Pine Barrens

As I was exploring my acre it was almost completely silent except for a few rustling leaves. It was a cool breezy morning and I was ready to explore my acre with only my Boyd and my knowledge of the Pine Barrens.
As I turned the corner and began counting my one hundred and sixteen two foot steps I noticed a post oak. At first glance it resembled the “redneck giving the finger” or southern red oak but after a closer look at the leaves I realized it was just a standard post oak. The trail is set up like a Mohawk with sand on both sides and grass down the middle where the trucks have not driven. Continuing along the sandy trail made by the tires of trucks that have drove along the trail I stopped and noticed some pitch pines. I easily identified the pitch pines but looking more closely I noticed that they were jockeying for position with some oak trees. The pine and oak war on my acre is thriving and each tree is competing for better sunlight. Moving on further I stopped and thumbed through Boyd to try and identify a tree I had never seen before. With no rush to get to lake Pam I was able to look more closely and investigate some trees. At first I was led to believe that the tree was a gray birch with similar leaves and slender gray trunk I was convinced I was correct. However, the tree was located in a disturbed area and turned out to be a large toothed aspen and also my most exciting find.
It was about that time when JC came by and took a picture of me standing amongst some thorn/reindeer lichens. After saying good bye to JC I decided to trudge into the woods off the trail. As I walked through the lichens and deeper into the woods I noticed some slender leaved golden rods. I found an American holly which I would not have seen had I stayed on the trail. Walking a little bit further I found an oak which I was not sure was a scrub or a black jack oak. Regardless, the squirrel that was running all over it kept me entertained for quite some time....