Great Outdoor Weekend

This weekend is one of my favorite weekend of the year.  You get into all the parks free that you have been paying for all year long.  Not only that but they have special activities planned for the weekend.  Clock this www.CincyGreatOutdoorWeekend.org

We had a great time last year and decided that we would try a few new places this year.  Michael is always a trooper when it comes to me dragging him places.  He usually likes it once we get started.  Sometimes it is just the get started that is the problem.

Our first stop was Woodland Mound  in Anderson Township.

645 Nordyke, Cincinnati, OH

"Be A Nature Detective"  was the theme.  We had to find six camouflaged boxes, read the clues, write down our answer and then open the box to check to see if we ere right.  It was a lot of fun and you really had to read the clues carefully and think about your answers.  Right up Michael's alley.

We also had to find six true or false questions hidden in various spots all over the building.  One was a real challenge to find.  But we did finally go up the spiral staircase and bound a box and a True-False question tucked away in a corner and on the staircase going back down.

There were all kinds of taxidermist animals.  this woodchuck is ready for Halloween.  Michael just kept saying that it wasn't right.

The weather was starting to clear up so we decided to set out on the hike.  I never knew this tranquil garden with waterfall was here.  Pictures does not do it justice.

Lots of literature...we wished Uncle Terry had been with us to read it all.  We just took turns reading the signs.  Lots of good info here.

Wish we had on our creekin' shoes because I just know there would be tons of crawdads and salamanders in that creek.  Maybe next time.

Sorry Erika and others, but we were on a nature hike so you will be seeing some nature type flowers and things.

I kept seeing lots of trees that had been cut down, now I know why.

Michael wanted to take this picture for Mamaw.  He knows that she loves owls.  I also found out that there is a Harvest Moon Hike scheduled in a few weeks.  Think we might just have to make that one.

Good thing we took our allergy medicine before we left.

This reminds me of a sunflower shot that my friend, Jan, in California took of her sunflowers.  Love the blue of the sky as the background to the yellow flower.  I have to find out the name of the flower because we want to plant some in the backyard next year.

Don't know the name of this flower either but it looks like some kind of lily by the looks of the stalk.

I just learned that this is iron weed.

Almost at the end of hike number one and he is still smiling.

milkweed

And when you are in Anderson, you must go by Graeter's and get a chip-o-wheelie. 

Second Stop was the Valley View Nature Preserve

5330 South Milford Road

Milford, OH

I think I know what I want to do for my birthday this year...camp here with Ellis and Alaire  and the rest of the family.  They would love it.  Now I just have to figure out how to get permission to do it.

The prairie grasses are taller that me.

There were two men working on putting some fencing in and that we all.  We had the place to ourselves.

There were stations with information about the planets...right up Michael's alley.

It was a great day!  Can't wait to do it all again.  And we have decided that we need to bring Ella for a hike here.  She will go crazy with all the deer scents along the trail.  We say lots of hoof prints.