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Omg, we grew food! That we can eat! Oh yeah, and hike #9.

6/27/2016

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In Florida, the west coast is the best coast and if you need proof then look no further than Lovers Key (and the whole Bonita Springs, Sanibel and Naples area). For Hike #9 of our 52 Hike Challenge we walked the length of the beach at Lovers Key State Park. Right after the hurricane force winds nearly blew us out to sea.
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But first, the important things. Like the fact that our trees and bushes produced fruit this year. Like real fruit that you can eat and no one seems to think this is nearly as exciting as I do, but whatever. I feel like a survivalist. Except I'm not the one who planted (or maintains) them -that's Trevor and Ellison's domain.  I am, however,  reading quite a few gardening and planting books so that should count as participation.

We had peaches, apples, blueberries and blackberries. And they were delicious. And of course, like any proud first-time fruit parent would do, I took pictures documenting the moment like we were the first people to ever grow anything edible. Like we were the ones who invented these trees. It was pretty much awesome in all ways. Except for when Waylon ate one whole blackberry bush. Not just the berries, but the whole bush. The only one that was fruiting. But he is really cute (and patriotic) so I included a picture of him, too. 

In the spirit of edible backyards, Ellison and I can't wait to get the raised-bed vegetable garden planted. It should be finished no later than the end of July. Time is kind of running out for summer planting so we have to hurry. We're also creating a potted herb garden of which Ellison will care for exclusively. It feels good to be making use of what little green space we have.
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Alright, if we're being honest I really just want to quit doing the  52 Hike Challenge because it's June and Ellison and I are only on hike #9. But, unlike the actual rules say, we are only counting hikes that are new to us, not the walks or hikes we rountinely take during the week. So it's slow going, for sure. We're going to try and catch up over the summer and see if we can make the January 1st goal of 52 different hikes in 2016. Ellison doesn't really care as long as we are still going to new places and that should be what this is all about so there really isn't a reason to give up. So, our hike at Lovers Key State Park is #9. 
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The sky was definitely ominous upon our arrival, but we weathered the short-lived storm and were rewarded when the sun came out by having the beach completely to ourselves, and by finding a ton of starfish and sea urchins brought to the shallow water by the strong waves. Ellison was in heaven. She is obsessed with sea urchins and spent the afternoon building a little holding pen for them in a slough. By the end of the day it was filled with urchins, starfish, sanddollars and a variety of other things she collected on our hike. This area is known for its beautiful shells and if you're into that sort of thing then Lovers Key would not disappoint. 

While we just stuck to the beach, the park has designated hiking trails that take you along the mangrove swamps and hammocks. It isn't a boardwalk, just hardpacked shell rock and the north end of the Black Trail loop is shared with mountain bikers so be aware. You can also kayak or canoe in the estuary, which is really nice because the water is so flat and protected (although the Gulf side isn't particularly rough either - which is another reason west beats east). Being on the water offers a great vantage point for wildlife viewing and you could spot dolphins, manatees, alligators, eagles and ospreys. We saw a lot of osprey on our hike, a number of them babies in their nests. 
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While the weather wasn't the best, it is also summer in Florida so it's to be expected. This park lived up to its hype as having pristine white sand beaches and abundant wildlife, but I do recommend staying to southern end of the island because it offers a more scenic view. Not that the north end isn't pretty, but I just felt like the south end offered a little more tranquility. Ellison and I had a great time and she was begging to go back the next day for more sea urchin fun - it didn't end up happening due to time constraints, but it would have been nice. Maybe we'll looking into camping during the winter, although I hear that you have to make reservations up to a year in advance because it's so popular. 
See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #8 - Anastasia State Park

6/3/2016

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As Ellison and I have mentioned before on this site, we love St. Augustine. And this past Memorial Day we had the chance to hang out in one of our favorite places in the city doing all of our favorite things - spending time with family, eating (tacos) and walking on the beach. A rare and relaxing weekend, for sure. It reinforced the need for presence (I didn't check my phone all day!), as well as our decision to have a slow summer filled with little things Ellison and I have been wanting to do together - baking, sewing, painting, drawing, riding bikes, starting a garden.
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anastasia state park

The majority of our weekend was spent at Anastasia State Park, a location much definitely preferred over the public access parts of St. Augustine beach where the city insanely still allows driving on the sand. Don't even get me started. It's nuts and I just can't even begin to understand. But, anyway, Anastasia is beautiful and the dunes restoration has made it even more so. While many people choose to set up right near the boardwalk, we always head away from the crowds and go much further down the beach. Since this was a holiday weekend it was more crowded, but usually if you are willing to walk a bit then the crowds thin out and the beach is all yours.

