Three bloggers (& many others) diverged in a wood and I took lots of pictures...

The annual family hike and bonfire took place yesterday in perfect weather conditions and great light. We figure we traveled about 3.5 miles to Sandy Branch Bottom and back and I, for one, took well over 200 photos, only a few of which (owing to the photographer and not the subjects) turned out acceptably.

Here are a few of my favorites:

(Oh, and P.S.? We're not proud of the fact that it is necessary for us to have a rakish, unidentified armed gunman along, but when there are various famous writers, bloggers, iDates, brilliant minds [legal and otherwise] and such as that completely exposed and vulnerable in the wilderness, you just can't be too careful.):

You can just go ahead on be impressed with this photo. Does it not look like maybe an investment ad or a magazine cover? Although...now that I look at it, I probably should have gotten them full body all the way to the bottom. Damnit! It's always something:

Also necessary on any hike, are our canine friends, who helped lead the way. That's FurGirl in the foreground and her good friend, River, hamming it up in road center further on in the distance:

The siblings present:

Ashton searches the treetops for the elusive red headed woodpecker:

Not sure why I like this one so much but there it is:


Bethany belts out a tune while a pensive matriarch stares into the fire:

[Note to Tony: Here are links to trailers of the movies we discussed: The Secret Life of Words and Away From Her. As it happens, both movies have Julie Christie and Sarah Polley in common.]