#5 on our Sunday bar hop. I insisted on ending it close to home at a new place that Nancy and I walked by a couple months ago. When we last saw it, it was being built. I was so excited to find it opened and was getting quite a crowd on an early Sunday evening.
I have no idea how people find out about new places opening up. I just stumble into them usually. I wish there was a website that kept a city’s openings weekly or something. Not that I would read it. But would be nice to be able to look up something like that- events of that week all at once along with new places to check out. I digress.
This place is a MUST SEE! Whoever designed it must have worked in larger cities or with themed hotels. It reminded me of something that would be in NYCity. It’s a wonderful gem in the middle of an up and coming neighborhood on East McMicken.
Upon arriving and seeing the atmosphere, I decided to switch from my beer tasting day and end it with a Cosmo night.
At the entrance.
Admiring the mural. This is how you know you arrived. You also will be greeted by bouncers at the door, even on a Sunday.
The interior was designed like a greenhouse. The bar was packed and cocktails were being made by some very new bartenders. I loved the decor with the lanterns and balls hanging, live plant life everywhere and the red gorilla sculpture at the top claiming it was all his.
Sedona’s cocktail. Their recipes were unique and not inexpensive. Of course, totally worth the experience.
I took this photo and then started asking myself (apparently out loud) where the women’s room was. A man behind me said laughingly that I just took a photo of it. (see the door handle)
My adorable Baby B posing in the hand chair.
I felt underdressed so I smacked on some lipstick.
This room had its own smaller bar and was opened to the outside.
Inside the bathroom was this Grecian or Romanesque sculpture.
I noticed that someone had painted tears coming down from all their faces.
There was so much to take in visually, I almost missed this wall made of old slides. George pointed it out.
One of the outdoor seating areas. The woodwork and eclectic decor just makes me happy.
Hidden around the corner in the bamboo was this little gondola. (new word for me because I thought that was a boat in Venice….love when I learn another use for a word)
This is the front of a tuktuck which made me feel right at home.
Another outdoor area that started to fill up when we left. This place had an eclectic Asian vibe going.
Enjoying great company in an amazing new atmosphere. This is my happy place.
Looking out through the greenery. My girlfriends and I need to put on our fancy dresses and come down for a night out!
Cheers to discovery.
And to daughters that have learned to enjoy life along side you.
Allen texted and later joined us on our gondola. I was impressed with my own stamina after such a long travel weekend. I definitely had some bags under my eyes on Monday.
Coming back from Phili was an easy 1 & 1/2 hour flight and George picked me up from the airport. I was looking a little rough from my two nights drinking with my girl friends, so I hopped in the shower and decided to bite the hair of the dog. (A great idiom that my Cambly students would love.)
While I was trying to put myself together, George researched a few breweries that I had never heard of, or been to before.
Our first stop was on Kemper Road at a place called “March First”. My younger sister’s birthday. 🙂 I convinced my daughter Sedona to come along, telling her that at any time she wanted to jump off the crazy bar hop bus, we would take her home. Needless to say, she lasted all night and we all had a blast!
It was a tad chilly but we sat outside as we tested a few of their taps. Honestly I would go back here! Pretzels ordered were tasty and every beer or cider we tried was unique.
They had fire pits ready for the evenings. Indoors they had plenty of games like air hockey and shuffle board. We got there early on a Sunday so it wasn’t too busy yet.
The chocolate cherry was like dessert!
I can’t even remember what mine was but I liked it. Sedona had some sort of blond coffee beer.
George looking handsome as ever.
Then we headed to bar number 2= Third Eye in Sharonville. I’ve been here many times before but wanted Sedona and George to try it. We had some awesome waffle fries and their Sunday chicken and waffle special which had some amazing bacon bits on top. Their food is always unique and presented beautifully.
George had a flight.
The one struggle with eating outdoors in the fall is the honey bees. They get a bit aggressive and you have to find something sweet to temp them to go to another table so they don’t continue to buzz around and dip into your drinks.
