Sunday, September 18, 2011

adventure.


Saturday we woke to perfect weather. Sunny and cool. We told the boys we were going on an adventure, packed up the car and headed out. And oh, what an adventure we had.

Our first stop was a county park in the woods with a big sandy beach and spring fed lake.


The boys cast on an empty sunny beach with practice weights on fishing poles, saw where a spring bubbled up from the sand and fed the lake and watched the water lapping against rocky outcroppings.


We saw butterflies and dragonflies and birds.



After a lots of casting and playing, we told the boys we had to head out to the next place on our adventure, packed back up and hit the road.

Our next surprise stop was at our at our very favorite hiking trail at our favorite state park.


We hiked a steep cliff of rocky stairs down down down into a waterfall oasis. Filled with ferns, caves, a clear pool and rambling creek.


There was a lot of rock hopping, frog watching, stick finding and cave exploring.




And of course plenty of hiding behind the waterfall.


In this beautiful place fall has already arrived, and golden leaves drifted down around us the whole time we were there.


We walked down the trail beyond the waterfall oasis, hiking along a mossy fern covered creek bed.


We looked at animals, trees and moss. We crossed bridge after bridge, and climbed fallen trees. We felt bark, and moved fuzzy caterpillars to safer spots.


We hiked and wandered and went back to the waterfall. As we climbed the steep stairs out of the oasis, the boys said they never wanted to leave that magical spot. After passing creeks, watercress, fields of goldenrod and galloping horses, we headed out for our next stop.


We drove past Frank Lloyd Wright, stopped in a small town cafe, and visited another county park high atop a hill. The boys spun and climbed and ran and skipped.

We looked out at fields of gold from up high. We counted silos, we watched the patches of sun move across the landscape.


We listened to the wind.


As we headed back for our last stop near home the boys talked about their favorite parts of the the adventure. A sobbed, never wanting it to end. He wants to always take the scenic route. He wants an adventure day every week. My boys said it was the best day of their entire life. Of course they say that every day. And that is how I like it.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

sounds/looks like it was the perfect (surprizze) day out!! i have park envy:) they look amazing

Jodi Anderson said...

I love that I always recognize the parks. :) Somewhere, I have a photo of Rob and Paige on that horse merry-go-round. Now I'll be on a quest to find it because I want to use it for a project. :)

Tara said...

Great photos of the boys in their element!

Jennifer, in Vancouver said...

How lovely! You have really captured a beautiful day with your photos - especially some of the expressions on the boys' faces...

Amy Bradstreet said...

I agree, every day should be the best day of their lives. Wonderfully put and captured, Denise.

Melissa said...

What a full day of adventure! I couldn't help but smile at the idea of hiding and running behind a waterfall. How magical.

Candace said...

This was such a beautiful post, what a wonderful day.

se7en said...

Beautiful post - what happy memories!!!

Helena said...

What an extraordinary day, Denise! I would have wanted to make a home by that waterfall (maybe behind it, with a little bed made of moss?).

I loved everything about this day of yours, which you turned into a gift in the Sharing. And so it became a day of Ours, didn't it? Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos and the peace and joy on your boys' faces and your lovely words.

Ingi said...

Great day, great photos and I wanna come too! :-)