I have never visited Champaign, Illinois- home to the University of Illinois and famous Bill Geist and Roger Ebert. But more importantly, it is now home to my bestie from Phuket, Virlane Torbit! So a visit was put on the calendar for this weekend. A much needed road trip!
After an abundance of celebratory reunion drinks on Friday evening, Saturday morning awoke us with wicked hangovers. Her son David was kind enough to have supplies out on the counter to aid in our recovery.
Virlane had to work a few hours, so I bundled up and decided to explore a trail I found nearby to kill a few hours.
On the AllTrails app, it said Busey Woods was small enough that you could not possibly get lost. That sounded right up my alley this am.
I wandered in and out of all the small trails and was embracing the sunshine and blue skies that showed up today.
This is cute nature preserve including a natural playground for kids.
There were a lot of educational signs along the way.
But I loved the backside quote on this leaf which says it all. “On every walk in nature, one receives far more than he seeks”- John Muir
Beautiful shadows were cast from the bright sun still making its way to the midday sky.
Creating reflections in the waterway.
The boardwalk led the way, but of course I wandered off its path.
Huge timber decaying throughout.
Discovered a birdhouse probably for some sort of research.
This monstrous root was a great contrast to my bright sneaks.
It looked to me like a headless three legged creature making its way back into the woods.
Always appreciating the white bark.
Not sure if you can spot her, but this doe and I were having a wonderful staring contest. I was impressed how camouflaged she was in the brush.
I made my way over to this tree only to ask why he had so many limbs started and broken. I was impressed that through many seem- to -me trials, he did not give up on reaching the sky.
Hollowed out trees that start to take on new life.
I climbed up a fallen tree just to test my balance beam skills of past. When I turned around I captured this awesome view of the shadows.
Man leaving his mark on nature, and teaching us all how easy it is to shelter in the woods. Reminded me of my childhood forts, which were made from anything available.
I had no intentions of going on a trail hike today. My plan was to catch up with Rebecca with some take out Thai and see her new home she just moved into. But with children’s ears perked and much adulthood to discuss, we decided to go out for a brisk walk and I’m so glad we did!
She is literally one block away from Bur Oak Trail, which I have never been on before. I’m sad my newly purchased hiking boots were not in my car yet and had to endure some of the mud in my butterfly appliqued German boots 🙂 But at least I did not fall on my ass in the mud and mess up my retro velvet jacket! (owned for over 20 years now—and still rocking it!)
This tree was at the entry of the trail and I just loved its twisted personality.
Marking our way into the woods.
Loved how some of the snow remained with animal tracks from critters passing through.
These limbs look like they are spooning each other or embracing somehow.
And this twisted mess reminded me of my hair in the am after burying myself in the covers to stay warm.
The knots on this tree looked like tumors of past lives.
Looking up under a tree that still had leaves hanging on. Majestic.
Ault Park is in the middle of neighborhoods and yet when you are on the trails you feel miles away from civilization.
Buddy was leading the way, completely side tracked by any squirrel activity.
I made Rebecca pose on the tree stump which made a perfect natural bench. She is such a natural beauty inside and out!
I have a thing for the fallen.
We stumbled across many mounds of sticks which was the entry into what felt like sacred ground.
Desire to find love and add our names to the tree.
There was a plateau area where there were tons of tee pee- like shelters.
And this meditation maze.
I can’t wait to see this in the summer time.
I see myself sitting inside and contemplating life.
Showing perspective of the woods.
And of course “watch out as bridge may be icy”- I always wondered about that sign on the roadways. Now I know.
Believe this was the Bur Oak standing tall and proud as if the king of this part of the park. Its arms outreached as if commanding our attention.
Last night I decided Sunday was going to be a “me” day. I was keeping myself too busy, which I love don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I need to take a breather and reflect on where I am at. I made a “to do” list last night, to help get out the anxiety of obligations from my head.
This morning I meditated and as I relaxed I started going over what to do first. I am not great at clearing my head and my thoughts jump from time to time as I attempt to NOT think about things. What I concluded was- I do not need to do anything on my list. And this freed me up to go on another hike.
I texted Linda and Beth to see what they were up to. They both agreed to meet up, love their spontaneity!
Headed to the Badlands.
Beth had been here before so she took the lead on this crazy looking loop!
Started at Timberlakes Trail.
I spotted this painted rock on the park bench as we neared the water.
I turned him over and caught his message. B- Happy.
The trees here were mostly bare, but the sun was out and the sky was an awesome shade of blue, so I was happy as a pig in mud.
