Shea re-doing his vaulting for me. He did it three times - twice for the camera. This is my favorite shot of the series.

The Fulling Mill waterfall - the picture I came for. There is a natural spring here that the Shaker's took advantage of to run their fulling mill. As you can see there had been enough rain to ensure that the spring was running.