June 8, 2013
Osage Hills Butterfly (click image for slideshow)
I’ve hiked at Osage Hills State Park over two dozen times in the past four years, but this weekend I had the opportunity to share it with Wendy for the first time as a couple. We hiked 5.4 miles on the Bugle Trail loop, starting at the park office and making our way south to the falls along Sand Creek. The rate of flow varies considerably over time, and recent rains had them flowing well.
Beautiful tiny bloom
Spiderwort and other wildflowers were blooming along the trail, attracting butterflies. Wendy and I noted how the spalling rock along the Bluff Trail resembled puzzle pieces. She had fixed us turkey sandwiches to enjoy at the bluffs overlooking Sand Creek. Tiny Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies were fluttering around one spot on the bluff, and one particular tall wildflower attracted our attention with its beautiful tiny bloom, accented by bright white spots which glittered like jewels in the sunlight.
I laughed at the “Dinosaur” label on an older RV as we passed through the campground to climb the hill to the old CCC camp. Wendy posed by the chimney to give it scale and suggested an upward shot along one corner. Over at the Lake Lookout spillway I shot a panorama and a regular shot of her against the rockfall, and she shot me sitting near the spillway and then in my preferred position, stretched out on the slab to enjoy the sun.
We encountered horse riders as we passed the old pump house, and I included them in my video of this warm day hike.
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