Ma's Nature Walks

* Mules, not donkeys
We visited the Erie Canal recently and got to walk the same path the donkeys (or mules, according to some sources - I was taught donkeys) would pull boats along the canal.
The Erie Canal was the thoroughfare for people, lumber, salt, paper, etc in early industry.
I grew up around there, so those are the stories I heard.
I need to look up the stories I haven't heard - those of the Onandoga and Oneida, the role of enslaved and indentured people in its construction and operation, etc etc.
It's one of those hyper-local things that isn't on most people's radars unless they're history buffs.

Seriously, though, why is that bridge always such a surprise? And how is it still standing? The thing has been hit so many times over the years.

This is such a fascinating book. Although it focuses on Minnesota, it also talks about how the state fits into the greater topography of the world - stretching all the way back to before the dinosaurs! Seriously nerding out right now.

I checked this one out of my library, but if you want to buy it, it's on my Benable.

So, about a week ago, I noticed this weird indent on one of my girls. The skin wasn't changed, but still, any unexplained changes to the chesticles are always cause for concern.
My mind went right to cancer because of course it did.
I made the soonest appointment possible, and...the doc thinks it's just the result of me getting hit with my 4-year-old's elbows in just the wrong spot. Definitely eased my fears a bit.
That said, I still have a screening mammogram next month, so we'll see what that says.
Seriously, keep up with your cancer screenings and get medical help for any red flags. If you're gonna get cancer, it's best to catch it early, when it's most likely to be treatable.

I don't know if she was actually able to see the game, but she seemed pretty interested!
(I'm just guessing the s*x since this is a bigger jumper. Such a cutie. ❤️)