This beautiful fall weather is soon to change with snow predicted for tomorrow.
I saw this eye looking at me as I was passing by.
And later a snowman. But this was the last of them. I love this idea of spreading joy through little message rocks. I left them for kids to find and appreciate. Great way to entertain them on a hike.
Beth brought her poodle Derby”- and it was a magnet for all other dog walkers.
Serene setting.
The lake was muddy and not so pretty to look at but there were many families out enjoying the day.
I saw this cross carved into the tree and immediately felt God was with me 🙂 Always right?
We had to walk along this fallen tree to get over a creek bed.
There were several staircases to climb. My legs were taking a hit.
It really was peaceful. .
Loved seeing the broken acorns on this tree stump. I envisioned a squirrel or other woodland animal hanging out here for his meals.
So many fallen trees in the ravines.
Which offers such fungi and moss opportunities.
The walkways wove in and out. Around and up. Such a nice trail to hike.
They had educational signs throughout talking about nature.
There is so much land in Ohio to hike. We really are lucky in America with our parks. And during Covid I am so thankful to have a retreat!
It was an awesome workout, sunny day, made even better with friends. I was going to go by myself but thought I would ask others to see if they wanted to join. I’m so glad I did!
Just a God created beautiful composition.
The blue tone on this log was a perfect palette with the yellow and rust tones. If I were still in design I would work with this as a inspiration.
Another wonderful color combination. Did you know there are no right angles in nature?
I don’t know why but this reminded me of a person who had fallen onto their back.
That’s it for me today. And this week. Back to my 10 hour teaching days tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed the photos of my hikes and adventures. I can’t wait to do a snow hike one day soon.
I reached out to my friend Zvezda on Thanksgiving to see if she’d be up for a hike Friday. Walking after Thanksgiving is always a good idea. I was a total sloth on Thanksgiving Day and was due for some exercise!
I google mapped Independence, Kentucky which said it was only 30 minutes away. We didn’t get started until 3pm, so there was concern with how much daylight we’d have left. The trail is a loop so once you start, you are in it to win it.
We literally cut across the tail” part of this loop to save time.
I love the clouds here. They shift and create such newness every day. And that blue in the sky- have to soak it in while I can, I am certain the overcast grey months are about to hit us in Ohio.
Doe Run Loop is a dam that we walked around. There were a few people fishing in it when we arrived.
I was loving the lime green next to the grey trees and gravel paths. This colored tree seemed the only one left with leaves attached.
Zvezda took this shot of me taking a photo of her on the bridge.
The damn was pretty dried up and literally smelled of mucky mud. Zvezda commented that if we made a movie about the end of the world this would be great place to shoot it 🙂 With the water drying up and filled with mud and life-less trees surrounding us for the most part.
She is so cute. Always with a smile. She told me she used to be a mountain climber in Bulgaria.
Was loving the green moss which was everywhere.
Plenty of streams and water ways throughout the paths which were generally well maintained.
This bridge on the otherhand, not so much 🙂 I was cracking up as I was crossing it. Felt like I was in a fun house of my childhood past.
It was literally tipping over.
So interesting to me to watch the natural erosion and exposed roots.
My mini waterfall. Love the sound of moving water.
I spotted this tree which looked like it was a snake shedding its skin, with the bark peeling off in layers.
Holes in trees fascinate me. Looks like its singing.
In my element again. Just feels right.
I saw this tree that looked like it had been shot by arrows and was wounded.
Then spotted this intertwined tree and we named it the “love tree. We later saw a tree that started off together and then split apart and we named it “divorce.
The little mushrooms growing inside this opening – let your imagination tell you what comes to mind.
Zvezda is always ahead of me, she’s such a trooper.
One lonely red beauty left in the wilderness.
It was starting to get dark and we had a long way to go.
Was such a natural hike at the end of dead end road. I’m so thankful for AllTrails for promoting these trails to people like me that are looking for something new to do.
Again with the grey and green tones.
She was just about done and kept joking that I needed to save my phone battery in case I needed it as a flashlight later 🙂 Neither of us packed properly for an overnight stay. We were still hoping to make it out before it became pitch black.
Always admiring the fungi.
Mushroom hunting must be fun. All the variety.
I wonder their purpose.
Earth is so amazing. Really. Just admire all the textures combined in this one photo.
There was water everywhere running down to the dam. We encountered about 1/4 mile of pure slippery muddy trails. I was the first to bite the dust with Zvezda laughing so hard. Thankfully I was up before she could whip out her camera and capture the moment.
We had to cross a lot of water. I need to invest in waterproof boots!
