Tag: Trees

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Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Are you looking for a fun new place to hike and you’re interested in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park?  Maybe you’re looking for a waterfall to check out, or maybe you want to have a challenging hike for a good workout.  Read on to find all about it!

Last year, we had a lot of fun doing a 5 Week Workout Challenge.  For 5 weeks we visited a bunch of parks for hiking and also did a couple indoor workouts.  It was a lot of fun!

Although I’d love to try another challenge this year, I’m not sure what yet.  I have a few fun ideas already!  This year though, we have already started visiting new parks!   Our first new park was Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

We’ve seen some amazing images of the waterfall at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.  We also noticed on the website that they had a campground.  Since we love camping, we decided to check it out.

The drive out to Nerstrand was about 45 minutes.  We weren’t disappointed by the scenery,   There were lovely rolling hills of farmland broken up sporadically by patches of woods and walls of rock cut through the hills.

I found it amusing that a place called Big Woods could be found in the middle of so much farmland.   So many times, I could see nothing but fields as far as the eye could see, and I couldn’t imagine how a huge forest could be hiding somewhere.

As the fields turned to denser and denser trees, we all became excited at the newest adventure before us.  Driving up to the park, we noticed a huge solar panel, awesome!  Thankfully our state parking permit was up to date.  If you don’t have a state permit, you can find current prices here.

We drove through the campground to check out the sites to see if it seemed like a place we could stay at.  The campgrounds are a thinly wooded area and are moderately spaced apart.  Some of the spots did not look like they could fit our large tent.  Many did have adequate room, given it is an RV friendly park.  So if you’re tenting, make sure to check the tent ffot print.

We parked at the entrance to the walking trails and checked out the map.  The park was huge.  Hidden in the dense trees, I could almost forget we were surrounded by farmland and miles upon miles of fields.   On the map, the park looks like a little green dot in the middle of nowhere.  In the park, you find yourself in a precious oasis of trees and trails.

We chose a shorter hike since it was our first of the season.  We decided to head to the waterfalls one way and back another.  Both were listed as extremely difficult.

I found out that the difficulty was most likely related to the incline.  Down was easy, up, was not.  Unrelated to the map, we also had to navigate the mud and puddles left behind by the winter melt.  I think this was probably the hardest for our family.  Trying to keep the kids from playing in the mud!  Ha!

The day we came was incredibly busy.  Everyone else must have been equally excited to get out of the house.  Everywhere we turned on the way down were people and dogs.  People in front and behind us.  Given that most Minnesotans are cheerful folk, we had a lot of small chit chat and friendly greetings.

The falls were beautiful.  There was still snow and ice all around.  I can only imagine how they must look frozen over.  The falls themselves aren’t very large.  I wasn’t worried about the kids drowning in the creek, should they fall in, just that they would get wet and make a mess.  I did have to constantly reign them in due to the pent-up excitement of being outside.

Our way back was pretty not so crowded.  Although we could hear the gleeful sounds of children echoing throughout the park intermittently.  I had to have Nate drag me up one steep hill, but other than that, the rest was a relaxing stroll.

We really enjoyed our visit.  We might have to come back another time to check out some of the other trails and to see what the park looks like when it turns green!  Or maybe even come back in the fall!  It looks like they get a lot of beautiful color!

Have you been to Newstrand Big Woods State Park? What is your favorite hiking trail in Minnesota?  Let us know, we’d love to check it out!




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52 Project, Week 42: Autumn Trees

52 Project, Week 42: Autumn Trees

Autumn is my favorite season.  Autumn trees are part of why it is my favorite season.  The colors of the leaves transform the world into a breathtakingly beautiful place for a short week or two.

Here is one of my favorite autumn trees poems.  While googling the words for this poem, I found out that it is actually a song!  I might have to learn the tune so I can sing it to my kiddos next autumn.

Come Little Leaves
by George Cooper

“Come, little leaves,” said the wind one day,
“Come over the meadows with me, and play;
Put on your dresses of red and gold;
Summer is gone, and the days grow cold.”

