Meg, Hannah, and I headed back to the Pilgrimage grounds at 10:30 a.m. to make ourselves a paper vessel using handmade pulp. Cool. Well, I was hoping it was going to be, but it was over-run with kids and very chaotic, so we left and sought out some peace and quiet around Red House Lake.
This bush smelled like heaven - I'm thinking it is some sort of old rose?
Meghan took these shots - I love the angles she gets. Very artistic.
While Meghan showered (on the Congdon Trail - ours has no showers!), I grabbed my knitting and headed for a rock.
Lush mosses are everywhere in the park. So many different types. Like mini forests.
Look at the cluster of tent caterpillars on this tree - there were multiple bunches like this all along the trunk!
This little fellow wanted to come along too - or should I say big fellow?
I was glad the window was up! The girls would have been shrieking if that was actually IN the truck with us. I tried to get a picture of his back, but this blasted camera was acting up again and wouldn't focus! GRRR.
Back to the cabin to await Claire's (the oldest daughter) arrival. She wanted to see the Reptile and Amphibian lecture (the rest of us had done this on Friday), so we drove back down to the Pilgrimage tents.
Although I don't think taking an animal from its natural habitat and keeping it in a confined space is 'right', I can certainly appreciate the reason why people do it.
Just look at these creatures! They are beautiful.
Chris Duckett, the speaker, is a good soul. All the animals he brought are rescues. He has dedicated his life to giving these creatures the best possible life they can have. I had the pleasure of meeting his mom and little brother, and they were so proud of him. It was a nice touch to the lecture.
After standing in the blazing sun for too long, we left early and went back to the cabin to eat lunch and cool off. I wish we could have gotten a spot in the shade, because they hadn't pulled out the tortoise or the ball pythons that we had seen the day before (when I didn't bring the camera) and I really wanted to get some pictures and hold that ball python again. I love snakes!
We hiked around the creek down on the Ryan Trail and Claire insisted we could walk across this log to get to the other side. I thought she was crazy - looked way too high to even use a walking stick for support, but she insisted she could do it. I told her to go first - she got about two steps onto it and turned around! You can see her in the left of the picture. I refrained from saying "I told you so".
We found a spot to hop across the rocks and I'm so glad we did. The forest on the other side was gorgeous!
I love when trees grow on rocks.
Back across the creek - notice Claire is doing the ol' "fly dance" - you know when those annoying orbitting flies buzz around your head until you want to scream?? Yep. Pretty annoying if you let them get to you.
Claire had to head back home, and we went to the chicken BBQ at the pilgrimage - delish!
Here's a view of the grounds from the road leading to the Bova Ski Area. We did part of the night hike that evening down this very same road, but couldn't take the chatty crowd and the noise of 40+ people crunching along the stone road - not our cup of tea, so to speak. So we had a beautiful (read: quiet) evening around our campfire.
With the abundance of tent caterpillars in the area, we could hear the black-billed cuckoo nearby, but were never able to spot him. 
I love snails.
Dead man's finger - and if you look closely, the ever present caterpillar making his way along the foreground of the picture!
Back to the trucks for some hydration for all.