Stop #3 was Artifact Brewery which is in Northside. Its housed in an old church and specializes in sours.
The bar in the basement.
We again sat outside and Sedona snapped this cool photo of our flight. Sedona and I at this point started splitting the flights to keep from getting too drunk.
George and Sedona were competing to see whose photos turned out better. They honestly both had unique views.
I’m so glad she came out.
Across the street was another brewery named the Humble Monk. #4- I heard about it last time my friend Allen stopped over for a visit. I love the name.
Specializing in belguim style beers. I loved the logo, but this time, did not steal a glass.
Great saying placed right above the church pews.
There were a couple of gatherings there. Breweries offer such a great space for groups now that they’re starting to get back together. I just always continually remind myself when I’m out that Ohio only 50% of the population is vaccinated. Holding steady at this stupid’ point.
Capturing my new model.
Our adorable selfie with the logo in the background. I was sporting my new tee from the Media Sterling Pig Brewery. Needless to say, good times were had and we weren’t done yet.
My friend hosted our Phuket Posse reunion last weekend at her amazingly comfortable home in Media, PA. Her husband Blake was victim to our bold and open conversations about all topics as well as our rowdy intoxicated behavior well into the evenings. A good time to be had by all! Was a fantastic catch up that we will be putting on our calendars again in the spring next year!
We started off with an amazing cook out dinner on their new back deck. It was such a beautiful evening and I was so happy to be spending it outdoors with these lifelong friends of mine.
Karen, Blake, Susan and May.
Saturday night I wanted to check out their downtown area. It was walking distance from where we were staying and looked like a small town with one main street lined with boutiques and breweries, my kind of attraction.
I’m so glad Karen and Blake bar hopped along with me. I had so much fun hearing stories about their town and some of the history and gossip that goes along with it. They even taught me what a Delco was. (a person that has a look from Delaware County)
Karen pointed out Tom’s di sum shop which was only one store away from Dim Som Mania. She explained that the partners at Tom’s got into a fight, so the one partner left and opened his own shop two doors down. Rivalry at its finest here in Media. Let the best dim sum win! Or maybe there is room for two?
Adorable small church. One in every Americana town.
There is a trolley that runs down the middle of the main street and dead ends in Media. You can take the trolley all the way into Philadelphia.
Went into one brewery named Iron Horse.
I sampled a flight and enjoyed most.
Blake snapped this photo of Karen and I which I loved. Her shirt says “Wild and Free” and mine “May Contain Alcohol”. We are a perfect pair.
We then headed to a local bar they frequent named “Quotations”. I thought it had a cute theme with quotes on the tables and chalkboards around the bar. I mean who doesn’t love a good quote?
Karen had a selzer by a brand called “Two Robbers”. The can came complete with a comic. Love the marketing and branding these days! Funny thing about this bar is that they all think Karen’s name is Kelly, and now with the stereotype against “Karens” she just lets them call her that. Hilarious.
Must be an inside quote.
When we went back outside the temps had dropped as the rain came down leaving a shimmer on the streets. I loved the tram tracks in the middle.
This place was lit up and adorable. Too bad it was raining out so we couldn’t sit for awhile.
We dove into another brewery named “Sterling Pig”. Apparently they make their own pulled pork and brisket daily. They had sold out of both by the time we arrived at 9 pm.
Their logo was adorable and I ended up stealing a mug and buying a tee from them.
Their flight, always chosen by the bartender for me, knew I’d try anything. In Sante Fe I tried a beer named “Pickle Juice” and I swear it tasted just like it. Here I tasted a Cinnamon beer where the glass rim was dipped in it. Every sip was scrumptious!
They had a very industrial interior and every place we went to opened up all their garage doors to allow as much open air opportunities as they could.
It was a great little town and fun filled Saturday. Hiking, Breweries, and Friends. What more could you want?
