Category Archives: Hiking
SFA Experimental Forest
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SFA Experimental Forest
January 3, 2011
We headed to Nacogdoches to have a look at the SFA “experimental” forest. The trail is approximately 3 miles, if you do walk both loops, which we did. The trailhead had restrooms that were fairly good, as far as restrooms on trails go, also a picnic area and water fountains. The first loop called the Jack Creek Loop was completely paved for easy access to handicap persons. The second trail called Management Loop has a natural path to walk on.
We looked around for something to investigate. Naturally the kids find a fallen tree to walk on. Some nice little bridges were built across the low areas. CONTINUE READING…
Beech Woods Ticks
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Beech Woods Ticks
December 20, 2010
We left the Sundew Trail disappointed so we headed to another trail, Beech Wood Trail. When we pulled up, it looked rough, like the trail time forgot. It was littered with pine straw and leaves, limbs and sticks. The sign to the trail had a “No Alcohol” sign on it. I thought, ”hmm, that is a first.” I have never saw a sign saying that before on a hiking trail, must have been a problem for the area. I didn’t really feel comfortable going hiking, guess I will learn to listen to my gut feeling. We had to walk .3 of a mile along a gated dirt road to get to the actual trail. The highlight along this road was we saw a possum scamper off into the bushes. We looked for him but he stayed hid from us.
Adam had to crawl on the gate to the road and climb a tree by the sign. I swear this child is part monkey. We walked to the trail and officially started our hike.
Sundew Trail
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Sundew Trail
December 20, 2010
It was a nice warm day to go traipsing around in the woods. We looked at the trails in the Big Thicket and this one we had not been on and was still open during hunting season, so we said, “Why Not.” My favorite trails are ones by the lakes, but this will have to do. It seems there is always more to see by the lake, I suppose because animals go to the water.
On the way there, I tell them about something I read on a website that said because of the influx of hogs in the area, mountain lions are also making a comeback.
CONTINUE READING…
Sam Rayburn Dam
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Sam Rayburn Dam
December 15, 2010
After Stewart came home from work, we decided to go for a walk. I was sick of being inside and needed some nature therapy. Not having much time to go very far, we ended up going to the Sam Rayburn Dam, which was formerly McGee Bend Dam. My maiden name is McGee, so, of course, I thought that was neat to find out.
Now the first thing I noticed when we arrived was the lovely little sign that tells me the surface was hazardous for walking. Did that warning stop us? No! Warning signs are for sissies.
Of course, looking out over the water was not good enough for my bunch, they wanted to be next to the water. There were even signs that warned the water may rise suddenly, but onward we voyaged.
My kids eagerly awaited a sudden rise in water, constantly asking me, “when will the water rise, and if it rises where will we go?” My answer was simply, “Up!” It took us some fancy footwork to get down to the water level. Austin, being a wonderful son as always, was right there to help steady mom on the descent. So clinging to each other and a handy tree or two we managed to get down the cliff without any causalities.
The banks were very rocky and Adam loved chunking the rocks into the water to make a big splash. While he was climbing up and around the rocky ledges he found a couple feathers. With feathers in hand, he flapped his “wings” and said, “I believe I can fly!” I correct him, “I believe you will fall! Please be careful.”
A stage was imagined from the smooth ledge they scaled and Adam did a little dance resembling “The Twist” then Anna did her supermodel strut across it. Up, around, over, and through the kids climbed all over GOD’s natural playground. Once again asking if the dam will open so the water will rise. Adam goes into a dramatic “slow motion” run pretending to escape an impending flood. I tell them again, I do not think the dam will open up.
We find so much peace and joy when we hike, truly some of our happiest moments. I have to say that the scenery was so beautiful on the far side of the water. The orange and yellow leaves of fall hanging on to their color made a lovely setting for the picture.
A lone bird sat atop a fallen tree as the sun was getting low it looked very surreal and majestic.
