Janelle and I have fallen in love with Cook Forest all over again. I've posted some pictures here and there, but wanted to share even more. The fern explosion was taken by Janelle.
The following two pictures were also taken by Janelle. The first reminds me of God. Some of these trees were sapplings when William Penn claimed this ground. They were already old by the time of the Revolution, and even older by the Civil War. Walking these trails feels like stepping back in time to primordial forests, untouched by humanity. Seriously, a dinosaur would seem to fit better than we do. And yet the three hundred years some of these White Pines have been around (or 400 for some of the Hemlocks), are just a blink of the eye to God.
This stairway is obviously a more recent addition, but even it seems old. One of the marks of western Pennsylvania forests are the abundance of sandstone. Once in a while we are lucky enough to see an old farmhouse made completely of sandstone blocks.
Besides hemlocks and white pines, Cook Forest is also known for its old growth hardwoods. It has some of the only virgin stands of deciduous trees left in the United States.
This is the area I call Rocky Top, near an old fire tower. These rocks just invite me to forget I'm not a kid anymore, and go play.
This has been our getaway place from our beautiful home in rural western Pennsylvania, the place where I grew up. Thank you, God, for allowing me to reconnect with these ancient paths and forests and rocks.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his rightousness with their children's children. (Psalm 103:17)
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