And I get high with a little help from my friends. ✌🏼
When I was living in Thailand and Covid hit, for some reason- thankfully, it triggered a Zoom Reunion with my friends from my NYCity days. May, Karen, Susan and I. We named ourselves the Phuket Posse pronounced of course with the American F” sound version of PH”.
We knew each other from when we worked together at AMC (Associated Merchandising Corporation) in Manhattan in the 1990s. Yep, many, many years ago. We all started out working for the largest importer of clothing as assistants, associates, peons, minions, whatever you want to call us. We were rebellious and loving life in our 20s. We worked past midnight many nights at 1440 Broadway setting up for our product meetings with buyers from around the country, working for retailers now non-existent. We worked hard and partied harder.
Back in the 90s there were many stores that came together to import products so minimums could be met. They were too small to import by themselves, so they put a non profit group together to gather their orders and help them to get the trendy cheap pricing from overseas. Within the short time we were working there, the world changed and was taken over by what is now considered the mega stores/box retailers and our import business was absorbed along with those wonderful mom and pop retailers.
What was AMC is now Target Global Sourcing. I jumped ship before it sank. Never a regret, except for the friends I left behind.
The stories we could tell. We were the brightest of the bunch. AMC would send us overseas to source new factories and negotiate with vendors. We were the young and dumb. The single gals that were willing to go anywhere and seize the opportunities in front of us. I was even featured in a text book that went out to Universities attempting to teach what to expect in product development of imports.
I travelled with this company to Turkey, Israel, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
We all took our experiences and went into different fields of work. Speaking of which, my new job as a Category Manager, was NOT happy that I was travelling on a Friday. Afterall, this was a work day. I almost cancelled the trip because of this, then decided I needed to keep my priorities straight and spend my time where it most makes me happy. I work hard, but they*will not own me ever again. I refuse to give up what I’ve learned about life and my appreciation of it, just to make a buck to pay a bill.
Two years after our Zoom reunion, we finally met up vaccinated and in person! Cheers to that! For organizing a get together with Karen as our host and Blake, her husband as our victim.
We haven’t aged a bit. It was as if no time passed and we all felt right at home together, overdrinking, reminiscing and catching up on too many years without each other.
Before we descended upon PA, Karen texted the group and challenged me to find a hiking trail that wasn’t pavement. Susan jumped in and said her hiking boots were packed. So hungover the next morning, this Phuket Posse hit the winding roads of Pennsylvania to hike a couple miles while Blake cooked us an amazing breakfast.
They know how much I love nature and it was awesome experiencing it with them.
Not feeling our best we cut the trail short by taking an inner loop.
The leaves have already started falling and lined the paths beautifully. I love how they provide the warm coloration that contrasts with the cool trees still lining the way.
Always seeking mushrooms.
And appreciating the texture combination of the bark, stones and leaves.
There was a beautiful river running along our right.
I was appreciating the colors and reflection in this shot.
Karen took this one and immediately said “X marks the spot”. I took the same photo and didnt even notice the trees. So cool how we all have different eyes.
Later on the way back there were kids swimming and playing with their dog in the river. Why don’t we do that as adults? Susan said she did this year, when hiking in the Grand Tetons. She jumped in and cooled off, clothes and all. Love that! I haven’t swam in years and I totally miss it.
Against the better wishes of my friends, I climbed out onto this fallen tree to strike a pose. If I were alone, I would’ve sat for awhile. They all said they were in no condition for a water rescue today but I assured them I could swim.
Sweet tiny meadow flowers among the dried grass. Nature always contrasts beautifully.
Love how the trail looked as if it were leading us into a hole in the woods. The crisp leaves were falling down like soft rain around us.
We naturally paired up for some distances, then switched getting some one on one time.
I felt like this tree was wanting a hug and kiss. Stretching his arms out and puckering his mouth. Either that or singing some dramatic tune.
Just appreciating color, texture, death and life.
My favorite are the leaves that have more than one shade on them.
