Even Through the Chill 12-20-14

Dad, Dustin and I took a hike on the trails at Pigeon Creek today. It was a chilly day but it was perfect hiking weather.

Wavy Branches 12-06-14

Dustin and I took the pups on a cold walk today at the Clysta Willett trails today. We have been there many times but today this bush, without it's leaves, looked very interesting with its wavy branches.

Indian Rock House 11-29-14

Dad and Dustin went hiking with me today out at Indian Rock house trail. It was a great hike with a fun cave at the end. 

I love finding hearts in nature!

This was a really neat rock face that I found right beside an entrance to the cave.

I found some a fossilized critter of some-sort!

My dad exploring the insides of the cave.

My handsome husband at the entrance to the Indian Rock House.

Just Exploring 11-23-14

Dad and I did some exploring late this afternoon. We were headed somewhere else, but wound up here instead because we couldn't find where we initially had wanted to go. We parked on a rocky back road and hiked down to this creek. It had been rainy all day so it was misty down by this creek. The mist gave the scene a mysterious, eerie  feel to it. We got a late start so we didn't have a whole lot of time to explore but it was fun anyway.

Caney Mountain Adventure10-12-14

 Dustin and I went to Caney Mountain with my dad today. We didn't find the cave we were looking for, but we did still made it into a small cave and had a great time in nature.

 

Morning Magic 8-9-14

Dustin and I went on an early morning date. We went up to the lookout in Norfork, with caffeinated hot beverages in hand, to watch the sun rise. The fog drifting up off the water below along with the changing colors of the rising sun gave the whole scene a magical flair. It was beautiful and my camera hardly caught the splendor.

Summer Evening By the Creek 8-4-14

I took the dogs down to the stream by the Fish Hatchery in Norfork tonight. This is one of my very favorite places close by. I love the sound of the babbling creek and typically it isn't teaming with people at this time in the evening. It is a fantastic place to take pictures too and tonight I got several that I love.

I love how the light was shining from the
top like it could lead to anywhere.

Me in my favorite place wearing my
favorite shoes that happen
to be my favorite color. :-)

Isn't she perfect!?

Scattered Wishes....

First Time 8-2-14

I took my sister on her first canoe trip today! We did a 5 hour float down the Buffalo River. The weather was perfect and we had tons of fun just being together. We had an adorable little red canoe and the water was up to an excellent floating level. My sis loved her first canoe trip and I thoroughly enjoyed giving her that experience.

We were halfway through our trip when we came across this man, the river man as I have come to refer to him as. He was super friendly and he told us that he had already been on the river for a week. He would be on the river for another week I gathered from where he said he was headed to. He told us about buffalo gnat storms. He told us that he waited out the rain for a couple days under a tarp reading a book. As he floated past us he dipped his water bottle into the river and then brought the bottle right up to his lips, without a moments hesitation. An urge to go all journalist on him was nagging at my mind. I wanted to know what he ate while on the river, what books he reads, what his back story was and everything in between. But I got shy and let it go. What I did get from him though, was the gift of inspiration, a small spark thrown into the kindling of my soul. 

Summer Evening By The River 7-20-14

Tonight we took our pups on a hike by the White River on Big Bluff Trail out at Gaston's resort. It was a beautiful evening with our little family.

Sweet Summer Night 7-1-14

Dustin and I took the dogs for a walk at Cooper Park tonight as the sun was going down. The sunset was beautiful and the fireflies where showing off. It was perfect.

A Walk at the Spring 6-26-14

So I went to a walk down in Cotter tonight. There was a beautiful mist over the river and the setting sun made all the trees and flowers look golden.

This photo really needed a quote to make it whole, so I wrote one!

I was taking a picture of this pretty flower by the river
and a big bumble bee came and landed on it!

Sunset On the Lake 6-24-14

We took the pups for a walk on David's Trail tonight. Afterwards we went down to the lake to let the pups get a drink and cool down. The sun was setting and it was a beautiful evening to be out there.

Calamity Beach 6-22-14

Dustin and I went out to Calamity beach this afternoon. We were there for less then 20 min before it started down pouring. Before the rain came down I got some pictures of one of the hundreds of butterfly bushes that were along the river and a pretty wild passion flower.

Time To Go 6-8-14

We had thought about going canoeing today, but when we woke up after the second night of camping, we both just wanted to go home. We had plenty of fun and more than enough bug bites. It was a good thing we decided to leave because as soon as we had packed up our campsite and headed down the road it started raining!



6 years together!

I wonder what this little guy will turn into?!
 Found him on our tent while we were taking it down.

Leaving our campsite at Barkshed.

High Wire Anniversary 6-7-14

Saturday morning we woke up to no rain. It didn't even rain throughout the night. We prepared for the worst though and had a tarp covering our tent.

Sooo Handsome!

We woke up and I made a yummy breakfast then to my dismay we decided to go ahead and go to Loco Ropes in Mountain View. I was really hoping to be swept away by some catastrophic flash flood before we had the chance to go....but that didn't happen. So after a lunch at Angler's, we made our way to Loco Ropes. I was really trying to not freak out but when we think of NOT doing something, what do we do? Yup. But by the time we got there I decided I was just going to pull up my big girl panties and do it because Dustin REALLY wanted to. I am not keen on heights at all so it was scary. The staff was super nice though and I did fairly well. I didn't even totally fall off the course once, I was as slow as a tortoise, but I made it passed every element rather nicely.

Yea, I did that, 30 feet up in the trees!

All except one which required a free fall type experience and eventually I did make it through that one too....with a 10 min coaching from the facilitator, Kari, and a ummm encouraging light tap on my shoulder from my husband. I had scooted myself so close to the edge that the small encouragement tap on my shoulder had just enough push to rock me and then I instantly decided not to fight it and just go. Kari gave him the death look for that tap and rightly so, I was supposed to decide to go. But honestly, I was going to chicken out and I am actually kind of thankful for that love tap cause I would have been SOOOO mad at myself if I wouldn't have finished.

The Loco Ropes high wire facilitator , Kari.

We finished just in time before the rain came pouring down. All in all it is a lot of fun for people who don't mind being 30 feet off the ground, Dustin loved it, I on the other hand, would rather be finding my adventure on the ground.

We dropped by the soda fountain in Mountain View afterwards and shared a blueberry malt....so good but so very sweet since we aren't use to having much sugar anymore.

We decided to camp another night but before we left Mountain View we stopped by Wal-Mart and got some glow in the dark spray paint. When we got back to the campsite, we spray painted our croquet set and when it got dark we played glow in the dark croquet! I don't have a picture of that but it was just so much fun I had to mention it!

So happy this adorable nerd lets me drag him to the great outdoors!