Memorial Day Hike: John Bryan State Park

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend!

It was quite busy here in the Beaver household.  Cub scout activities all around.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to go camping like I wanted to.  But I spent the time kayaking and hiking.

Of course it was a beautiful day for a hike.  It was made even more beautiful walking along a stream with my trusty dog Magi in tow.

She was loving the river and the hike.

Every time she got dry, she jumped back into the river.

Yup, that's my dog, the smellier the water the better!



John Bryan is a wonderful park..... easy to follow trail, moderate hike.

I say moderate due to the tree roots and rocks to trip over.

It wasn't too overly steep.  We were out there for about 3 hours, did about 4 miles or so. Moderate pace, but with lots of stops for photos and a half hour spent meditating at what is now my new favorite spot.   A quiet spot just off the trail along a little trickling waterfall that settles into a pool.

I was spell bound the moment I saw it.  If I didn't have my dog with me, I could have easily sat there for hours.  She had other ideas, she was on the move and kept getting caught on roots and rocks.

another beautiful spot

         

And of course some of the wildlife along the way.......

Next time I'll try to go earlier (without my dog) to try to catch some other wildlife along the way.

A beautiful day for a swim.  Of course some areas were a little deeper than others. 

At one point Magi went to jump into the river, but misjudged the depth.  She usually stays about chest deep.  This was much deeper and under she went. She quickly came up and swam to the shore and got out.  But that was one soaked puppy.

Weekend break from cleaning.

How can I clean on a day like today?  That's what I was thinking this weekend.  Some things are just more important than cleaning.... like getting outside and enjoying life on a beautiful spring day.

So Saturday I worked on my garden:

my little man working hard

 Getting the soil turned over, planting some flowers, herbs and a few vegetables to get started.

Quite an enjoyable sunny day.

Then Sunny Sunday I went for a hike:

a Beaver dam :)

 I can't seem to go on a hike anymore with out my camera... or if I do, then I wish I had my camera with me.

I went to a local wetland/wildlife reserve.  I've actually never really explored there before since it has boardwalks and I usually want something more challenging for hiking. But since I was still recuperating from my garden workout the day before, I was okay with a light hike.

What I found was pleasantly unexpected.

“We need the tonic of wildness...At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.” 
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

hello little bug

So early in the spring, finding tons of wildlife.

Little bugs posing on top of beautiful marsh flowers.












Jittery, jumping frogs sunning themselves, only to be frightened by my presence and swimming away.

shhhhhh you can't see me!

And unfortunately..... tons of ticks. Tick season is here early this year.

ugh.... they give me the heebie jeebies

Happy Spring!