Our hike consisted simply of walking a little over 2 miles north along the water's edge looking for shells, jellyfish and horseshoe crabs and then coming back along the dunes scouting for sea turtle nests. We had turned on the mapmyhike app to get the exact time and mileage, but it didn't seem to be working for us that afternoon so no such luck. There is also a marked hike (Ancient Dunes trail) through the mangrove hammock and dunes (which you should definitely do!), but it was so hot that we decided to skip it and stick to the beach where there was a breeze.
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summer stargazing

Ok, if you don't have an astronomy app on your phone or tablet then get one. Now. I am the first to admit that I have only a rudimentary understanding of space at best, but thanks to Ellison I am now addicted to using these apps to see what the night sky has to offer. Ellison has such an interest in astronomy and honestly knows far more about cosmological workings than I do. She frequently watches shows like 'Cosmos' and 'NOVA' and to hear her ask such insightful, nuanced questions about space warms my heart.  So, with this in mind, we decided to take advantage of being at the beach on a moonless night and use some of our favorite apps to check out the current sky. It was really, really cool.

I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone who has even a slight astronomical interest. We used SkyView and Star Chart, but there are a ton of options. Ellison prefers Star Chart, but Trevor and I prefer SkyView (pictured below). They're both user-friendly, but I like the fact that with Star Chart you can just point the phone at the sky and up pops all sorts of information about stars, planets, constellations and satellites. The screen isn't too cluttered, making it easier to identify exactly what you're viewing, it works well for kids and beginners (that's us!) and also has soothing background music that gives your stargazing a kind of planetarium feel. Perfect. If you're in to planetariums, that is. 
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​"Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would create new religions overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead, the stars come out every night and we watch television."
                                         — Paul Hawkens, Commencement address, University of Portland, 2009
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Ellison was so excited because she spotted Saturn, Jupiter and Mars all out at one time and was desperate to take a screenshot and send it to her friends, who she was quite certain had not experienced such wonders and were going to be very jealous of this tri-planetary sighting. We didn't end up sending any pictures, but Ellison has been talking about this night walk and seeing three planets at the beach all week. At her request, we are planning on spending much more family time outside observing the night sky once school gets out. I am happy to oblige. 
​See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #7 - Sweetwater Wetlands Park

5/17/2016

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Ellison and I are still slowly plodding along on the 52 Hike Challenge and this week we completed Hike #7. Let me just start by saying that Sweetwater Wetlands Park is one of the most pleasantly surprising places that I have been in a long time. We have been meaning to check it out since the park first opened last May and it took a year, but we finally made it. Honestly, my expecations were pretty low (I'm not sure why) and I suspected it would just be just like any other local trail, but figured it was still worth a visit. Well, Sweetwater Wetlands far exceeded our expecatations and Ellison and I quickly decided that this is our new favorite park in Gainesville - for many reasons. The boardwalks, the well designed trails and lookouts, the beautiful vegetation and abundant wildlife, the purposeful habitat and water flow restoration. All of this attention to detail makes Sweetwater Wetlands exemplary in terms of city environmental efforts. Oh, and it's designed in the shape of an alligator head. Of course. 
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There are almost 4 miles of walking trails, laid out in multiple loops winding throughout the wetlands, partially on boardwalks and partially rock and gravel. We went in the early afternoon when the sun was almost directly overhead so we weren't expecting much in terms of animal activity, but again Sweetwater Wetlands delivered with dozens of bird species, eight alligators and a very curious cotton rat. Ellison was most excited about seeing a huge alligator up close as it swam right up to the boardwalk. It beat out the rare sight of alligators mating that we witnessed later in the hike, primarily due to her concern over the fate of the female. It wasn't pretty. We were all a little worried. 
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Below is a baby limpkin coming out of its nest. There were numerous mother bird species with their babies, but this is the only one of which I could get a decent shot. Limpkins only eat apple snails and Ellison made a game out of collecting as many empty snail shells as she could find. 
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The boardwalks overlook the manmade wetlands that restore the water flow to nearby Payne's Prairie. Ellison counted 5 alligators and ten different types of birds from this spot. Her favorites were the Great Blue herons because she appreciates the way in which they strut regally through the water. Mine were the Red-winged blackbirds because of the bright red wing feathers that make it look like they're wearing military epaulettes. 
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And now for the much anticipated cotton rat...
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Sweetwater Wetlands is such a fantastic little park and Ellison and I are looking forward to a return visit. We walked almost all of the trails, but did realize as we were headed back that there was one loop we missed. Even more reason to come back. We're thinking a dawn outing with our birding checklists to see how many species we can identify in one morning. There were numerous covered benches and seating areas seemingly designed for just this purpose. I think we could probably check off at least 20, maybe more. 
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This is Ellison's favorite shirt and she absolutely wanted me to include a close-up because she says she truly is happy every day. And I can attest to the fact that this is indeed the truth. I don't know how I ended up so lucky as to get his amazing girl in my life, but I need to find a shirt that says 'grateful everyday' because that would pretty much sum it up for me. 
See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #6 - Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve

4/3/2016

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Just an hour west of Gainesville and with miles of available trails, Cedar Key seemed like the perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon. For Hike #6 of our 52 Hike Challenge we decided to check out the Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve. 
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The area along what is referred to as Florida's 'Nature Coast' has a ton of great scenic hiking. There are numerous springs, interesting coastal areas where rivers like the Suwanee meet the Gulf of Mexico and trails that are part of the Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge on islands only accessible by boat. Even though Ellison and I wanted to have lunch in downtown Cedar Key, we decided that the scrub reserve would be the best place to hike on this trip even though it was a little further away than some of the other trails for no other reason than we had never been there before and we wanted to try something new. 

There are two different trailheads for this reserve and while we stopped at both, I decided we would start at the one off of CR 347 because it had longer trails and it led to a swamp, which just sounded more interesting that a trail that didn't lead to a swamp. But, they are connected so it is possible to walk from one to the other (though it would be much more comfortable to go by bike or horse, rather than foot, because it is quite a distance between them). 
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Ellison brought a friend with her on this trip and the girls had a great time hiking, but an even better time exploring the area down by Black Point Swamp. It is uniquely beautiful, so representative of coastal north Florida and was just the right type of place for them to create forest hideouts among the trees. They would have stayed all day if we had let them despite the gnats and ticks. It was my favorite spot, too. Despite heavy rain on Saturday (which made parts of the trail exceptionally muddy), Sunday's weather was near perfect with a cloudless blue sky and warmth tempered by cool spring breeze. We didn't see too many animals on this hike, mainly because we were out in the middle of the day, but we did find a nice hog skull. You know, if you're in to skulls and whatnot. 
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 We hiked roughly 5 miles of the 8.5 that were part of the marked trails at this trailhead. And, foolishly, we didn't bring a backpack with water, sunscreen or bug spray and we all ended up thirsty, sunburned and covered in ticks by the end of our trip. I had forgotten the backpack I usually carry as I was trying to get out the door in the morning and while I actually had all of those things in the car, I didn't have anything to carry them in so I said forget it. So be forewarned that the trails are all very much in the open sun with little in the way of shade so be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and a hat if you plan on being out for more than a mile or so. You can see below how Ellison just about gave up at the end! But we rallied, went into town and after lunch and some ice cream the girls made a miraculous recovery. 
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If you are looking for other options (or maybe if you're planning on kayaking or boating to the trail), there are a number of places to hike in the Cedar Key area. Below are a few of the most popular:
  • Atsena Otie Key (only accessible by boat)
  • Dennis Creek Trail at Shell Mound
  • Waccasassa Bay State Preserve (only accessible by boat)
  • Lower Suwanee National Wildlife Refuge
Our next stop in this area is going to be renting kayaks and heading out to some island trails, most likely Atsena Otie Key. We're thinking of purchasing some of our own in the relatively near future so we can spend some more time on the water without being limited to places near rental shops. Any recommendations or advice? I'm thinking a single rather than a tandem would work best? Any thoughts on purchasing used versus new? 
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See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #5 - Manatee Springs State Park