As if they get to wear their fanciest dress before falling down to dry out.
Never forgetting to look up and breathe.
Selfie hiking moment! Love these girls. Was such an excellent weekend- short but totally necessary!
A map of our trail options.
Next time we’ll check it out. This time, we were doing our best just to keep our legs going.
Reminded me of a scene out of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or some medieval time. A totally different landscape than what I am used to seeing.
Karen loved this vine. It reminded her of a long fuzzy caterpillar. Reminded me of a mane of an animal.
They sat in support. Taking a much needed break and I snapped this natural photo of these beautiful women. They have no idea how flipping cool they are and how I am so lucky to have met them so many years ago.
I was so happy when Stephanie mentioned going on a hike this weekend. I just started a new full time job and was a bit overwhelmed with the learning curve I was facing. Nature was exactly what I needed to heal my confidence and Stephanie was the perfect friend to accompany me.
I found this trail near her suburban home which I’d never hiked before. She was excited to check it out with me. The world is too big to explore the same place twice.
I was cracking up with the visual of the person picking up the poop of their dog. Who approves this art? 🙂 Hilarious. Reminded me of the signs I used to see in the bathrooms in Asia explaining how not to stand on the toilet. Very cool that there was archery nearby. We also came across a lot of trail runners.
Picked this trail mainly because of the loop and the fact that it was near the Little Miami River.
When you get to the trail head there is a mansion and this old carriage house. Assuming based on the trail name, that this property formerly belonged to a family named Carter.
A little history on this location:
Ahimaaz King was a local industrialist who founded a gunpowder andcartridge manufacturing plant on the Little Miami River back in the late 1800s. The workers of his factory moved to the area that would soon be called Kings Mills. Nearly the entire village was built at King’s request to house his employees.
After Ahimaaz died in 1909, the King family lived in this mansion home for 3 generations. The famous amusement park, Kings Island, still holds the family name.
Immediately I was loving the trees, especially the ones showing off their own unique personalities.
Remember to look up. Always. Even if your vertigo has kicked in from stress.
The trails were quite easy to follow but occasionally we would find a path less travelled.
This tree was alive and well, simply leaning over to grab a bit of sun, showing that not everyone follows the same path.
I was loving the message on this tree and the way the scars showed up in a textured bark rather than just a slice. I wondered if he was speaking to me or if someone was trying to speak to him.
We hit the trail about 10 am so the sun was not blazing yet. It was a perfect day for a hike.
I was loving this tree and wished I could make myself small to escape into its hallows.
We were getting near the river and there were signs posted to kindly stay on path.
I made Stephanie run ahead so I could capture the perspective of this place. It was a surprise having this great forest preserve in the middle of the suburbs.
Stopped to admire the camouflage of this bark. The leaves have started falling.
As we approached the Little Miami River, we saw remnants of an old bridge.
Seeing the man on the other side was cool. He was telling us to come on through.
A great glimpse of the river through the cement windows.
An interesting manmade structure in the midst of nature.
Then we finally found our way down to the river.
It was gorgeous and just starting to transition to fall.
If I were alone I would have sat for a bit listening to the river as it made its way through the shallow curve.
Loved how I could capture the reflection of myself in Stephanie’s glasses and the water reflections behind her.
There were seashells mixed in with the pebbles. I always equated shells with the ocean, but obviously this is not true.
Stephanie mentioned how it would be so different if we attended college later in life. We have such a different perspective now. I know many people go back to school to reinvent themselves career wise, or follow a different path. But I am stuck making a living on my past experience and not my new found interests. Sad I can’t live off my blog and appreciation of nature 🙂
Selfie moment.
Such a quiet walk in the woods.
Some stairs to help us up the incline.
Fantastic fungi lining the way.
This tree was decorated by it.
I was loving how the roots provided a natural staircase but then man decided we needed better and built over top the remainder of the way.
After our hike outlined here in red, we headed down the river a bit to sit outside and enjoy some refreshments, where the blue dot is.