Soon as the leaves heard the wind’s loud call,
Down they came fluttering, one and all;
Over the brown fields they danced and flew,
Singing the soft little songs they knew.

“Cricket, good-bye, we’ve been friends so long;
Little brook, sing us your farewell song-
Say you’re sorry to see us go;
Ah! you are sorry, right well we know.”

“Dear little lambs, in your fleecy fold,
Mother will keep you from harm and cold;
Fondly we’ve watched you in vale and glade;
Say, will you dream of our loving shade?”

Dancing and whirling the little leaves went;
Winter had called them and they were content-
Soon fast asleep in their earthy beds,
The snow laid a soft mantle over their heads.

52 Project, Week 42: Autumn Trees

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 41: Pumpkin
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52 Project, Week 29: Summer Trees

52 Project, Week 29: Summer Trees

Summer is such a brief time in Minnesota.  It’s a few short months of sunshine, warmth, and greenery.  We can temporarily shed our many layers and don clothing that exposes our skin.  We wear sandals and flip-flops or even luxuriate in wearing nothing at all and going barefoot.  We can spend a considerable amount of time outside without fear of frostbite.

June, July, August, and September.  These months we welcome weather anywhere from the 20’s to the 100’s.  June and September are prone to the occasional frost and even a chance of snow.  Yet most often, weather in the 50’s and 60’s makes these months the fairest of the year.  July and August you are most likely to find the weather in the 70’s and 80’s with an occasional few days in the 90’s or higher.

The rest of the year, all bets are off for how cold it can be.  It could be warm in the 40’s or it could drop to -60.  Usually, it is cloudy and dark.  On average, we spend those 8 months indoors, hiding from below freezing temperatures, bundling up to hide skin and protect from frostbite  It can be beautiful.  There are a lot of fun winter sports.  Overall though, most activities are inside where it is warm.

This is why summer is so often looked forward to.  We try to soak up every minute of fresh air, sunlight, vitamin D and outdoor activities that we can.  In that time, the world erupts in color.

The most prominent color to be found is green.  Beautiful, bright, vibrant, rich green.  Carpets of green grass, fields of green crops, and mountains of green trees.

Trees in the summertime are the happiest of my childhood memories.  Climbing up in their strong, rough branches to heights not reached anywhere else by a small child.  Hiding behind the cover of leaves from the sun and from people.  Feasting on its fruits.  Using imagination for endless hours of fun.  Sometimes just lying below and gazing up adoringly at my friend, the tree.  I can’t think of anything happier in my memories than of the time I spent in the trees.

As an adult, trees still fill me with love, admiration, and wonder.  These gentle giants do so much for us.  They give us oxygen, shade, protection from wind, wood for our fires and to build our homes, fruits to feast upon, and beauty to behold.  They give a boring landscape character.  They fill me with wonder at the majesty of our God.

When I look at trees, I can see the wonder of creation.  Trees clean our air and give us oxygen.  They have the ability to draw water up to heights that man has been unable to replicate and or even understand.  They convert sunlight into energy!  Their leaves are mathematical works of art.  Each one is different and unique.  The bark, leaves, pine needles and even the shape of the branches are as varied as the people on this planet.  Each tree seems to have it’s own personality and temperament.

I can’t imagine living in an area void of trees, I love them so much.  Trees give me joy.  Trees fill me with hope for the future.  Knowing that a tree I plant will likely outlive me fills me with awe.  When I find a large and old tree, I wonder who has seen and loved this tree.  What stories could this tree tell?

What are your favorite tree memories?  What is your favorite thing about summer trees?

Check out our summer trees video!

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52 Project, Week 29: Summer Trees
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I Photographed the Four Seasons From One Spot

I Photographed the Four Seasons From One Spot

One of the things I love about living in Minnesota is the joy of seeing the seasons change.  Winter, spring, summer and autumn, they each have their own special beauty and wonder.