Felt like a fairytale image. This fallen beauty now covered in velvety moss.
We decided that it may benefit us to cross the stream to cut off part of the trail since the sun was setting.
This may appear easy to cross but I can tell you there was no way to do it without truly soaking your shoes. Once we made it across with now wet socks, we were thankful to find a road to take us the rest of the journey back.
We had such a great walk. She loves the fun of life as much as I do and appreciates nature the same way too.
Deadwood at the base of the dam cluttered together along with all the trash human seem to always leave behind.
Only 5 more weeks until Christmas! With shopping mostly all online due to the pandemic and our only safe escape being outdoors, inspirational books make excellent gifts!
My ‘Lessons in Nature’ books are awesome sized stocking stuffers at 5″x5″ and only 20$ each.
Created to inspire others to see the beauty in life through nature. There are two different books. One ‘Phuket, Thailand’ and the other ‘Ohio & Kentucky Trails.’ Limited supplies available. Selling out quickly, get yours before its too late!
My mom was an elementary school librarian. I imagine she would’ve been proud that I published a couple books that are expressing my view to the reader of how I see nature and poetry.
Kihiru glancing through my Lessons in Nature book just released.
She would’ve also loved the public home community libraries that I find scattered throughout the Cincinnati area.
I am not sure if these adorable shared book drops exist in other neighborhoods. But the ones I have seen in Cincinnati are so creative and artistic. While seeking them out on my urban walks, I also discovered other artistic displays in the local neighborhoods.
This was the first community library I took a photo of in Covington, Ky. It opened my eyes to many others.
Seen in Mt. Auburn on a walk with Nancy.
Hidden in Walnut Hills.
Hyde Park neighborhood making a strong statement about freedom of speech.
Another Northern Kentucky community library I captured while driving by.
Ludlow area in Clifton.
Outside a church.
I love how creatively painted they are.
Seriously I am in love with the mailbox and how perfectly it compliments the house.
As I continued walking in Ludlow, I also noticed another oddity and creative artform. Painted electrical boxes. I took a few photos for you to see. Is there anything in your neighborhoods quite like this?
My favorite!
Where’s Waldo.
This area of town is nick -named the gaslight district.
I love how they took an eyesore and made it something to look at admirably instead.
The weather is starting to get chilly and was forecasted for rain this weekend, so after my Friday hike, I started looking into things I could do indoors. I booked a ticket to take a tour of the Cincinnati Observatory for Sunday. Only 5$. Reservations in advance due to Covid of course.
I have never been here even though it is literally right around the corner from where I used to drop my kids off every morning for elementary school. Being a tourist in my own city is so fun. Even more fun, I met a guy here and actually went on a first date. (destiny?) Time will tell. 🙂
This is the main building that houses the museum and the newer telescope. When I say newer, it’s still from the 1800s!
The history here was fascinating and the Dr. who gave us the tour (I didn’t catch his name but he was an interesting character) was filled with cool information. Anyone that knows me, knows I get bored with history easily, but his stories made this historical observatory lesson so intriguing. He was also a professor at the University of Cincinnati alongside Neil Armstrong.
This is the building that houses the original telescope. This telescope was originally located in Mt. Adams but due to the industrial pollution, was then moved to this location which at the time was all farmland.
The Cincinnati Observatory was the very first public observatory in the USA! John Quincy Adams came to give a speech for its opening and that is how Mt. Adams got its name. They still hold evening parties that allow the public to view through these old fashion telescopes. I will definitely put it on my bucket list.
Always looking up into nature, had to capture this tree on the property.
This is the original telescope. The lense was imported from Germany.
He showed us how the dome maneuvered and opened up. Also pointed out the gas lamps that used to light the facilities back in the days before electricity. Think about that. This telescope existed and was utilized prior to the invention of electricity.
Outside was a sundial sidewalk.
Painting is the portrait of the man who established this place. He was from Lebanon, Ohio and graduated high school at age 13. Then got into college at West Point on the east coast. He could not afford transportation, so he walked!
In 1842, Cincinnati professor Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel was a dynamic, eloquent speaker and the first American populizer of astronomy – the Carl Sagan of the 1800s. Mitchel began raising money for the telescope and the observatory building.
This is the newer telescope on the second floor of the original building. There were a few ropes hanging along the side and I wondered if anyone hung themselves here. Later, the Dr told us in fact someone had.
After launching my inspirational photo books and getting my first shipment of orders out, I needed some fresh air to embrace my accomplishments this week. It felt really positive to get my book project moving forward! I love and appreciate all the support this blog has given me- close to 400 views this week!!! (but who’s counting….)
