![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4350.jpg)
The Kentucky hills are alive with color right now, although the most vibrant days are yet to come:
![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4355.jpg)
![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4356.jpg)
![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4354.jpg)
![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4352.jpg)
Mushrooms were plentiful in the area of the pawpaw grove. They both like the moist floor of hollows (called "hollers" around here) so it's not uncommon to find the two in close proximity:
![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4359.jpg)
Unfortunately, I had no luck finding pawpaws on this journey. We had such terrible heat and drought this past summer that I'm guessing the pawpaw trees cast their immature fruit just to survive. I did get a photo of the leaves, though:
![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4357.jpg)
With my primary objective unrealized, I decided to shoot the 44-40. The prospect had been on my mind and that led me to stash a few improvised targets and a small cardboard backer in the backpack. Shot at 25 yards while leaning against a tree, I was pleased enough to watch this group unfold. The rifle will shoot a ragged, quarter-sized hole off of sandbags at this range, so the vertical spread is entirely of my own doing:
![Image](http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/ghostdncr/Pawpaw/100_4363.jpg)