Vax's Nature Adventure

      Haha, wow, tomorrow is Janmastami, Krishna's birthday!!!!!!  And don't tell naughty Krishna, but I found Him something special today for His birthday....I can't wait to give it to Him!!!!!!!

And then Monday is Srila Prabhupada's birthday!!!!  Far out....All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

And now for a little pictorial nature adventure with Vakreshvara:

This is my little foray into one of my favorite trees on the planet and one I find endlessly interesting:  The noble pawpaw, Asimina Triloba (Yes, I knew that latin name and yes I'm a bit of a plant geek).

Look at them buggers!!!!

So beautiful....it's like a Buddha's hand

Nice

The trees grow in thick groves that are very lovely

Exquisite

I wonder when they'll be ripe?

Maybe now!!!!!!

Look what I found under the trees!

I wonder if he's looking for pawpaws?

Is this a giant pawpaw?!!?

No!! It's a crazy giant lima bean.... no, wait I think it's a Kentucky Coffeetree pod actually.  They're useful.  

How'd a seashell end up in the forest?  Must be hippies.... this is Cherokee park after all.  The other hippie artifacts I found was a digital pocket scale....that works!

This is called jewelweed and it heals poison ivy.  When dried up, the seed pods explode when touched.

This is called greenbrier and the young shoots and leaves are edible.  It stays green all Winter.

Beautiful forest meadow.

Wild phlox, so lovely

This is called porcelain berry.  It's a grape look-alike but poisonous.  

Beautiful creek

Kentucky meadow-what your backyard would look like if you didn't mow it for a couple months.  There's a large hedge of wild "jerusalem artichokes" growing in there.

Beautiful, exotic plants

Huge nettle bushes in the forest...I kind of enjoy being stung by them

Wild mushrooms

The wild sunchoke hedge

Now entering....the pawpaw cathedral...I've found the motherload

There were pawpaws everywhere.  

This is called wild ginger, it smells and tastes like ginger and grows as a ground vine.

The mother pawpaw tree

I could almost hear Krishna's flute....

Nice ferns and moss near the creek

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little nature trip with me.  It was a very nice time.  And....the pawpaws are Krishna's birthday present, but DON'T TELL HIM!!!!!!  He has no idea they're ripe yet....
So, if you'd like to go on a nature adventure with me and hear about all the wild stuff out there, just let me know.  Chant Hare Krishna and be happy, and stay in tune with the natural flow for good balance and health.