We carefully ascended the rocky banks and left that side of the dam to drive over to the other side where the small park area was.
We walked through the pines that were standing on the point by the lake side of the dam. It was quite windy. Anna and Adam found a bird nest that must have been blown out of a pine tree.
Adam loved the big pine cones that littered the ground.
Anna said,”This is like “Little House on the Prairie grass!” Apparently the tall grass reminded her of the Little House on the Prairie books, she loves that time period. Adam liked to roll around in the grasses too, the wind whipped through his frazzled hair.
Stewart and I stayed on the hilltop while the kids walked down to the lake shore. The hill was more than I felt like tackling after the rocks we climbed on the other side.
The hill was perfect for rolling down. I told Adam he might not want to try it in somersault form. I told them to lay on their sides and roll down it. I remember as a child rolling down the side of an old sawdust pile that was left from a saw mill that was behind our house. Rolling down this hill was not nearly as dirty. I found it funny that my kids had never rolled down a hill before but they seemed to really enjoy it because the did it over and over. They would get going to fast and have to stop themselves.
They tried roll racing down the hill. Anna had a head start so Adam just rolled up the hill while she rolled all the way down. Adam got to the top before she got to the bottom and declares, “I win!” Anna disagrees with him. Adam says, ‘Yeah I did, you didn’t say which way we were rolling.”
Anna used her overshirt as a “hang glider” and run down the hill with it flapping behind her. She did not want to share her fun with her little brother so they decided to foot race. She told him, “ If I get there first, I win, and if you lose, that’s ok too!” I laughed and laughed at that. I said, “Sweety, that is a little one sided isn’t it?”
Wearing down, we sat on the bench at the top of the hill. The littler kids crawled around on the concrete beams and lounged in the “V”. Adam suspended himself between the two beams and declared, “I am a bridge!”
As carefree and active as my children are, I know GOD must have HIS hand on them protecting them and keeping them safe. Thank you, LORD, for being our protector.
~Becky~
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Neither Wind Nor Cold…
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Neither Wind Nor Cold…
December 12, 2010
We woke up Sunday Morning to the wind blowing like crazy and the temperature’s high only reaching the 50-degree mark but we still wanted to go on a hike. We knew it was too cold for a long walk so we decided to go to Martin Dies Jr. State Park and walk the small Island Trail. This trail had a couple of bridges taking us across the water, which is always a highlight on a hike.
Stewart bought me a new camera because my old one was starting to show signs of unreliability. I had the new camera in tow and he had the older one so he could get some pictures of me with the family. The kids also brought their little cameras and apparently took up mom’s bad habit of trying to document everything in pictures. So we ended up with a bunch of pictures of us, taking pictures of each other but we had a good time doing it.
Adam picked up a Sweet-Gum ball. I said, “A porcupine egg!!” He didn’t fall for it. It was much more fun when they were little to pick on them, now they are just too smart. Austin wore his compass ring, but we soon figured out it was not all that accurate, good thing I carry the map of the park “religiously” since the Kirby hike.
Adam shot up the first tree that looked good to climb for his photo-opp. Stewart took a picture of me taking a picture of Adam with his foot stuck in the tree. It was all fun and games climbing that tree until he got stuck, then the panic flashed on his face for a brief minute but big brother saved him and helped him dismount the tree onto his shoulders.
Anna, not to be outdone by her little brother, tried swinging from a fallen tree but her dismount was not as graceful. Thankfully nothing was hurt but her pride.
Stewart and I joked with each other taking each others pictures but that got old fast.
It was very soothing standing on the shores of the lake letting the wind blow against my face.
Austin lopped on me, he is a very loving young man, but I think at that point he was just trying to stay warm.
Anna hopped on the bench and danced down the “runway” for a little while. She is such a beautiful free spirit when it is just us if others are around she is very shy.