More water views, with a beer, yes please. Weidemans blood orange was the perfect local craft brew for our afternoon.
We ended up a bar called the Monkey Bar which was in between the Little Miami River and the Loveland Bike Trail.
This place comes to life with its indoor/outdoor venue. So many different sections- to sit by a fire, by the bar, on the balcony, or to by the tvs to watch a sports event.
We of course stayed outdoors to not only be Covid safe, but the enjoy the afternoon weather and share much needed friendship advise.
Stephanie has been through all my hard times with me. And when I moved to Thailand, she always made a point to put a date on our calendars as if I never left. 💚
A bridge walk away from Louisville, across the Ohio River, is a small town called Jeffersonville.
It poured down rain on Sunday, so instead of hitting the wooded trails, George and I opted to hike a paved route to get outdoors for a bit in an attempt to stop being sloths.
We hiked on an old railroad bridge that has been converted into a pedestrian bridge which was pretty cool. Much longer in length than the Cincinnati Purple People or Roebling bridges.
Beautiful day for a walk across the river.
Surprisingly there were tons of people out taking advantage of their Mondays. Or was it Tuesday? I’ve lost track on this long weekend.
While walking there were plenty of beautiful views of the other bridges crossing into Indiana.
Looking back at Louisville.
A cool shot capturing the angles of the both bridges.
Love me some shadows.
A history lesson which was actually quite interesting.
Never forgetting to look up.
First welcome as we crossed over.
Do you see the heart shapes in the landscape?❤️💚
As we exited the bridge ramp there was a map showing off the different businesses in the area.
This flowering bush caught my eye.
And then there was this sweet park.
So nicely said.
In the park there was a mosaic fireplace, a small library and some garden art. Very creative.
George being George.
A cool bike sculpture with a planter baby along for the ride.
A red yeti. Interesting theme.
We walked down by the river on the Indiana side.
A historic clock showing off the time this town was established.
We decided to have a drink at this playful bar/restaurant/kiddy playground.
There was bocce.
Table tennis, aka ping pong.
And a great outdoor seating area where families seemed to enjoy a bit of relaxation in the shade.
Heading back to the Kentucky side I snapped this selfie. It’s always a good day when I have time with George. Wherever it takes us- Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana🌎. Our little adventures never disappoint.
I posted on September 5th about Third Turn which is a brewery George and I visited over Labor Day weekend near his home. I couldn’t have predicted what was to come only one short month later.
The world, its connections and timing, I swear. It’s impossible to predict your Universal path and where it will lead you, we all need to just walk the walk and enjoy the journey of wherever it takes you.
Rewind a bit: Labor Day weekend, after our hike at Otter Creek, we were drinking our last beer while night fell. As we were walking out to head home, George ran into an old friend who was a brewmaster. As they were catching up with each other, they discussed our recent trip to Asheville, North Carolina and all the cool breweries we visited there. ( I believe we visited 15 in one weekend)
His friend, Joel, mentioned that he was now working on meads.
Meads, which I only tried for the first time in Asheville, is the oldest form of alcohol fermented from the honey of bees. According to archaeologists, it has been evident in history throughout the world (Africa, India, Greece, China, and Europe) dating back to 7000 BC. Crazy to think how long this alcohol form has existed, yet is just now making a comeback with the resurfacing of breweries.
Obviously meads have existed for a long time but I was never made aware-
George went to the meadery to check out his friend’s concoctions and loved them. This particular meadery had been distributing its meads but had not yet opened its own location.
George decided he wanted to invest and partner with this meadery and helped get them launched. He is now working on marketing and sales, getting the word out. Everyone that has tried them always finds a favorite.
My daughters were supportive and decided to come to the opening and I also convinced my friends Rebecca and Pete to make the hour road trip down to Crestwood (suburb to Louisville, Ky) to support the event.