Watching them change, I’ve always wanted to pick a spot to capture that beauty and show how unique they are.  I’ve found that the same location in a different season can seem like an entirely new world.

Winter is cold, cloudy, quiet, muted, bright, invigorating, calm and peaceful.  Seeing this image makes me think of warm winter boots, being bundled up with a coat, hat, mittens, and scarf.  I can remember the muffled woods and the whisper of snow falling.  I can remember the crunch of snow underfoot and the delighted peals of laughter from my daughter as she bounced around the snow drifts.

Spring is cool, cloudy, anticipatory, damp, soft, new, refreshing and hopeful.  Looking back on this image reminds me of my children, all dressed in their Sunday best, excited to be out and about again on a beautiful spring day.  Although they were mostly hiding in the van for this photo shoot.  It was still cool, but warm enough to go without hats, mittens, and scarves.  The buds on the trees were all starting to swell before they would burst forth tiny new leaves.  The ground was turning from a subtle latte color to a growing green as tender new shoots popped up everywhere.

Summer is hot, bright, sunny, colorful, green, energetic, lively, active and cheerful.  This image reminds me of wearing flip-flops, short skirts, t-shirts, ponytails, and sunglasses.  I can remember my children running around, exploring everything, happy to be outside. 

Autumn is colorful, warm, cool, crisp, exciting, busy, cozy and fun.  Autumn is the time of year for dress boots, cozy sweaters, and cute scarves.  Autumn is a time for bonfires, garden harvesting, food preparation, school planning and winter prep.  It’s the busiest time of the year!  This image reminds me of the kids waiting in the van for me to jump out and get the shot.  We had to hurry because we had so much to do that day!  I love watching the seasons change and enjoying every unique and wonderful thing about them.  I don’t think I’ll tire of the excitement of watching one season shift to the next bringing all of the changes of life that come with it.  Thank you for joining me on my adventures this year!  I look forward to the next!

What do you love about each season?

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Getting Lost on Norberg Trail

Getting Lost on Norberg Trail
Camping, Day 6

When I was researching the area for things to do, I saw Norberg Trail as one of the highlights.  It looked breathtakingly beautiful.  With the rain and our busy schedule, we didn’t get the chance to check it out.  On our last night there, I decided that I would wake up early the next morning and head out alone.

I woke up and hit snooze once or twice.  Half of me wanted to say forget it and sleep in.  The other half knew I’d be mad at myself later for being lazy.  So I rolled out of bed, packed up and drove to the bathrooms for a shower.  Then I set out for my hike!

I felt a bit excited about going alone, as though this was a secret adventure.  Part of me felt guilty for leaving everyone behind, but they all wanted to sleep in any way.  I felt nervous anticipation as I pulled into the parking spot.  Would it be as beautiful as I had hoped?  I do have a tendency to romanticize destinations.

Thankfully, it was as peaceful and lovely as I had imagined.  Walking the short trail to the lake was relatively easy.  There were rocks embedded in the ground to navigate, but it wasn’t as bad as Kawishiwi Falls.  The view of the lake through the pines was delightful.  The fresh air invigorated my senses.  I was ready for a good hike around the lake.

Before I left, I checked out the map on the sign and I knew there was a loop around the lake.  Down near the water, I could see a trail going off to the right.  I knew there was another trail further up near the parking lot, but I thought it was the one that led to the other lakes.  I set off to the right since it seemed to be a clear beaten path.

Everywhere around me was the wonder of creation.  It was hard to resist stopping frequently and photographing the lovely ferns, trees, moss, mushrooms, and plants.  I noticed that there were a lot of mosquitos, so I tried to keep moving.

Every so often, there was a fallen tree across the path.  At a few spots, the path was impassable and had to be trekked around.  It seemed that many had done so before.  I wondered if some of the damage was from recent storms, but on further inspection, it appeared that they were all felled by beaver.