3/24/2016

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Hike #5 of our 52 Hike Challenge is in the bag after we spent the day at Manatee Springs State Park. I know, it's almost April and we're only on Hike #5 - we need to get moving! 
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Ellison was determined to see manatees this Spring Break and I know there are some great spots in the central Florida area. We were initially planning on going kayaking but, honestly, I didn't feel like driving for more than an hour (ruling out Blue Springs near Deland, where we were likely to see the most) and I'm tired (kayaking would have meant a day of paddling and I just wasn't up for it this week). Plus, she has seen them many times before. That being said, the girl wanted manatees, so manatees are what she got. Because I'm pretty much a sucker for a kid who asks to spend the day outside.
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The park and campgrounds are expansive with the focus obviously being on the springs and related aquatic activities. You can swim, dive or rent a canoe, kayak or paddle board from an outfitter right in the park. On a clear day the water is the most intense shade of bluish green - a color unique to freshwater springs simply because of the way the water flows up from underground. We have a painting in our dining room that looks almost exactly like the photo below and it makes me smile every time I see it because of the vibrancy of the colors.
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Since Ellison was chasing a manatee sighting, we decided to first walk down the boardwalk and see if we could spot any from the docks. In the colder months, Manatee Springs is a great place to see tons of manatees as they come in to stay in the warmer water of the springs - a constant 72 degrees - and the picture below (not taken by me!) is an example of what it looks like in the winter. But it's the end of March and the weather has warmed up and most of the manatees have left their larger herds to go back out on their own.

I wasn't sure we would see any and had prepared Ellison for this disappointment, but she was adamant that there would at least be a few. And there were. Six of them swimming right at the entrance to the springs run - four adults and two babies. The kayakers and paddle boarders were lucky enough to watch them from a relatively close vantage point, but we could still see them clearly from our spot on the dock lookout. They are so slow, friendly and curious - making it easy to forget that touching (and interaction of any kind, really) is prohibited. We watched them for about ten minutes until they swam off away from the springs and up the Suwanee River. Ellison was super excited, the brush with manatees making the day a success regardless of whether or not we did any hiking.

​Just FYI, if you are looking for places to view manatees throughout Florida other than Manatee Springs, this article is really helpful.
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The boardwalk takes you through cypress swamps, with the knees popping up from the water like miniture headstones in a murky forest graveyard, and offers an opportunity to see a variety of wildlife. We saw turtles, a bard owl, numerous water snakes and countless types of water birds. It can be crowded so it's best to go either in the early morning or late afternoon - not only will there be fewer people, but your chances of seeing animals is better, as well. And if you're anything like us, wildlife sightings are a big part of the fun. 

In addition to the boardwalk, there are some longer trails at Manatee Springs and we covered about half of them on this hike - total mileage combined is around 8.5 miles and we did about 4.5 this visit. The paths are wide and well maintained, making for a very easy walk. And except for a pair of four wheelers, we didn't see a single person the entire time we were on the trails. The springs were relatively crowded, but apparently not one of them wanted to explore the park on foot. It really is their loss because this area is so beautiful. 
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While we have been here before, Manatee Springs is not somewhere we visit often though I'm not really sure why. Ellison and I had a great time! It is less than an hour west of our house and is a great park with a lot to do for the whole family. It will definitely be added to our regular rotation. 
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See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #4 - Big Talbot Island State Park

3/8/2016

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 This past Sunday we went to Big Talbot Island State Park where we completed Hike #4 of our 52 Hike Challenge. We haven't really gotten out much lately and the chance to not only hang out with our friends, Mandy and Charlie, but to visit a park that had been on our list for quite a while seemed like a great reason to head to the beach. 
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About 15-20 miles from downtown Jacksonville, Big Talbot Island is part of a group of seven different sites that make up Talbot Island State Parks (see list at the end of this post). I have been to Amelia Island a number of times and once to Little Talbot, but never to this particular park. Mandy had suggested it a few months earlier and has been here with her Master Naturalist class (because she's all outdoorsy like that) so she had all the details.