Anna did this crazy little walk. I am not sure what she was playing but I am certain it all made sense in her mind and she thought she was quite funny, so did I. (No Austin was not going to whack me with his walking stick, he was just propping it on his shoulder.)
Stewart hid behind a tree to sneak and take a picture of me, I told him, “OK, now you’re just being creepy! I feel like I am being stalked.”
We made it out to the point of the island, we took advantage of the windbreak these two big oak trees were providing. Adam took some pictures of Anna hunkered down in the nook the roots created. She was saying, “Brrrrr!”
Adam was doing his best to look innocent, but mom knows the mischief that lies within that little boy.
Anna was disappointed that the vine was not good for swinging, I am sure she don’t want to fall again.
Adam saw that people had carved their name into the bench so he bound over and “sat” on all of them. All around the bench, he plopped his rear, “squashing” all of the people. Only in the mind of Adam did that make a good game, but it provided me with a good laugh. Once he was done “squashing” them with his rear, he got up on the bench and stomped on the names, until sister thought that was boring and wanted to play “Queen of the bench” and gave Adam a hearty shove.
It was quite beautiful out there. The trees were brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows. Spanish moss blew wistfully through the tree tops. The sun’s rays broke through the branches and danced playfully on the lake. We just stood and took it all in. Thanking our creator for all the awesome things he gave us for our pleasure, things in nature that have not changed for thousands of years, simply because GOD is unchanging.
We found a tree that must have been blown down when Hurricane Rita came through the area. All the kids had to take a turn at walking up it. Adam made it the farthest and had to show off with his “surfer dude” stance, but on his way down he slipped and fell. Like his sister, only his pride felt the pain.
Anna didn’t make it very far at all, I believe she was a little less ambitious than the boys.
Austin thought if little brother could do it then surely so could he. But he did not make it to far when his hiking stick slipped out of his hand and he froze and let out a little “Ahhh!” I am sure he was thinking, “Now what?” Sister took no time at all to steal his stick from where it landed on the ground, so Austin gave up and got down to go get it back.
My kids find some of the silliest ways to entertain themselves but I would not have it any other way. They have vivid imaginations.
Adam finds a pit left by the roots of a blown over tree, immediately it turns into a fox hole and he had his “rocket launcher” locked and loaded. (Maybe I should cut down on the History lessons about the wars.)
A “Bark” cell phone (wonder if that would sale) … and from the looks of it, he must have been bored with the conversation.
Anna rode her “horse”, I assume she was stopping the “horse” at this point.
I am not sure what to think about my silly kids sometimes.
Adam is always having himself a great time, whether he was wearing moss for hair, surfing fallen trees, rocking it out of tree stumps, or putting “ear covers” on to help stay warm, in his words, “I have to cover as much as I can, it’s COLD!” He is Adam, party of one!
Anna found a hull of a tree and announces,” I could make a boat out of this!” I believe she was remembering the Heritage Village trip because there was a boat that was carved out of a tree trunk there.
Austin was not near as animated as the little ones, he takes his hikes serious. The scientist comes out in him when we are in the woods, not the comic.
We get to the end of the Island Trail and I was cold and tired and ready to go but the kids begged me to just walk up the big bridge before we go, so alas I gave in. The wind was even more fierce out in the open.
Austin gazed out across the water, counting the cranes along the far shore.
Anna leaned way over the rail to look into the water below. I reminded her if she fell in, that there are alligators in this park. She stopped leaning so far.
One last picture of him taking a picture of me. The wind used my hair to disguised me well.
~Becky~
© Becky Husband & Oh Happy Daze & Disclaimers
Affiliate Links: Thank you for supporting my blog by purchasing through these links.
Christianbook.com carries a wide variety of Christian, Hebrew Roots, & Messianic products along with an abundant amount of homeschool curriculum, inspirational books, movies, music, gifts and more!!
Looking for great essential oils at affordable prices?? Check out Spark Naturals!! Be sure to save your 10% by using coupon code: HAPPYDAZE
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