The theme of the week is NATURE and if there is one thing I know about Nature, it is the one place where I feel like you can truly escape. You can “get lost in the wild” and spend some quality time alone – just you and your thoughts – or with a friend – disconnected from technology… only you and that person or group of people will stimulate your thoughts.
I grew up taking family camping trips, going to a camp each summer where we learned to hike, canoe, rock climb, cook out doors and play outside. Nature was a part of life for me then. Sadly though, as I get older, and especially with a career that keeps me behind a computer most of my day, I am not outside as much as I would like. The picture I took above was on a hike from TWO years ago and I realized… wait, was that my last hike? I have GOT to get out more!
I am going to sound old here, but do kids today get outside as much as they should? Do they play in creeks making home-made pottery from clay that they dig up? Do they build forts out of old sticks in the woods? Do they go on nature walks or witness a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly? Do they catch lightening bugs, punch holes in the top of an old mason jar and keep them in their room at night? Where would we be without the wonder and beauty Mother Nature gives us?
I will say that today I was so excited to talk to a friend of mine that is going to take a camping trip with her husband and kids to a “wilderness camp” of sorts. While at the camp, they will hike and learn to survive off the land. How cool would that be? Learn which plants you can eat, how to split wood and all of the other things people knew how to do 100 years ago, that we could never figure out! You can read more about the specific camp they are going to here.
I’ll close with a few of my favorite photos I took on one of my favorite mountain days! The following pictures as well as the first picture in this post were taken on a hike in the North Carolina Mountains right outside of Blowing Rock at the Linn Cove Viaduct! Beautiful place with an easy hike! What pictures do you have? Have you found anything fun while being outdoors?
Can you see the man’s face in the rock?
EXTREME CLOSE UP of tree bark
One of my favorites that a friend snapped when I wasn’t paying any attention.
This weekend we are heading to Charleston, SC and I can’t think of a better way to experience being outside. I think we will take a long walk on the beach with our feet in the water, walk across the bridge staring out at the ocean, walk through a garden and take in nature … see what we can see!
* The firefly picture was “borrowed” from 2 Chicks and a Road Trip. The lightening bugs picture was used on their #10 Southeast Delights post.