The two trails that lead you to the water are the Black Rock and the Shoreline. The Shoreline trail starts at the north parking lot picnic area and takes you to a beach covered in uprooted live oaks that form sun-bleached driftwood forests along the shoreline, thus earning it the nickname 'Boneyard Beach'. The Black Rock trail leads to Black Rock beach (obviously) where the eroded dunes create bluffs that make the coastline appear rocky and there are sections of black mud that sit almost lava-like over the sand, wallowing out tide pools that are sure to be full of sealife during the warmer months. (Ellison and I couldn't believe how much it looked like Hawaii. No, for real, it was so surprising for a Florida beach.) We all had fun scoping out these pools to see if there were any minnows or crabs, but they were empty, minus a few limpets and barnacles. This area is truly unique and Ellison and I loved every bit of it. Ellison said her favorite part was being able to climb on the driftwood trees and look out into the ocean (although she later revealed that her most favorite part was being able to pet Mandy and Charlie's cat, Chloe). 

If you want to get away from the beach, then you can take the Big Pine (less than a mile) or Jones Cut (about 1.5 miles) trails , both of which lead you through maritime hammocks and salt marshes. The Jones Cut trail is notoriously hard to find so be prepared to search around a bit for the trailhead. There is also the shady, paved Timucuan trail (around 4.5 miles) that connects Little and Big Talbot Islands. At the north end, it also links to the George Crady bridge, allowing for access to Amelia Island. Ellison and I really want to go back and walk or bike across the bridge and take the Amelia Island Trail. The trail is currently being extended with help from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and there are all sorts of awesome additions in the works. You can check out a map of the future plans for the Timucuan Trail multi-use pathway here and read more about the Timucuan Trails Park Foundation here. (There are so many great parks!) 

Gratuitous beach pictures below mainly because the sky was the clearest blue and so beautiful and because Ellison and I couldn't agree on which ones to include so we included all the ones we liked. And because we wanted you to see just how black the sand really was and how we weren't even lying when we said it looks so much like Hawaii. 
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Talbot Islands State Parks includes the following 7 parks:
  1. Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park
  2. Amelia Island State Park
  3. Big Talbot Island State Park
  4. Little Talbot Island State Park
  5. Fort George Island Cultural State Park
  6. Yellow Bluff Fort Historical State Park
  7. George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park

I feel like I'm late to the Talbot Islands party. Has everyone been hanging out there forever without me? This whole area is so pretty that I think Ellison and I are going back for more hiking over Spring Break (less than two weeks to go!) and then possibly on down to St. Augustine for a few days. And then I think we'll be going back again and again. And probably even again. 
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See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #3 - San Felasco Hammock Preserve

2/17/2016

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It's been awhile since the last update, but we're still doing our 52 Hike Challenge! This weekend Ellison and I went to one of our favorite local spots - San Felasco Hammock Preserve - and spent an afternoon hiking and collecting materials so Ellison could make a beautiful little bird's nest for our courtyard trees.
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We go to San Felasco on a fairly regular basis, but for most of our hikes we take the Spring Grove or the Old Hammock trails. These are both across the street (north) from the parking area and offer longer hikes than the side with the parking (south). However, Sunday we decided to stick to a shorter option and take the Moonshine and Creek Sink trails. There were far fewer people and we didn't have to worry about Waylon jumping up on or sniffing people as they passed by nearly as much. If it weren't for the little bit of gray on his muzzle, he'd be mistaken for a puppy every time with his crazy energy. 

Ellison was interested in collecting various sticks, leaves and vines for a bird's nest project she was working on so, needless to say, there were frequent stops along the way. Her attention to detail was quite impressive - each branch or leaf had to be just right. I loved witnessing this selection process; it offered such insight into her personality. That child's love for organization and classification runs deep, it truly does. 
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Along the Creek Sink trail things got a little swampy and there were a few times where we had to walk right through the deep mud, which makes sense because this is where the creek is absorbed by the underground aquifer. We were hoping to see some wildlife, maybe snakes or a baby alligator, but no such luck. We did see wild hog tracks and Waylon was desperate to follow the scent. The rooting was fresh and Ellison and Waylon were both certain that a hog sighting was imminent, though not one ever did make an appearance.

