Hike at Reed Run and House Rock

We had a great hike in the Reed Run and House Rock preserves this past weekend.  On the trailhead to Reed Run I spotted these milkweed pods, complete with Large Milkweed Bugs.

Above is a portion of the stream; you can see some pawpaw leaves in the lower right.  This setting, with its groves of wild pawpaws growing along the banks, was the inspiration for my Reed Run a few years back:

Here I am, caught in a contemplative moment:

The view from a portion of the Conestoga Trail that skirts the Susquehanna River.  I love the lines of the trees trunks and branches in this shot:

After a dry spell, we've had a deluge of rain, leading to a eruption of fungi:

The view from House Rock over the Susquehanna.  You can see where someone laboriously carved the name into the rock years ago in the lower left.  The rock was crawling with brown marmorated stink bugs--there's no escaping them in PA this year.

Here's the panoramic view of House Rock:

And the small art quilt View from House Rock:





On the way back to the trailhead, we passed a field with an experimental planting of chestnut trees, fenced to keep out deer. 
A great day and a good hike.