Proud and mighty Oaks towered in the meadow
Recalling nurture and growth begun ages ago
Dad loved to nap in their refreshing shade
One afternoon sky darkened with a sudden storm
Twisting summer tornado began to take form
Against rings of wood did nature invade
Running from basement to his lovely trees
Finding only splintered limbs he fell on knees
Once peaceful meadow strewn by natures grenade
A swift and savage motion he never foresaw
His heart broke as he carried his chainsaw
Pressed into the labor of a lumberjack
The lifelong lesson of love and loss stain
In sawdust and broken bark which remain
and the dense firewood stacked high outback
As the years passed and the trees proved warm
He started what he was meant to learn
When the time was right, he passed along
"Son, You plant the seeds and prune the trees
Cherishing lovely days in the summer breeze
Naïve to what comes in the next dawn
So you can fester in anger or heartbreak
Rebelling from God's plan you shan't retake
The fallen might and broken dreams now gone
All you can do is try your best to love
Surrender all your wishes and efforts above
When given a cross, try to smile and carry on
Date: July 22nd Location: Hawn State Park Route: White Oak and Whispering Pine Trail Double Loop (Figure 8) Stats: 13.1 miles @ 1463 ft elevation gain Weather: Cool clear morning to hot mid day After making a rather pleasant hour and a half drive from my domicile, myself and a few other trepid hikers embarked on what would turn out to be a very diverse ~13 mile loop at Hawn State Park. I was very excited to be checking out another new state park (three in as many months.) The trail we selected was two big loops with an additional small loop at the very far mid point. From start to finish we traversed steep rocky pitches, bluff lines, river side trails, hiked in the river bed for a while (off trail), some flat woodlands of both pine and oak, and a couple open spots. It was a mostly shaded trail which was much appreciated as the day aged and the cool morning gave way to sweltering heat. The trail itself was very easy except for the last couple of miles (going coun...
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