Nature Hike with the Cousins

We took a nature hike with cousins today to collect Buckeyes. They were gracious enough to give us a guided tour to the Buckeye tree in their woods. As you know, the Buckeye is the Ohio state tree and it was given this name by Native Americans who thought that the seeds looked like the eye of a deer or buck. Native American used to roast, peel and mash the nuts to make a dish they called "Hetuk". They would also blanch the nuts to extract tannic acid which they used for leatherworking.

Hiking back to the tree.

Through a field.

THE Buckeye tree.

George was definitely the best collector!

Ok, maybe I am not a good Ohioan but I did not know that the Buckeyes seeds grew inside this spiny, round, yellowish "fruit"! These can hold anywhere from 1-5 nuts.

Then you break it open and viola!

On the way back, we stopped at the hideouts that they have built.

The bridge

I called this the porch swing.

They said this was their corn hole game.

Pure Boy Heaven!

Thanks Will, Charlie and George for sharing your woods with us!