Third Turn Brewery was hosting its Octoberfest. They had German music, German food and outdoor local shopping to make the event a success and draw in a crowd. Zoe and I couldn’t resist striking a pose. My stripper name is “gretle laurel” so ….enough said.
The Hive and Barrel Meadery is to the front right of the Fifth Third brewery, with a restaurant directly in-between. A one stop location to test out a plethora of local drinks, food and shops. Sedona posed with me just as the night started under their temporary sign.
There is a garden out front and beautiful planters lining the entry.
The crowds started rolling in, finding a quieter, mellow, adult only seating at the meadery. It was an overcast day keeping the temps cool. It was a perfect night!
George brought us out our tasting which was enough to get a buzz going, but also a wonderful way to obtain a better understanding of all the options and flavors.
One of our favorites had a chipotle bite to it which would be perfect with any Mexican or Indian cuisine. Another was sweet like peanut butter and jelly. But the best, which I am sure will sell out over the holidays, is one crafted in an Angel’s Envy bourbon barrel taking on the sweet hint of bourbon.
It was so fun to go out and try them and discover this entirely new-to-me alcohol option. Would be a great place for a girl friends road trip or overnight weekend trip!
One of the guests who was there the same time as us posted this on her Instagram and I thought it was eye opening. 78% of people had never tasted mead before. Have you?
Zoe and Sedona switched over to the Blackberry and Elderberry ciders. Equally delicious and unique. They need to bottle this up fast! It’s amazing.
Zoe showing off her “claws” as Sedona calls them.
The fermenting is done in metal vats named after past pets of the employees.
Sedona, naturally stunning.
This guy was bouncing around challenging tables to compete playing Rock- Paper -Scissors for a free drink. Sedona won first round.
As evening fell the quaint space was perfectly lit up providing a relaxing atmosphere.
I love the medieval aspect to this drink. It was quoted in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Guess I never really paid attention until now. Great to be woke.
Getting ready for George’s Hive & Barrel opening, he headed over to start preparations.
I was in need of some caffeine, so I decided to drive into the small town of LaGrange and check out their local coffee shop. I ordered my cup of joe to-go and wandered Main Street like a tourist. Reminded me when I was travelling in May, just taking in any town I decided to pop into.
LaGrange is such an adorable place. Lined with American flags, flowering plants, local shops and a railroad that goes straight through town.
Americana small historic towns are making a comeback with updated shops and locally owned restaurant options. Shop Local/Shop Small.
Even the street signs were quaint.
This statue was out in front of the court house which was in the midst of being renovated. I got bored reading the history. Why does it have to be so boring with mundane facts. Tell me a story about this guy that is interesting! No wonder I opted out of college prep history. I can’t even read a small plague without zoning out.
OMG- even some of the houses are painted red, white and blue.
Love the landscaping and the banners with the appropriate train motif.
They even had an information center with pamphlets.
There was a train museum which would be fun to explore with kids.
Houses were decorated for fall in full country Kentucky charm.
Even the alley ways were cared for.
A lot of local art, here metal flowers blending with the natural ones.
A lookout tower right outside a bourbon & ale house eatery. Too cute.
Metal benches lined the sidewalks with local motifs engraved.
Everything in this store was hand crafted. I could’ve spent a fortune, but am going to wait for the holidays to go back again. Bought a perfect tee for the Meadery event.
As I was leaving I came across this amazing totum outside the Buddy Pepper house. Apparently he was a musical prodigy born in 1922 in LaGrange.
I love that my man enjoys an afternoon beer as much as I do. Whenever we have a day off together it’s fun that we both like to go out and enjoy the beautiful day, sit outside, and taste local beers from a new brewery. (when I say new, its just new to me, not necessarily a new establishment)
That is one of the many positive changes Covid has had on my life. Inspiring me to do more things outdoors, which for me is usually in nature. But restaurants of all sorts have now expanded their availability of outdoor seating and this is an update I embrace!
We dropped into Falls City Brewery during the late afternoon.
