May 22nd, 2026

I guess it's fairly obvious that this post will be a Photo Safari Report.  You see Joy there by the Carolton Reserve  sign  being silly for my camera :)  But that's also typical foro us. We just aren't all that serious, especially when we are together.

I think I will just go ahead and call this one by it's actual name, the Carlton Reserve Hike.  I mean that's what it is after all and every once in awhile, I make a point to be excruciatingly accurate. This can be one of those times.

We had a good time. We always have a good time, even though we are getting to the really hot and humid part of the year with frequent rainfall which means mucky and sometimes flooded trails.  But there weren't a lot of spectacular photos taken, at least by me. I haven't seen Joy's pictures yet.  

But there was one thing that I dont' recall ever seeing before.  Steaming trees.  What?  Because we always get there in the early part of the day when the temps are about as cool as they are going to get (which is not to say actually very cool) and it gets hot and humid quickly, if you catch the light just right, you can see steam literally rising from some of the trees!  Big Wow!  It looked so much more impressive in person of course, but here are the camera's versions of it:

We actually heard and saw a LOT of birds, but I only captured three. And I shocked that I managed to get those!  They are so busy in the early morning and apparently I am super pokey slow.  Oh well.  Here are the three :

The trails were beautiful.  We are slowly entering our rainy season and the showers have perked up the green stuff a bit.  Always makes me happy :)  (makes the green stuff happy too)

Also caught one adorable squirrel, having a little bath. He didn't seem to mind that I took his picture. There was an enticing bridge with a frightening canted floor that I declined to cross.  We are not quite as intrepid as we used to be, sadly.  A few flowers and maybe another rando or two

It took us about three full hours to walk a mere three miles, stopping to observe and take pictures along the way.  We left, sweaty, dirty and very happy even though it produced not so many photographs.  Oh well.  It is what it is and what it was, was a good time.

Hope you enjoyed the Carlton Reserve Photo Safari Report.

Have a Very fun and Very safe Memorial Day weekend!