Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Exploring

















We stepped onto the trail. Backpack packed with bird guides, tracking guides, water and lunch. I took a deep breath, the smell was glorious..it was the smell of the woods. I closed my eyes and listened. The birds were calling, beautiful sounds I had never heard before. We took our first steps into the woods and I felt it, that sudden release and the feeling of being at home.

Our first few days here have been filled with time on the beach and time in the pool. We have walked the boardwalk, watched dolphins in the ocean and found treasures on the beach. We have been enjoying Mother Nature, but I needed the woods. And so to the woods we went.

Reece and I explored Myrtle Beach State Park yesterday and had a wonderful time. We hiked, we peeked in a ton of little fairy homes, we looked at trees and their leaves, we tried to find animal prints (much harder to do without the snow) and listened to the songs of many different birds we hadn't heard before.

We stopped by the ocean for a little picnic. It was just us, watching the waves roll in and the pelicans flying above us. It was amazing. We packed up our stuff and hand in hand headed back to the trail. We ran, we walked, we talked and we laughed. There were moments of silence broken by the call of an unknown bird. We would stop and listen, trying to find it among the trees. We would spot it and quickly see if we could find in our new guide.

It was the perfect way to spend most of our day, connecting to something we know, in a different part of the world. As we approached the end of the trail I asked him about the most favourite part of his day so far. He looked up at me and simply said...the forest.

***Stop by Small Town Simplicity today for a little interview with me and a chance to win a copy of my book, Raising Happy Healthy Babies.

22 comments:

  1. I had a feeling you would seek out a state park! Lovely images you captured and I'm glad to know their are fairy houses everywhere.

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    1. You know me too well :) I have a another visit to the forest planned too.

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  2. That really is a wonderful park. Something else you might want to check out is Brookgreen Gardens. The gardens are rather structured, but the sculptures are amazing and they have some pretty cool programs.

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    1. It is, we had a fabulous time. And yes, we are checking out Brookgreen Gardens on Friday. It looks like they have some great things for the kids.

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  3. ...love the beach pictures. I'm with Karen on "fairy houses" and your little man is quite the explorer.

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    1. Thanks. Reece was so happy to find fairy houses here :)

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  4. :)
    My heart is happy reading this! It is always nice to go "home" again isn't it?

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  5. Ah, I know and love the feeling of getting into the woods!

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  6. How lovely! Who is Reece's little friend? :)

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    1. Thanks Renee. That would be Reece's new friend Biscuit :)

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  7. Looks like a sweet forest walk. I wish we could have you both here in our forest while you're in the area. If you're up for a detour in the hills, come on over! :)

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    1. It was really lovely. It would be so lovely to visit your forest too...one day.

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  8. such peaceful scenes! i love that the little puppy came along on the nature walk :)

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    1. It was very peaceful. That would be Biscuit, a new addition to our family :)

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  9. How great to have a way to feel at home no matter where you go. I understand that feeling very well. :)

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  10. It is amazing what a dose of familiar nature can do for the soul.
    I love his puppy.my little man used to carry his little puppy everywhere. His name is Yappy Puppy and he still has him. So sweet.

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    1. Totally amazing. I am so grateful for that.

      Biscuit is a new addition, Reece is totally smitten with him.

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  11. What a fantastic walk. I can remember going to Florida every year as a kid and taking so many walks on board walks through the swamps. I always loved looking for alligators.

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    1. It was pretty great. I have two more nature adventures planned for us this weekend, can't wait!

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