all day my body accepts what it is in the dark creeks that run by there

Today I went out to the lake to do a little fishing and alone-time relaxing. Stats:

Fish caught: 4
Blackberries picked: 2lbs?

Blackberries what caught me: 3

Bouquets gathered: 1

Park rangers: 1

The fish were not so big. This one least of all.

The blackberries at least were biting.

Taking stock of the goods.

Despite the fact of looking like an obnoxiously-posed selfie, I actually took this on accident. (In the process of trying to find a good light angle to take an obnoxious selfie) You can see the sunburn setting in.

Stained hands by a dead fire. A little gross, actually.

Looks like pretty Queen Anne's Lace, right? Actually is water hemlock, one of the most deadly plants that grow in this region. Seizures within 15 minutes of ingestion, death usually in 24 hours.

 

Cardinal flower, a wild edible that has anti-inflammatory properties. You can make a tea with the leaves that's supposed to help with respiratory afflictions. Native Americans used it as a cure for syphilis. Just to seem less grim after the hemlock.

This was the best part--I got off the main lake and up into the creeks. This is the sort of fishing I'm more used to with a fly-rod--quicker moving water, little space, lots of visibility. This was a little creek chub.

I felt slightly odd at this point--this realization that I'd spent 4 hours along tromping through brier and crossing creeks, and felt perfectly happy.

My first blackberry crumble.