2nd Annual Pecan Gathereing

Yesterday we visited the Cuivre Island Conservation Area for our 2nd Annual Pecan Gathering. :-) I hope to make this a yearly event. It's a lot of fun--well, at least for me.  I took the boys along to help.

Son #4, Son #6, Son #5

Pretty little pale lilac colored flower

A beautiful fungus

It looked almost magical and I half expected a fairy to be hiding nearby.

Another type of fungus

I don't know anything about what's safe and what's not.

So I just take pictures of them.  :-)

On a fallen log at the edge of Cuivre River

A new addition this year...

Large boulders lining the sides across from the parking area.

They don't have any graffitti on them yet and are very nice.

A big hit with my boys, in fact.

Son #5 listening to an Adventures in Odyssey.

He wasn't thrilled about picking pecans.

He was hungry, bored and quite grumpy.

He really doesn't like going places.

Son #4 hopping across the boulders.

He jumped across each one of them.

Son #6

He had a lot of fun and even enjoyed picking the pecans.

There were woodpeckers everywhere.

It's hard to see but this is a Redheaded Woodpecker.

Leaving the conservation area.

Beautiful fall scene.

The sun broke through the clouds on our way out.

Our booty!

The quarter is in there for reference to the size of the pecans.

Small.

The heat and drought conditions were NOT a friend to the

pecan trees even though they were so close to the river.

The pecans to the left of the quarter are this year's pecans.

The pecans to the right are some I saved from last year.

Can you see the difference in the size and color?

And I thought that they were small last year!!

No matter.  We will use these with thankfulness

and enjoy each delicious bite!  :-)

Now my girls want me to take them out there next!!