Realm Woods

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0968dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>Unless otherwise noted, all images and text on this site are my own creations.</B></div> <div> <B>Please do not infringe.</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="314960f0.png" border=0 width="150" height="15" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Please sign one of our Guest Registers </B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub39.bravenet.com/guestbook/show.php?usernum=3286124372&cpv=1/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub39.bravenet.com/guestbook/show"><U><B>Bravenet Guest Register</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://htmlgear.lycos.com/guest/control.guest?u=thisildorealm&i=2&a=sign" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://htmlgear.lycos.com/guest/control."><U><B>htmlGear Guest Register</B></U></A><B><IMG SRC="314960f0.png" border=0 width="150" height="15" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Critters"><U><B>Realm Critters</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Shrooms Fungus"><U><B>'Shrooms & Fungus</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Trails"><U><B>Realm Trails</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id178.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Elves"><U><B><IMG SRC="cb9af820.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="130" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="7c264b30.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="179" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=135 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thisildo Realm</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thisildo Realm"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to The Realm"><U>Welcome to The Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id271.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats New at the Realm"><U>What's New at the Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id258.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Flag"><U>The Flag</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id179.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About the Realm"><U>About the Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Mistress"><U>Realm Mistress</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id288.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Master"><U>Realm Master</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm History"><U>Realm History</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id325.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Animal Kingdom"><U>Realm Animal Kingdom</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Village Kitchen"><U>The Village Kitchen</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Village Library"><U>The Village Library</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id279.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Carolina Cross Connection"><U>Carolina Cross Connection</U></A>   |   <B>Realm Woods</B>   |   <A HREF="id178.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Elves"><U>Realm Elves</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Memory Village"><U>Memory Village</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Seasons of The Realm"><U>Seasons of The Realm</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id94.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Graphics Village"><U>Graphics Village</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Adoptions"><U>Realm Adoptions</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id180.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Causes"><U>Realm Causes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gifts"><U>Gifts</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Awards"><U>Awards</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Banners"><U>Banners</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id237.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WebRings"><U>WebRings</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Map"><U>Map</U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=345 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Realm Woods</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="8afa0740.jpg" border=0 width="416" height="116" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="494" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 73 WIDTH="486"><div> <B>Welcome to Realm Woods!</B></div> <div> I hope you're wearing your hiking clothes! There is a trail, but you're in the woods, remember! <IMG SRC="44510130.gif" border=0 width="16" height="19" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <IMG SRC="1d6810b0.jpg" border=0 width="385" height="267" ALT="Realm Woods" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1429 WIDTH="646"><div> <IMG SRC="1d71cbd0.jpg" border=0 width="284" height="189" ALT="Realm Woods" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> The Realm Woods took on a whole new meaning after The Girls pulled off the Great Escape. The Woods had sat quietly doing whatever woods do for over a dozen years.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d83da00.jpg" border=0 width="317" height="160" ALT="Realm Woods" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>      My first venture into the woods was in August 1986. Suddenly, out of the blue clear, these large flying, buzzing things came after me in a Take No Prisoners frame of mind! Fortunately, they only managed to sting me twice... once on each thumb! I still have no idea WHAT they were! They were big, loud, and black.</div> <bR> <div>      Visits to Realm Woods after that  unhappy adventure only happened in the dead of Winter, when there <I>nothing</I> alive that could damage me or feast on me! ;o) </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1d93fd40.jpg" border=0 width="319" height="212" ALT="Realm Woods" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"> </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> As Spring blossomed, my treks into the woods dwindled.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1da3fd40.jpg" border=0 width="319" height="212" ALT="Realm Woods" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>      All that changed when Buffy returned four days after the Great Escape. Buffy became an indoor dog and that meant I had to become an outdoor person. Which wasn't a bad thing. I like being outdoors, but <I>daily</I>?   hmmm...</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1dd3fd40.jpg" border=0 width="319" height="212" ALT="Realm Woods" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">Even after <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My First Walk With A Dog"><U>My First Walk With A Dog</U></A>, I continued to ignore The Realm Woods in favor of the discoveries Buffy and I were making by hiking through the woods surrounding Thisildo Realm. Then, joy oh joy! <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Billies Home!"><U>Billie's Home</U></A>! She finally made her way home and joined us on the excursions deeper into the woods. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1de3fd40.jpg" border=0 width="319" height="212" ALT="Realm Woods" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">     Sadly, those adventures came to an abrupt halt shortly after Billie came home. </div> <bR> <div>      Seems <I>everybody</I> got a dirt bike or ATV for Christmas and the woods were alive with the sounds of engines. It just wasn't as peaceful anymore. At times it was downright dangerous!</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 299 WIDTH="646"><div>      So, I turned my attention, finally, to of all things, my own back yard and wonder of wonders, this is perfect! Yay! :D  It seems that the canines of the area have been traveling through the woods for years and have an established set of linking trails that, while narrow, are really great.</div> <bR> <div>      Within two months time, I'd taken the doggie trails and expanded them into over 1200 feet of winding trails that ran the perimeter of the property and followed along the creek for the length of the west property line. After the main trail was built, I turned my attention to the "interior" trails and began adding to the overall length. I really miss the rugged climbs The Girls and I used to make through the woods, and have made one of the trail legs run over the most difficult terrain I could find on our land. It's nothing like the rugged terrain back in the deeper woods, but it does require some effort.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <IMG SRC="0e690100.png" border=0 width="400" height="16" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 2102 WIDTH="646"><div> <B>Wild Flowers of Realm Woods</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#336633" FACE="Trebuchet MS" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2ac5e070.jpg" border=0 width="350" height="263" ALT="Pinxter Flower" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Pinxter Flower</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>T</B>his azalea family shrub was discovered down by the creek</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2b6f5a50.jpg" border=0 width="245" height="165" ALT="Fringe Tree blossoms" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Fringe Tree blossoms</div> <bR> <div> This delightful shrub puts forth these beautiful, delicate flowers that have a scent that can be detected a hundred yards away.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2b1c8190.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="281" ALT="Common Blue Violet (Viola papilionacea)" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Common Blue Violet</div> <div> (Viola papilionacea)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2ccc82c0.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="300" ALT="Spotted Wintergreen" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Spotted Wintergreen</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="2c680000.jpg" border=0 width="384" height="256" ALT="Dogwood blossoms" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Dogwood blossoms</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0e690100.png" border=0 width="400" height="16" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2b9c8d70.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="215" ALT="Scented Shrub First Leaves" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> These are the first leaves of what I've been calling "Scented Shrub". I don't know the name of this plant that grows <I>everywhere</I> in The Realm.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2bef5960.jpg" border=0 width="245" height="150" ALT="Scented Shrub bud" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Flower bud</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2bff5ec0.jpg" border=0 width="245" height="236" ALT="Scented Shrub blossom" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The scent from these tiny blossoms fills Realm Woods in early Spring.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="2bb90180.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="280" ALT="Scented Shrub" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The shrub in bloom</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <IMG SRC="0e690100.png" border=0 width="400" height="16" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="459" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 188 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1e1a0a90.png" border=0 width="160" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.thesitefights.com/wombat" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.thesitefights.com/wombat"><U><IMG SRC="1e2f4900.jpg" border=0 width="244" height="144" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div>              <A HREF="http://www.thesitefights.com/wombat" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.thesitefights.com/wombat"><U> </U></A><A HREF="http://www.thesitefights.com/wombat" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.thesitefights.com/wombat"><U>http://www.thesitefights.com/wombat</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0e690100.png" border=0 width="400" height="16" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Beyond Realm Woods</B></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="654" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 995 WIDTH="646"><div> <IMG SRC="1df87050.jpg" border=0 width="391" height="261" ALT="Duck Pond" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <bR> <div>      Sadly, this Duck Pond is not on Realm land. Buffy showed it to me during our First Walk. To reach it, you must climb down the ravine to the creek, then climb up the other side. You then travel the fire trail along the bottom edge of the pond and follow the trail around as it climbs the hill and overlooks the pond. Quite a trek, but well worth it!</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e42c1a0.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="282" ALT="Another trail" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">    This is another branch of the trails Buffy showed me during December 1999. This trail, located north and west of the Duck Pond is not part of The Realm.</div> <bR> <div>      These are pictures are of different trails on different properties and even though each of these trails is connected, they each have their own personality and charm. They connect with each other randomly which makes each new trail a surprise.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1e52c200.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="288" ALT="Another trail" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">I believe this trail is my favorite one. It is two trails west of the one pictured above (there's really no other way to say it!). It's not a part of The Realm, either, but this was the trail where Buffy and I often stopped for a break, had lunch and just relaxed a bit before traveling on. It is much more narrow (clearly designed to be a dirt bike trail) and windy than many of the other trails and leads to another clearing. Which, of course, leads to another trail! :D</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <A HREF="id178.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Realm Elves"><U><IMG SRC="c95f1a60.jpg" border=0 width="241" height="166" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>