I loved how they had their history written up on the brick wall for everyone to understand how long they have actually been around. Pre-Prohibition. So cool how some breweries have survived and reinvented themselves.
George, a reoccurring victim of my blog since he is by my side on many of my adventures.
The outdoor seating area was beautifully laid out.
Complete with a firepit for our upcoming chilly evenings.
Cute touches with the historic vehicles.
Always going to opt for a flight to test as many as I can. At this point I tend to love them all- sours, IPAs, lagers, ciders…..and soon to test out meads.
George snapped this photo of me wearing my new GoodVibes dress that I copied after my Norris Lake weekend.
We hung outside to enjoy the weather, but this place also had an expansive indoor area with a few video games and a bookshelf of board games for willing participants. I tried to play Mrs. Packman for nostalgia sake, but instead hit Galaga. I got a little stress release out on the “fire” button.
Again dog sitting, but this time brought my 16 year old dog along with me since my twins are both out of town. Walking three dogs is tough. I managed to take the young lab, Buddy, out for a long walk, and then after returning was able to take the two older ones together.
Once out this morning and catching a breath of the crisp fall air, I decided I wanted to do some hiking today. I texted my friend Allen to see what he was up to, and he happily agreed to explore Winton Woods with me.
The three pups I’m watching. I love when dogs get along and respect each other.
I haven’t ever been to the Winton Woods area before. As you may know, new trails are my thing. I don’t ever want to get too comfortable repeating paths where I no longer see”.
Parcours was the first trail we decided to hit, knowing we wanted to be in the woods.
Support signs were posted at every trailhead. The litter on this trail was zilch, which I loved.
What I didn’t know is that this was an exercise course. I did all the easy ones along the way, like this one, but was unable to do a lot of them.
Felt good hiking with Allen. He’s such a dear friend and we were just taking our time, relaxing and catching up.
The course started out with primarily stretches which was great for us 50+ers.
These flowers were everywhere. Lining the pathways. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before, or possibly just never took notice of them.
Allen had an app and could look up what they were. I need to get this on my phone soon. I kept asking him to tell me what something was. But the funny thing was after about 15 minutes it completely erased from my memory. Like someone explaining IT to me….just in one ear and out the other.
They do create a pretty pathway.
Again with the textures. The feathery leaves vs the defined ones. The fallen leaves on the pebbles. I certainly could never be this creative. Nature certainly makes me appreciate Mother Earth 🌍
Absolutely serene. It was a perfect day for a hike. No humidity. No people. Just us and the forest.
Always fallen timber adding angles to the usually linear views.
I had to step over this and try to show Allen how I knew he could do it. And of course he did. I told him I wasn’t going to carry him out if he fell and injured himself, but he assured me that’s why God gave him two legs 🙂
We crept down to get a glance of the murky lake.
Allen showing off his strength, which, in all honesty, IS impressive. He was so encouraging for me to just start somewhere. With just one. But I assured him I could not even do them on my knees.
Such beauty in the silence.
Glad we chose the hiking trails instead of pavement. Maybe when I’m 90 I’ll have to stick to the easy sidewalks, but until then, I choose the roots and rocks.
Fungi everywhere from the moisture.
The bark of this short needle pine tree is cool. Not sure why I like it so much but I do.
Never forgetting to look up to notice my place in this grand natural world.
As if my legs weren’t still aching from the walk Nancy took me on up Sycamore Hill, now there were steps to challenge me.
Bridges to cross. Appreciating those who built them, making it easier on us.
This bad boy was screaming at us to say hello.
People placed rocks on this tree’s tumor. Or at least that’s how I see it. Like as if saying, we see you. You got this.
My friend Debbie and I have a thing, whenever we see red berries we say it looks like Christmas. So if either of us see this, we text each other with “Christmas in September”, or whatever month it may be. Guess December won’t be so funny.
Gotta love the new portrait option on the IPhones eh?
Tonya Takes Thailand 