The path is rough and narrow…

The way is hard and replete with obstacles…

Betwixt the water’s edge and my present station rests the Lilliputian giants…

The wooden knots protruding from the ground are called cypress knees.  They are part of the root structure of bald cypress trees (Taxodium distichum).

The trees form these knees on their roots and push them above the surface when the tree is near or in water.  There is no definitive explanation for why this happens, although it is believed they may provide some form of structural support.

While I enjoyed a relaxing morning at the lake yesterday, my eye chanced upon these intriguing structures and incited more than a bit of fascination within me.  I snapped various photos from various angles.  Below is a wider shot showing the two bald cypress trees that so enchanted me; it also indicates their nearness to the shore.