Vagabond Tales-Spanish Moss and Red Mites

We had a wonderful hike today …Following the Ridge Trail, Loblolly Loop and the Ravine Fern Loop… We clocked in 11,995 steps! Absolutely beautiful day! We have been enjoying the Spanish Moss along these hikes and we were reminded of a story that happened with Harry’s Mom a few years back on our trip to Savannah, Georgia…

We loved to take our mom’s on trips! They were fun to take places…One of the things Martha Dorr did on our vacations was to collect little memorabilia along the way…napkins from a special restaurant, a pressed flower, and one time while in Kentucky she asked a jockey if she could have a horse shoe that had just been removed and would be thrown away. While in Savannah she became enamored with the Spanish Moss. We were on a guided tour…We did not see her gather the moss but when our guide warned us about some fellow travelers who collected a bunch thinking to use it and take it home for crafts …Mom took notice. It seems these people had bites all over their arms and legs from red mites that take up residence in the Moss. Very quickly we saw Martha reach her hand into her purse, pull out a handful of moss and discreetly dropped it to the ground. 😊