MY FIRST SHIPMENT OF BOOKS WENT OUT THURSDAY!!!!! 🙂
Linda and Beth were doing their weekly Friday morning hike and I suggested we try someplace where I haven’t been yet. Keeping with the spirit of always looking to see new things and find different landscape/beauty, they suggested Parker Woods. I never knew it existed, just like so many of the trails close to me. This is a natural reserve literally 10 minutes from my house over in Northside.
I was at the Bruce Street entrance, but my friends were at a different location. How did we ever find each other before cell phones?
I started hiking the trail to find them.
I could see where they were but this ravine was separating us. I was tempted to walk across it, but then after referring to my AllTrails map, I saw it eventually would loop around.
There is a school close by and we wondered if this birdhouse was part of a class project. Cute perched up on that stump waiting for a visitor.
There were steep inclines along the route! My legs got their workout.
Also many stairs and bridges.
Linda wanted to swim in the piles of fallen leaves that literally covered the ground.
My beautiful friends taking the lead. They both have been here before, but I had not.
I was admiring the shape of this stump.
I feel so lucky to be able to hike in November and still be warm and capture such colors!
So many fallen trees throughout the woods. Waiting to merge back into the earth again.
Natural archways fascinate me. They are so welcoming.
The trails were marked but it was a bit confusing because both ways said B”.
I love this lady’s shape!
Trying to capture our shadows as we looked down into the ravine to the bridges ahead.
View from the walkway. I don’t know why but I love the natural angles and coloration of this photo.
He’s still shining on, bright and sunny against the grey backdrop.
Every trail I have hiked since being back is unique. I kept thanking Linda and Beth for altering their original plans to entertain me.
Fallen tree with an amazing break.
Lovers leaving their mark, making me wonder if they are still friends.
This area is surrounded by residential houses. I would love to live close enough to just wander into the woods like I did when I was a kid.
We plan to continue our hikes through the winter. I’m going to need some new warm weatherwear and hiking boots. My mesh sneakers are not going to withstand the snow and wind.
Heading back to my car alone. Appreciating the irreplaceable honest friendships I have with these two.
I’m excited to finally be able to launch my inspirational quote photobooks!
After burning out from the fast -paced industry of retail, I had to find myself again and did so by rediscovering the beauty of nature while living in Thailand.
I have been so encouraged by my personal reconnection and decided to share the lessons learned, in hopes to inspire others who seek their own answers, opening their eyes to the wonder in nature.
These two books started with following my calling to Phuket, Thailand and then returning 15 months later to realize Ohio and Kentucky’s beauty while hiking. Many of you have followed me on this adventurous journey through my blog, and I am so grateful for you!
The books are 5”x5” and 20$ each with free shipping in the USA. They would make perfect gifts for anyone needing to find hope or encouragement to get outdoors and breathe in the beauty!!!
I finally convinced Zoe to go on another adventure with me. This fall has been spectacular! I was hoping to show her what nature has to offer, but in truth, I think she’s a true city girl. Nonetheless, we road tripped down to Kentucky to check out a historic park that my neighbor Beth told me about.
There are several trails, but we picked the one that went by the bison.
There were a lot of hills and my legs will be hurting tomorrow.
It was a beautiful drive out in the country and all the motorcyclists were out enjoying the gorgeous weather.
Upon arriving there were tons of people which made us a tad nervous. Even parking was a bit of a challenge.
We followed the signs to see the bison.
It was cool to see them up close.
Their coats are so thick! And they made a calm growling rumble when they ate.
Zoe and I were imagining what it must have been like to try to take one down with just a bow and arrow from the past. They are quite interesting creatures.
Once we moved past the bison farm, the trails were not busy at all.
Just love the texture fungi adds. I’m always admiring.
The sun was actually hot at times, peeking through the trees.
Created some very cool shadows.
The roots were natural staircases along the way.
Always remembering to look up. I so appreciate the blue skies!
Selfie shot. Happy as can be to be on my third walk this weekend. And with my kid!
Zoe capturing me taking my selfie 🙂
Zoe always ahead of me keeping the fast pace challenging.
Same as when in Phuket, taking photos gives me an excuse to pause. When I hit these hills I really can tell how out of shape I really am. If you want to get in shape, certainly hike with someone half your age 🙂
Along this trail are several spots like this one. Natural tunnels that feel like Alice in Wonderland.
I can honestly say I have never seen a pink leaf tree before. I had to take a photo with Zoe’s bow. It was such a gem among the ordinary.
Tonya Takes Thailand 