Almost Knocked Unconscious Today In The Village Creek Natural Historical Area

I had myself a nice long swim early this morning, but, even though that did seem to provide me some salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation, by noon I felt the need to be outdoors for some more aerobic stimulation.

I chose to go to Arlington, to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area to walk with the Indian Ghosts and snakes.

The last time I was looking at Village Creek I saw a big snake. Miss Sarah R., in Seattle, identified that snake as a Blotched Watersnake. Sarah R. provided a link to a website that clearly confirmed Sarah R. had correctly identified that snake.

Today I was peacefully walking along the paved trail that leads to Village Creek when I was totally startled by a crashing noise and then a powerful thud at my feet.

The huge Horse Apple you see above was the culprit.

I don't know if it was the cool, in the low 70s temperature, that was causing Horse Apples to bomb the ground, or what. What I do know is the Horse Apple bombings were unsettling. I think getting hit on the head with one of those green bombs would likely knock a person unconscious.

Last year when I blogged about Horse Apples CatsPaw kindly elaborated on the subject, explaining the Horse Apple comes from the Osage Orange tree, also known as Bois D'Arc, used by Plains Indians to make bows.

I don't know if the Indians who lived by Village Creek used the limbs of the Osage Orange trees for bows before the Texans abused eminent domain to remove the Natives from their land.

Maybe it was some Indian Ghosts shaking the Orange Osage tree today that shook loose the Horse Apple that almost knocked me out. But I doubt that. I'm sure the Indian Ghosts know I'm one of their friends.