As I got further along the trail, it became more difficult to find the path on some of the roundabout excursions.  I didn’t want to disturb any plants or animals, so I tried to be careful where I stepped.  I had once been attacked by a swarm of bees as a child when a friend stepped on a ground hive.  The emergency room doctor told me that I would most likely be allergic to bees after that since I had around 40 stings all over my body.  Stepping on a hive alone in the middle of the woods was not an appealing idea of a way to start my day.

There came several times where I couldn’t find the trail.  I didn’t know if I had gone off completely or if it was so wild that it was simply difficult to see the path.  Perhaps others had given up and returned the way they had come?  I found it hard to believe that everyone had given up and not continued along.  Periodically I found a trail again, much to my relief, but the majority of it was off-road.

I was swarmed by mosquitoes and I didn’t want to stop for long anywhere.  I kept my hood up on my sweatshirt to protect my head and neck despite the rising temperature.  I kept forging forward, stopping only at completely impassable spots.  I backtracked often, climbed deeper into the woods many times and went up and down steep hills. I often contemplated giving up and going back, but I’m not a quitter.  I think I also held hope that at some point it would get easier.

 

I did eventually get on the trail again near the very end.  It was wide and looked extremely easy to hike on.  Later, while reviewing the map, I found that the trail I went on was not mapped.  The trail I thought led to the other lakes was the main trail.  It made a very wide loop around the lake, far from the water, which is why I didn’t stumble on it till the very end.

The lake wasn’t very large, but the path I took was not easy, so it took a considerable amount of time.  My entire journey was a little over an hour and a half but it felt much longer.  I thought I had been out there for at least three hours.  I estimate the other trail might take someone 30-45 minutes.  By the time I got back to the van, I was relieved.  I was proud of myself for waking up early to exercise and for continuing around the whole lake.  I went on an adventure and survived.  The quote “Get Lost In the Woods” has a whole new meaning.

Even though I got lost and eaten alive by mosquitos, I don’t regret my journey.  Staying on the trail might have been easier, faster and with a lot fewer mosquitos, but the images I got while going off trail are some of my favorite from the trip.  I got to see nature in its wild state.  I found beauty that I probably would not have seen, had I gone the other way.

After arriving back at the campsite, we packed up to head home.  Poor Cat was having anxiety attacks because she was afraid everything wouldn’t fit.  I had her walk away, but she hid just around the corner and came running back when we tried to put stuff in.  Cat is an excellent organizer.  When I go shopping, she makes everything nice, neat and perfect in the cart.  It drives her crazy when everything is out of order.

I had OCD as a child, so I understand the anxiety that having something out of place causes.  I remember having to wash and rinse my glass a certain amount of times.  It used to drive my Dad crazy, maybe because I was wasting water.  As an adult, I get that.  As someone with OCD, I HAD to do it or I felt anxiety creeping up on me, making me feel like the world would end.

Years later, my Dad told me- You know, the glass washing thing you used to do is not a bad idea, it helps cool the glass down so the water is nice and cold when you drink it.  I don’t know if he was just being nice, but it meant the world to me that he was trying to understand and connect.

Once I developed allergies to the entire world, OCD began to creep back in my life.  I remember a day when my Mom asked me for a box of tissues and I almost didn’t let her have it because then I would have an uneven number of tissue boxes.

Later that night, as I replayed the event over and over in my head (Yaaay anxiety), I was trying to figure out why I was acting so crazy.  I mean, it was tissues.  Not sharing was selfish.  I didn’t really care about the tissues.  I love my Mom and I enjoy giving her things.  I couldn’t have an uneven number of tissue boxes though.  Yes, I admit I was a bit slow to come to the realization that the OCD might be back.

Now that I know what my food allergies are, the OCD isn’t as bad.  I would say it’s almost non-existent most days.  Although a messy house always makes me feel freaked out.  I’m not saying my house is spotless, it’s usually a mess.  There is a tipping scale that makes me freak out though.  If the kitchen is messy, I can’t breathe.  The kitchen must be clean.

