Because of eight bone-spur operations in my feet, I appreciate a good walking aid. My favorite hiking sticks are the ones where stick growth had been deformed by spiraling vines. However, you have to find them, and Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate.
But at the corner of my house, I discovered a swamp maple (also known as “red maple,” “water maple,” or “soft maple”). No matter how many times I cut it down, it