March 30, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Clinton Nature Center.

The Clinton Nature Center looks a lot better on TV than it did today in real life. Mississippi Roads did a segment about the Center last week, clearly filmed another year. Large Cypress trees were discussed on the program. Pictures showed the trees sitting in water which is typical of them. But when I asked the young lady in the Center where the Cypres were on the map she did not know. I think she was a clerk, not a biologist. Keshina and I walked for a bit but not long so we were both disappointed with the place. We selected the wrong day. A wedding was being held in the amphitheater and the reception was being held on the deck of the building. The place was full of wedding people and workers. And we went on Saturday so families were there hiking the trails. It had rained in the morning so the wooden bridges and gravel walkways were slick which make Kashena anxious. The paths were too narrow for her to walk beside me to hold her arm. She did not want us to continue. "There were too many steps," she said. "We need to go back to the car because I am afraid you will fall." So after a 15 minute walk, we returned to the car and found a place for lunch in the historic district of Clinton, which is right beside Kate's college, Mississippi College. We were both disappointed with the Nature Center but we loved the restaurant and the students. Several students were taking parents and prospective students on a tour on the town. The girls all wore shorts and college T shirts. It was fun listening and watching them in action. Perhaps I will return with Ken and Wendy when I feel sure they will not be so nervous about walking the trails in the woods. I would like to try it again.