When I have a large amount of exposure to allergens close together, also known as a full bucket, the OCD comes creeping or slamming back.  Bad exposure makes the volume of OCD turn up high.  I clean and clean and clean.  Although it’s nice to get some cleaning done, the panic that happens in my head is never fun.  I’m always thankful to get back to normal after an allergy flush or detox.

Anyway, back to camping!  We got everything into the van and Cat managed the rest of the time packing with her outward OCD volume turned down.  I’m sure inside it was still high, but I’m proud of her for gaining control.

On the way home, we stopped at a thrift store in Cloquet.  Cat got some anime(manga? Or anime?  I can never get those two straight.) and Cupcake got another book.  The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful.  Nate drove the first half and I drove the remainder.  We unpacked and enjoyed the rest of our day in the comfort that only home can bring.

Have you ever gotten lost while hiking?

Check out our video!

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 5, Day 2: Kawishiwi Falls

Did you miss Camping, Day 5?  Read about it here!
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Checking Out Ely, Minnesota

Checking Out Ely, Minnesota
3rd Day of Camping

I woke up to the sun making glowing shadows on the roof of our tent as it passed through the leaves on the trees.  Already I could feel the sun warming the chilly air.

Since it was so lovely, we thought it would be a perfect day to explore Grand Marais.  We had a fun day checking out all of the little shops.   I would have loved to have stopped at every shop, but there just wasn’t enough time!

I got an amethyst bracelet at a rock store, Loony’s Northwoods Emporium.  Each child got to pick out a rock of their choice.   We also visited Ely’s Old Fashioned Candy where we got a bunch of rare (for us) treats.  I was thrilled to be able to visit Jim Brandenberg’s Art gallery.  At the local Goodwill, Cupcake and I got a few books, Princess got a few sweaters and a cute pair of sandals.  Nate found 4 packs of kinetic sand for 99 cents.  Mr. Awesome found a toy airplane.

In between two cute shops (Mealey’s Gift & Sauna Shops), there was a well-maintained flower garden with a waterfall and fish pond hiding in the corner.  It reminded me of the fish pond my Grandpa used to have in his backyard.

On the recommendation of the receptionist at the Brandenburg gallery, we decided to visit Kawishiwi Falls.  Since we still had some 5 Week Workout Challenge days left, I thought it was a great idea!  Plus, getting to explore another waterfall sounded like a lot of fun.

The hike was quite beautiful.  It was a short 1.5-mile hike.  There were large boulders everywhere.  Birch trees grew on and around the large rocks, their roots hugging them like cozy pillows.  Planks made paths through the low ground where it probably gets muddy when it rains.

Climbing the last hill before the falls, we could hear the roar of the water as it tumbled down the rocks.  Once at the top, the view was breathtaking.  If we didn’t have the little ones, getting closer to the water might have been a neat area to explore.

After our hike, we went back into town to see the local farmer’s market.  It was in the town’s park and slightly larger than our farmer’s market.  There was a lot of stands set up selling a large variety of goods.  For people who didn’t have cash, they had a stand set up selling wooden chips to pay vendors.  We saw candles, kombucha, fermented foods, jams, fruits, veggies, live music, maple syrup, carved wooden spoons, handmade bath and beauty products, a stand advertising the U of M dental school, and more!  It was almost like a small fair!

The kids found a painted rock and hid it for someone else to find.  We’re always excited to find rocks.  This one had a fish on one side and said Ely Rocks FB on the back.

After the Farmer’s Market, we picked up some tent sealer to make sure our tent was leakproof.  The forecast predicted rain on Wednesday and we wanted to be sure we were dry.  While there I found a cute mug that has a moose on it and the words Ely, MN.  I like useful souvenirs.  It was another fun day of vacation!

Have you been to Ely, Minnesota?  What’s your favorite thing to do there?

Check out our video!

