Hiking in Yellow Springs

Happy day-after-Thanksgiving, everyone!  I hope you all had a great holiday?  Ours was pretty low-key and involved some tasty food, including a turkey breast that Antoine smoked (delicious!) and my first ever attempt at key lime pie (I used this recipe and it turned out really well).  While Antoine and I usually get into the Black Friday madness, this year we didn't really see much that caught our eye...though we might have to run to Petsmart/Petco to get the kids some Xmas toys (shhh! don't tell them).  Instead we went to a practically deserted Kroger this morning to get the fixings for one of Antoine's scrumptious breakfasts and as I'm typing this he's in the kitchen working his breakfast-magic.  I'm pretty lucky, aren't I?!

Anyway, I thought I'd share the rest of the photos I took from our day in Yellow Springs.  After pumpkin picking and some food to fuel us, we all packed up in our cars (with many pumpkins in our trunks) and headed a couple miles down the road to John Bryan State Park.  Now usually when we go to Yellow Spring we always go hiking in Glen Helen Nature Preserve, but since it had been years and years since I had last been to John Bryan (and Antoine and Aaron had never been), I suggested we go there...

We really had no idea where we were going and just decided to stop when we spotted the gorge trail.

An ordinary occurrence: Gatsby and Aaron going running off together, Amanda and Antoine walk at a normal pace while Cheese smells EVERYTHING (though you can even see him here because he's busy smelling), and I get distracted taking pictures and get left behind.

So regal!

As we were walking someone in the group (all I know is it wasn't me because I was too engrossed in talking photos of fungus) spotted small trails leading to the remnants of an old building.

Another less pristine wall/building.

This crazy tree's roots had grown through this rock...the picture definitely doesn't capture how cool it was in person!

"Come on Dad, it's time to explore!" - Gatsby

"Umm, will someone move this large branch out of my way?!"

All in all, it was a pretty great day!  I mean, how could it not be...pumpkins, friends, ice cream, cute dogs, and hiking.  That's just a recipe for Fall awesomeness!

Friday Fun with GIFs: No. 9

I've been slacking on the photo editing lately, but I've been busy!  Mostly fun stuff though, like my family cabin weekend in Hocking Hills this past weekend and last night I went with the girls to see Mocking Jay (which was great!).  Anyway, since it's Friday I thought I'd share a couple gifs from our pumpkin picking adventure this October in Yellow Springs.  This year we met up with Amanda and Aaron and both couples brought the dogs along to enjoy in the fun...

Oh Cheese, stop looking so miserable!  He apparently hates posing with pumpkins, he just likes eating them.

Fall cousin photo...isn't this the cutest?!

So with that, happy Friday everyone!  How's your weekend shaping up?  I've got a ridiculously long to-do list that I'm hoping I can get at least half way through.  One of the things on the list is to polyurethane the desk in the guest bedroom that I painted...over a year ago!  Yeah, that still isn't done.  Don't judge me!  Anyway, hope you all have a lovely productive and/or relaxing weekend.

Cincinnati Nature Center

Back in mid-October, in between our trip to the Sunflower Festival and our pumpkin picking adventure in Yellow Springs (photos coming soon), Antoine and I decided to check out the Cincinnati Nature Center.  The Nature Center is one of those Cincinnati spots that I had heard about for years, but had never been to.  It's all the way in the Eastern outskirts of Cincinnati and is a common spot for weddings and family photo-shoots with photographers (both of which we encountered on our visit).  We brought Cheese along with us and enjoyed a little over 3 hours worth of hiking around the Nature Center.  Not a bad way to spend your Saturday afternoon!

Cheese always enjoys a good creek.

"Cheese, you have a little something hanging from your face...oh, nevermind!"

The visitor's center had a variety of stuffed animals.  This guy was my favorite.

We really enjoyed our visit to the Nature Center.  If you've never been I highly suggest checking it out sometime.  It's definitely worth the admission fee.  It has so many travels of all different difficulties.  And each trail is slightly different and interesting in its own way...at least I noticed this amongst the 4 or 5 trails we hiked.  Some trails offer wooded walks among tall trees, others feature rumbling little creeks, while the meadow/marshes are home to a variety of flowers and ponds filled with little creatures and fish.  I'd say there's a little bit of something for everyone!

Have you ever been to the Cincinnati Nature Center?  If so, what's your favorite time of year to go?  Any favorite trails?  I definitely want to go back in the Spring/early Summer when more flowers are blooming.  I think the Edge trail and the Discovery trail would be particularly nice that time of year!