A Six Mile Hike

I was the kid always looking for adventure... ok... always looking to get into something, usually trouble.  As a child, if opportunity did not present itself, I always created my own.  Sometimes this meant sneaking into my granny's room and plundering each and every drawer.  On occasion, I would wonder off to find myself sitting under a tree or bush somewhere eating the very apples my granny threatened me with a switch, if I had picked them.  I'd wander to the creek and get marred up to the knees in mud and muck and get my shoes nasty, when I was dressed in my Sunday's best.  My hair wouldn't stay in pigtails because I didn't like the confines and tightness of the bands that held my wavy blonde tresses in place.  I'd cut lose... take off my shoes and throw caution to the wind.

Me with the long blonde hair! =)

As a mother, I see my children doing some of the very same things I had once done.  My youngest daughter, constantly tempting fate, much like I use to do.  Here recently she decided to use a glass aquarium as a stepping stool.  It immediately broke under her weight, and she fell through.  Thankful she didn't suffer any serious cuts or injury, I looked at it as a valuable lesson learned.  She goes along plundering my drawers, climbing high above the others, getting into and exploring each and every little thing that crosses her path.  Her long curly locks flow in the wind... and her shoes fly off her feet as soon as they hit the grass.  OH... the feel of grass on those little feet... then up, up, she goes, climbing our sycamore tree... as if it were a ladder to some new adventure.

Recently, I took the school aged children I keep out for a six mile hike.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Kids these days, they don't see life in quite the same way I did.  I didn't have someone or something constantly entertaining me the way children of today do.  They've got a gazillion channels, and a billion different shows compared to the three channels and handful of shows I had as a child.  AND, thirty minutes of television left me bored and frustrated, but kids of today could sit in front of the television all day!

I had made up my mind to get the kids outside, and take them out into the woods for a little hike.  It's not like the woods I explored as a child, no gates, fences, or marked paths to follow.  We made our own when I was a kid.  No the trails we traveled on our six mile hike were clearly cut and defined.  They were marked with special colors, and maps were located along the path to let you know you were going in the right direction.  Exploration... how can you explore when you have such strict guides to follow?  In my mind, I'm thinking at least we're outside, and moving.  We're looking at God's beautiful creation, and enjoying the great outdoors!

Identifying the track we found.

Deer track from one of the deer we snuck up on!

Well marked bridge to let us know we're going the right way

Little frog... looks dead, maybe a little squished.  He was alive!  I know because he was  kicking his one good leg!

See that fish!

The hike was beautiful... plenty of wild flowers, and beautiful trees shading the way.  The older children even saw some deer as they raced ahead.  We watched for birds, saw woodpeckers, and found various types of animal tracks.  As we neared the end of our journey the children began to get hot and tired.  We circled a small pond before reaching our end, saw ducks and looked down from a bridge to see good sized fish swimming below.  We crossed the creek, climbed the hill and reached our vehicles and picnic area.  I think about what a wonderful day it was to spend exploring and learning with the children.  Although we had to maintain the path... and the six mile journey seemed a bit long... it was well worth the trek for what came at the end.

The Pond

The kids sat down at a long row of picnic tables, sandwiches were prepared, and blessing was said... cool ice water quenched our thirst as we sat along the creeks edge.  After eating, the children quickly changed into their swimming gear... and jumped into the creek.  They were revived by the cool water... kicking and frolicking... making the end of our day a splash hit!  *wink*....

Eating our lunch!

I don't know about the kids, but I'll always remember this six mile hike.  To me it was more than just a walk in the woods... or a hike through the state park... it was a journey, another memorable moment to be savored and remembered.  It was another opportunity to be that little girl again... taking my shoes off and marring up in the mud and the muck....

Live it!

Yes I was worn out too!

Enjoying the cool water!

Frolicking in the muck and the mud

Splash!

Enjoying a beautiful waterfall!