 

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Day: Week 5, Day 1: Schaar’s Bluff
Next Day: Week 5, Day 3: Norberg Trail

Continue on to camping, day 4!
https://cisforcomfort.com/4-year-old-caught-fish/

Did you miss day 2?
Read all about it here!
https://cisforcomfort.com/locked-keys-van/

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We Locked Our Keys In The Van in the Middle of the Woods

We Locked Our Keys In The Van

Camping, Day 2

After a night of heavy rain drumming our tent, I woke to the sound of birds.  Thankfully, we were nice and dry inside!  I got out of bed before everyone else to capture some nature photography before breaking down the campsite.  Cat joined me and we had fun capturing the world, damp and dew drop covered from the night before.

After Nate got up, we decided to see if our next campsite was available.  We weren’t able to get all of the days at the same spot since everything was so booked.  Usually, the whole north is mostly booked by the time spring rolls around.  If we want to pick a good spot for an entire week next year, we might have to reserve our spot within the next few months.

Cat watched the little ones while we walked across the campgrounds to take a look.  As we walked past, we noticed the people there were already packing up!  Check out isn’t until 4, so we had time to pack up our stuff and get over there.  However, we wanted to get settled in early so we could relax the rest of our day.

We packed up all of our stuff, putting all of the wet things in the back.  I was going to walk over there with the kids since it was such a beautiful day, and the van was packed in almost every seat.  Just as we were about to walk off, Nate shut the door, with the keys in the ignition and the van running.  We locked our keys in the van.

Unfortunately, my purse was in the van.  As were my keys.  There was no way to get back in.  Nate set off to find the campsite hosts to see if they could assist us.  While we waited, I took the kids down to the lake to explore.  I decided to take them over to our campsite to occupy them and give them a new place to explore.  Then I walked all the way back to see how the van situation was going.

The campground hosts were there with Nate.  They recommended calling the local police to come out and open it for free.  Nate was worried we would run out of gas if we had to wait, so he called a local tow truck to do it instead.   We ended up chatting while we waited.  Our hosts were actually from a neighboring town to our hometown!  I didn’t want to leave the kids unattended for too long, so I set off to our new site again.  It turns out, it was $90.00 to unlock our door.  Ouch.  I think waiting for the police and buying a gas can might have been cheaper.  Ah well, hindsight.

Once we got everything set up, we decided to check out the local town and also pick up some water.  Ely wasn’t what I expected.  I think I romantasized it, as I had the other towns on the drive up.  It was a pretty typical small town.  There was the main strip that went right through the center.  The shops were all mostly Mom and Pop stores, but there were a few regulars near the outskirts, like Dairy Queen and Family Dollar.  It was quite scenic from the top of the hill.

We didn’t stay too long, as we wanted to get back.  The day had escaped us.  We decided it would be good to start dinner early so we could get to bed at a decent time.  The big girls and I played card games while Nate cooked chicken over the fire.   Princess and I had gluten free grilled cheese.   For dessert, we had the camping classic, smores.  Our second day of camping was a lot of fun!

Have you had any mishaps while camping?

Check out our video of our day!

Continue on to day 3 of our camping trip!
https://cisforcomfort.com/checking-ely-minnesota/

Did you miss day 1?  Read all about it here:

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52 Project, Week 16: Multiple

52 Project, Week 16: Multiple

This multiple image has been something I have wanted to try for a long time.  Creating a double exposure effect of a person and trees has always held a strange appeal for me.  I’ve seen a lot of variations, but I wanted something that was unique and a bit different than what I had seen.

I feel that there is always something that is occupying our minds.  We are longing for that hope which our future holds, whether near or far.  We have little hopes and big hopes.  Dreams don’t need to be rational to be longed for.  Simply holding on to an idea of something that brings us joy is how we continue to move forward each day.

My daughter always says, whenever we see a particularly beautiful, deep grove of trees, “I want to live there.”  My sweet Cupcake has heard me mention dreamily often that I want to move up north and live in the woods.  Using her for this project was perfect.  She’s dreaming of the deep woods.

I don’t know when our dream of living in the woods will come true.  In my head, I have this beautiful image of paradise earth with trees that stretch on for miles.  Till that day comes, we’ll happily enjoy camping up north and soaking in the fresh air of the many pines.

What is your vision of hope for the future?

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Next Week: 52 Project, Week 17: Light
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A Park With Beautiful Rolling Hills and River Views | Afton State Park

A Park With Beautiful Rolling Hills and River Views
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 4 Afton State Park

It was early on Saturday morning when Nate playfully tried to wake me up.  He told me he’d already gotten the kids out of bed and they were getting breakfast.  We were going for a walk!  He had picked the spot and did all of the work to get everyone ready.  He even made my morning tea.  What a wonderful way to start the day!

It was a beautiful day for hiking.  The high was 81 with a cool breeze.  When we started out, it was still in the lower 70’s.  The drive there was scenic and peaceful.  The park was packed with people.

This was my first time to the park, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I was a little worried seeing how packed all of the parking lots were.  I didn’t realize it was such a popular destination.  Thankfully, we were able to find a spot to park.

Heading down the trail, we encountered some beautiful views of the hills surrounding the river valley.  I was easily able to see why this was such a popular park.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten our bug spray.  The mosquitos were huge and the lower we descended into the valley, the more gnats and mosquitoes there were.  We tried to walk fast and mostly kept to the center of the trail to avoid them.

Once we got down to the beach, the breeze kept the insects away and we were able to relax.  The kids enjoyed checking out the dock and then searching for agates and rocks to skip.  We watched the boats zoom past and we thought about how fun it must be to tour the river from the water.

Heading back, the bugs weren’t as bad.  Maybe it was because it was a little later in the day and a bit warmer.  Heading up the trail was a bit more difficult for me, but the rest of the family wasn’t fazed.  They jumped up the steps like mountain goats.  I lagged behind, tired and struggling to keep up.

Later that night, I ended up in bed sick.  Perhaps Princess’ fever wasn’t allergy related after all, and she had passed a virus to me.  I spent the next week bedridden.

For some reason, I always get the sickest in our family.  Over the years, I’ve learned holistic remedies to heal faster and keep from getting as ill as I used to.  I also don’t get sick as often as I used to, thankfully.

Have you been to Afton State Park?  What is your favorite area?

All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/afton-state-park-area-trails
Basic Park Info: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/afton/index.html

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 4, Day 3: Night Walk Date
Next Week: Week 5, Day 1: Schaar’s Bluff

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52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

It was snowing heavily as I dropped Mr. Awesome off at school.  Princess and I went to one of our favorite parks and were excited to see thick, fluffy flakes covering everything in sight.  It was the perfect conditions to capture some winter trees.  It was snowing so heavily, I was worried we wouldn’t be able to get a clear enough shot of the trees for the project!  Maybe that’s what being a winter tree is all about though.

After playing for a little while and enjoying the wonder that is a thick snowfall, it started to lessen and I got some clearer shots of Princess and the trees.  Thankfully, my little snow princess loves to play outside any time of year so she was still in a great mood so I could get a cute portrait of her.  I’m hoping to get the same spot for spring, summer, and fall.  Maybe I’ll even take a different child for every season.

I love these trees because of the tangle of branches that seem to bend and twist in weird angles as though they are dancing.  In winter, when their leaves are gone and you can see the branches, trees remind me of the human body.  Some trees look like lungs, with the trachea as the trunk and the bronchi and bronchioles as the branches.  Others remind me of neurons.  Nature repeats itself in beautiful and fascinating ways.  We can’t see the artistry that is inside of the human body without special equipment.  It’s far too small for the naked eye.  Seeing it with technology is just as incredible though!  It’s amazing to think of all of these wonders, this art from our great creator, are hiding inside of us.  Looking at the same patterns in trees makes me feel in awe of God and all that he has done for us.

I hope you enjoyed our winter trees!  Do you have a favorite grove of trees?  Share them with us!

 

Cupcake’s 52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

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