The Creek Sink trail takes you through beautiful lowland areas and the bare winter trees allow for a much broader view than you would have in the summer. This is definitely a trail to take in the colder months - the mosquitoes would be terrible in this marshy swamp in the heat. When taken along with the Moonshine trail the route ends up being around 3 miles, but Ellison and I decided to extend it a little further.
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As you are nearing the end of the Moonshine trail, there is a service road that leads to a pretty little cattle ranch. While it clearly says that hikers are not permitted, I have taken this trail many times with no problems (though I am in no way encouraging you to break park rules, of course). For the first 1/4-mile it isn't particularly interesting, but as you keep walking the road curves and on the right side it opens to wide views of open meadows punctuated by old oaks covered in Spanish moss. This is one of my favorite spots, mainly because I like the way the trees are situated along the hillside. Ellison loved it, too, and tried hard to convince me to jump the fence and run all wild and free with her through the grass. While it was tempting, I figured we had broken enough rules for one day so we just enjoyed the view from the trail. However, fields like these are just begging to be raced through by children and dogs. 
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We stayed and collected twigs and leaves for Ellison's project until the sun started to set and then made our way back to the parking lot. It had been at least two weeks since we had been hiking, and about that long since we had done anything together, just the two of us. It felt good to get outside and reconnect. It reminded me of a quote from 'Pilgrim at Tinker Creek' by Annie Dillard, a book I have read and reread countless times and which, in part, inspired my love of the natural world. 
'I center down - I retreat, not inside myself, but outside myself. ... Self-forgetfulness is tremendously invigorating. I wonder if we don't waste most of our energy just by spending every waking minute saying hello to ourselves.'
In all honesty, this quote has stuck with me since I first was required to read 'Pilgrim at Tinker Creek' my junior year of high school. I remember writing it on the inside of my folder as we read the book in class. Something about it really resonated with my self-absorbed teenage mind and when I feel as though I am getting too caught up my own life, I remind myself to 'center down' and practice self-forgetfulness. As Ellison can tell anyone who asks, I repeat these wise words of Annie Dillard's to her often. Probably too often. But taking a walk in the woods goes a long way in reminding us both to breathe deep and appreciate our small, but significant, place in a much wider world.
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See you back here soon!
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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #2 - Haile Plantation Trail

1/20/2016

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Ellison and I are in love with night hiking. It's pretty much all we want to do now. 
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For our second hike of the 52 Hike Challenge we decided to take advantage of the miles of trails in our area and go out for a twilight walk. It was cold and clear - the kind of weather that makes me excited about winter, but also thankful that temperatures only dip this low a few nights a year. We bundled up, brought the dog and headed out to cover the 4 miles that wind through our neighborhood. 
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We passed the horse pasture, where Ellison delighted in the fact that the horses were wearing blankets and where she spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get Waylon to shown an interest in his equine neighbors. He honestly could not have cared any less, despite them coming up to the fence to check him out. We took the wooded route behind the houses (because we felt that was staying more true to the challenge - sidewalks kind of seemed like cheating) and Ellison stopped every few feet to collect more ingredients for her "woodland shrimp" dish that she was creating out of seed pods, berries and torn leaves. It was super cute and made me grateful to be out at night, just the two of us, talking about nothing in particular. She is turning nine on Friday. Nine. We talked about how that felt and what it meant to her. And me. And she seems to be taking it better than I am. 
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As the sun was setting and it was quickly getting colder and darker, Ellison and I agreed that a night hike was the perfect change of pace. These were the same trails we have taken a million times during the day, but a golden glow was cast over the trees as the moon started to rise and things seemed both comfortingly familiar and delightfully different. We have lived in this neighborhood for the past 12 years. We love it so much that when we finally decided to move to a bigger place, we didn't even do a house search - we just bought the one across the street. It is the only neighborhood Ellison has ever known, or ever will know before she leaves for college. When she reflects on her childhood as an adult, this is the place she'll remember. These walks, these woods, these times together spent with her parents and her dog.  I can only hope that she remembers it fondly. I like to think that it is nights like these that go a long way ensuring that she will. That and the promise that when she turns nine she can have both a hamster and a later bedtime. 
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So, yeah, all of this from a simple walk around our neighborhood a little later than usual. 

​See you back here soon!​

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52 Hike Challenge: Hike #1- Sweetwater Preserve

1/14/2016

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Ellison and I completed our first hike of the 52 Hike Challenge and we declare ourselves off to a good start. Sweetwater Preserve was a new trail for us and, while short, offered creek views and the possibility of alligators (that ranks high in our book). There are two entrances to this preserve - east and west. I pass the western trailhead every day on my way to work and without fail, promise myself that I will go back on the weekend to check it out. After too many years to count, this Sunday I finally made good on my promise.

While we really wanted to get out and enjoy some finally cool weather, there wasn't have time for an all-day hike. Sweetwater Preserve is perfect when you're short on time because it's only around 2 miles - regardless of which trailhead you use (East is 2 miles, West is 1.75). The west trail (the one we hiked) is without a doubt the most efficient use of wilderness space I have ever seen. It is a small patch of woods that through very careful consideration of trail layout, feels much larger. The winding and zigzaging make great use of space and draw the mountain bikers, which Ellison and I are decidely not. We enjoyed it nonetheless. As did Waylon. 
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There was one thing that detracted from our enjoyment, however. The trash along the banks of Sweetwater Branch creek. It wasn't just one or two plastic bags or a haphazardly discarded beer bottle. It was a bag clinging to every tree and bottles piling up along the banks. I had heard that the water itself was considered heavily polluted due to waste from the city street sewers flowing into it (which is bad enough!), but I wasn't expecting so much litter. In retrospect, I wish I had taken a picture of it to post here, but I didn't think of it at the time. Oh well. Take our word for it, it was dirty. Ellison and I decided that we would come back soon with trash bags and collect as much of it as we can in an effort to clean it up. Maybe it won't stop the pollution problem entirely, but it can't hurt, either. Plus, we're hoping we just caught it on a particularly polluted day and that litter-strewn banks are more of the exception at Sweetwater Preserve and not the norm. It would be such a shame because this little piece of woods serves as a wildlife corridor along Paynes Prairie. 
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Has pollution been a major concern on any of your hikes? For those of you who have been hiking the same trails for years, particularly those trails in more urban or suburban areas, have you noticed an increase in the levels of visible pollution over the years? I know it can vary greatly from city to city, but I am still curious about the change over time. 
                                                                           See you back here soon!

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Challenge Accepted

1/10/2016

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As you know, the tagline of this website is 'take a hike'. So that's what we're going to do. At least 52 hikes in 2016? Challenge accepted.
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Ellison and I were looking for ways to ensure that, despite all the things we have going on during the week, we get out and hike together on a regular basis. There are so many great trails we want to check out, but lately it has been difficult to find the time. Well, thanks to Instagram, we stumbled upon the 52 Hike Challenge. It offers exactly what we need - a goal. Always up for a challenge, we decided that this was a great way to get us to seek out those new trails while at the same time giving us something to work toward. In the spirit of new year's resolutions (remember last week when we said we wanted to 'explore more'?), we signed right up and decided that this would be a weekly feature on the blog. We've already taken our first hike and will post about it this week.  It's exciting to start this not knowing what the year will bring or where it will take us. Who knows? - we might even be hiking in Brazil or Australia. It's a definitely possibility this year so keep your fingers crossed for us! 

I encourage you to read the bio on the founders of the 52 Hike Challenge. It's an inspiring story that transcends the actual act of hiking. It's about embracing optimism and determination, and about having the courage to change your life for the better. Ellison and I loved the idea behind it and we think you will, too. How could you not? There's really nothing to agreeing to participate other than saying that you're going to do it and agreeing to tag a few pictures of your hikes on social media with #52hikechallenge. Plus, they offer trail info and ready-made hiking logs to help you stay organized. There is also an adventure series if you want to step up your game. So sign up so we can all talk about our progress together! I'm pretty sure this is a win-win. 

Oh, and Ellison and I are trying to stick to our other resolutions, as well. We did get many of our groceries for the week (including meat and eggs) at the farmer's market yesterday. Though we got there late and most of the good produce was gone. Lesson learned. We also donated tons of clothes and household goods to charity as we settled in to the new house and decided what we really needed to keep (which isn't much), so we're trying to give back. At least as much as we can right now. It's more than I thought we would be able to do this week, so I am happy. Ellison is happy. Remember, we all just have to focus on what we can do, not what we can't, right? Baby steps, y'all. Baby steps. 

See you back here soon!
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    Welcome! 

    My family and I love to get outside and explore every chance we get. My daughter and I started this blog as a way to chronicle not only the places we have visited, but also as a way to preserve our time together. We hope you enjoy it and will make a little time for a hike with friends! 
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