Strategies for making new friends. Well... Maybe not?

My Current blog picture in my continuing cycle, reminds me of something that happened a couple years ago just 100 feet or so from where that was taken. Like probably everyone of you as children, I grew up enjoying hide and seek and any other games that challenged my skills of "elusiveness." The thing is though, at about the same time most of you were growing out of such things, I was just beginning. Lol. I started to read books by Tom Brown Jr, and realized that there is truelly a very, very intricate science to the skills of both not being seen, and being aware enough to see and know what is going on around you in nature (and society ;) not my strong point though). Being a homeschooler I had lots of time, and spent every possible moment in the woods anyways, so although I had ALOT to learn I still was given the opportunity to see and experience many things that are quite uncommon. So many stories I have never told anybody, because I know how hard they would be for me to believe. Well, this isn't one of those amazing unbelievable stories. Lol, but it is kind of funny anyways.

There is a place that my family likes to visit called Whitaker Falls, and usually we camp there a few days each summer. So on one of those days, I woke up just as the sky was starting to glow and went for a nice long peaceful walk through the forest that boarders the river. And on my return I went down by the falls and spent some time sitting along the pool at its bottom. It was full daylight by then, and the air was just starting to warm, so an idea came into my head. I half expected my cousin Chad (my naturey partner) to be looking for me soon, and half wondered what animals would happen by, so I decided to find a place to sit sorta out of the way. There is a crack in the rocks at the base about 2 feet deep a dozen or so ft long, and just barely wider than my shoulders that is filled with still and kinda stagnant water and hundreds of minnows. So I put some mud on my face, found a small mat of moss to set on the top of my head, and submerged myself leaving only my nose and eyes above water. I lay there studying minnows as they studied and nibbled on me for no more than 15 minutes and I started to hear voices coming on down the rocks. A little while later they walked past me and went over to the falls. It was 3 teenage boys, you know the type, tough as could be and they knew it, real manly men, Lol. So I lay there and listened and watched until all of a sudden one of them starts to walk towards my little pool and stands at my feet peering into the water presumable at the minnows. Lol, I love that look on peoples faces when they have no idea that they are looking straight at you. :) His 2 buddies were soon close behind him, although not quite as interested in my particular pool. I could have stayed there and they would have wandered away, but I have such a hard time not taking advantage of such situations! Lol, My foot was wedged in a crevice at the bottom, so I slid it out slowly and watched his face as my body floated to the top. LOL, Such a transformation I have never seen! Lol Mr. Tough Guy let out a girly scream and took off like a lightning bolt up the rocks just barely ahead of his two companions once they had seen "The Swamp Creature" stand up out of the water and their "Champion" head for higher ground. Lol They made it all the way to the top before any of them turned around to see me laughing my head off and rolling around on the rocks below. Lol We had a kinda jumpy conversation shouting back and forth, and once the adrenaline wore off, they were laughing as hard as I was. I followed them to the top, and they still kept a close eye on me, but began to bombard me with dozens of questions. It always happens this way, my favorite time was when an amazed little girl and her mother both on horses (that was just about to step on me if I didn't stand up soon, :) seriously asked if I was an indian who still lived in the forests with my tribe. Lol. I usually try not to go popping out of weird places anymore :) Usually