And Chickasaw again

 I didn't hike quite as much as I might have - again, I'm still tired from that stomach virus. But I did find one small loop trail ("the Tall Oaks Loop Trail") that I think I'd never gone on before, and there I saw chinquapin oak and also a very tiny (1") toad that hopped across the path (I stopped and waited until it was well clear; I didn't want to step on a toad)

I joked a long time ago that I was basically a Water Pokemon; I periodically just need the sound of running water. Antelope Springs wasn't very active (it's been dry this summer) but it was still flowing

Another shot of Antelope Springs; this is the top of the rock face where it is

I also went to see Buffalo Springs, which was "framed in" by the CCC (so it's more human-altered than Antelope Springs)

I think this photo was a little blurry because I was trying to capture the water striders (a type of hemipteran, family Gerridae, but I don't a better id than that - I am not an expert in these things)

it amuses me that they're also sometimes known as Jesus Bugs, because they "walk" on water

From there, I went to the Tall Oaks Trail

They do have oaks (as advertised). It's been a while since I saw a chinquapin oak but I'm pretty sure this is one: 

There was also some herbaceous stuff, including one of my favorite plants around here, Leavenworth eryngo:

From there, I went back to the nature center (all these trails and a couple more are right behind it). And from there, lunch (a grilled cheese sandwich; it was okay but not really truly what I might have wanted, but there's not a lot of choices there). I did pick up a few small Christmas present type things both at Spice and Tea Exchange and also at the park shop. The art center (The Chickasaw tribal visitor's center) was closed, unfortunately, so I couldn't go there. 

So I went back up to Bromide Hill.

I did get a few minutes to myself before a noisy group showed up. (I've said before, I guess I was raised differently, I was raised to be quiet out in nature - almost reverent, and it's a little unsettling when people are yelling at each other on the trails). 

However, there's also an inadvertently amusing sign there. I don't remember it before, but it's probably been there a while (And yes, I have seen people climbing on the rocks and that seems super dangerous as I think this is limestone, and that will give way unexpectedly)

I posted that on Bluesky with the caption "here's your sign," heh.
 

It's funny; out in the woods I can be totally alone and I'm fine; it's when I'm in a crowded public place that I feel bad and weird about being alone. Then again, I guess in the woods I'm surrounded by other living things that aren't, like, cliqued up and being loud or something.

And then, I set off for home, going a different way so I was going through Dickson where there's an Amish food store that I remembered had good home made wheat bread (and yes, they had it) and I picked up another thing or two to serve as eventual Christmas presents for family.

And yes, I did continue my tradition of buying a stuffie up there, this one from the nature center store. (I didn't let on it was for me; I was also buying a couple field guides for my niece and I just elided it as "oh this is some of my Christmas shopping for my family....)

but really, I don't have a stuffed baby mountain lion, and they sure are cute little gremlins: