Flowers, Birds, Water, Berries and Rainbows!

Happy Sunday! Yesterday was not a day to remember--- literally it seemed like everything that I touched went wrong in one way or another. Some examples...went to get bread down for lunch and knocked over a basket of stuff all over the kitchen floor, took the filter out of the boys' window a/c unit to clean it and can only get it 1/2 way back in, etc. It just wasn't my day. 

But today is a new day and Sundays are meant to be a day of rest and relaxation and one of the ways that I rest is to spend time in nature. I try to spend a least a little bit of time in nature each week and this past week was no exception. So let's see the little slices of nature that I saw this week: 

                    July 4, 2020: Utica, Ohio

July 6, 2020: Ariel-Foundation Park, Mount Vernon, OH

 

July 7, 2020: Honey Run Waterfall, Howard, OH

July 8, 2020: Big D's Blueberry Patch, Mount Vernon, OH

July 10, 2020: Mount Vernon, OH

July 11, 2020: Brown Family Environmental Center, Gambier, OH

This week I was able to get out in nature a lot despite the hot and humid temperatures. I am hoping to get outside today as well and continue finding rest in nature. Do you enjoy nature? Do you find yourself more relaxed after spending time outside? Do you like to photograph things in nature? 

Hope everyone has a great Sunday! 

We picked blueberries!

Wednesday we went on an adventure! I took the kids to a local blueberry patch. It seemed like it would be a fun activity. We last went blueberry picking in 2013 when Ben was still in a stroller! Lacie and Ethan had never been so I thought it would be fun. The last time we went we went to a big commercialized patch in Mansfield, but this time I wanted support the small, local farmer. So when I saw there was one less than 10 minutes from my house I wanted to give it a try. We decided to try out Big D's Blueberry Patch. The owner is actually one of the officials who volunteers his time to run the Upward basketball program here in town that my kids have participated in each of the last few years.  

I have been following his Facebook page as the weather has made ripening of crops weird here in Ohio this year. He opens for a day and then may be closed for 2-3 days to allow for ripening. The blueberries are ripening but much slower than normal. He has a ton on his bushes they just need some rain to ripen. He was closed Monday and Tuesday to allow for ripening and then opening at 8:30 on Wednesday. We decided to go early to beat the heat (We went around 9:15) and I am glad that we did go that early as we were placed on 2 of the last 3 rows that he had.  Actually, when we were finished, the owner actually decided to put his closed sign out as he needed more berries to ripen.

The kids had a blast. They all said that it was fun. We spent about 45 minutes picking and they picked a lot. It ended up only being $15 for the entire pail full that the kids, my sister and I picked.

 

When we got home, I had Lacie and Ethan try a blueberry to see if they liked them. They had told me the day before that they didn't. Well they both decided that yes they did like them and all the kids enjoyed some with their lunch. I sent a bunch home with my mom and still have a bunch left in the refrigerator. I will end up freezing some I am sure. 

As we were picking the kids said they wished we could do this everyday. Well, I told them we do it once or twice a year so that it stays a special activity, because if we did it everyday then we would get bored with it. Now I need to figure out what other u-pick farms we have around here. I know there is one near the book warehouse that I like going to so that might be another option for a fun activity with the kids. 

Do you pick your own berries? Do you like to go to U-pick farms? 

We went swimming at the waterfall

Happy Thursday! Hope everyone is staying cool wherever you are. Here it has been HOT... temperatures in the low 90s but high humidity and just heat. Today we actually are under a heat advisory for most of the day. They say we could see heat indexes of 103-105 degrees! Ughh. 

I have been trying to come up with activities to do with the kids that are a little different but will keep them engaged. Tuesday we made a little field trip out to Honey Run Waterfall and the kids swam and played in the water for about 2 hours. We went early and got there around 9:15. That was the perfect time to go as there was no one there for the first 45 minutes or so. By the time we left at 11:40 it was very busy. 

When we first arrived, we walked down the path to get to the falls and were greeted by a huge falcon diving through the trees. We think it was hunting or trying to get to some baby birds as it was being chased by 2 small birds that were squawking and going crazy. It was really neat to see though.

The kids had so much fun climbing the rocks near the falls and playing in the creek that the falls run into.  

We met up with my friend and her daughter. The kids had a blast!

 

Around 11:30 the kids were hungry and we were originally going to picnic near the falls, but a bunch of young adults were there being loud and smoking (even though it is a no smoking park) so we decided to take a short drive to the bike path and eat at a picnic shelter there. The kids liked that idea as they were also able to play on the playground there. 

Do you have local watering holes or waterfalls that you can swim/splash around in?

Overall, it was a very fun day! 

Today, we are probably doing a movie/game day due to the heat advisory. I also have some catchup house cleaning to do. I have more energy than usual because I actually got to sleep in until almost 7 this morning versus the 4:50AM that I usually get up. My mom has to have a colonoscopy today so dropped my niece and nephew off at 7:20 this morning versus the 5:10 that she does when she has to be at work. Before we do anything though, we need to go pick up Rebecca's friend who is going to spend the day with us (do you still call it a playdate if they are teenagers?). I hope everyone has a good day and is keeping cool! 

 

HOT weather, 2 mile walk and a new bird

Happy Tuesday! How's everyone doing this morning? I am doing okay. Typing this up before we get moving to do our "water day" today with the kids. The temperatures here are HOT, HOT, HOT! We are seeing real feels in the low 100s. Yesterday at one point the real feel was 101! Seems like our a/c is running non-stop. 

Even with the heat, I am still trying to keep the kids busy with some outside activities. Yesterday we headed out to Ariel-Foundation Park to walk around the lakes in the morning. We ended up walking 2 miles total and we were ALL drenched in sweat when we were done. Miracle upon miracles though they didn't really complain all that much. 

We even got treated with a new to us bird that we saw. Rebecca thinks it was a Double Crested Comorant. It was new to us in the park. 

Today, we are going to be heading out for "Water Day." I am taking the kids out to a local waterfall where they can play in the stream and then we will have a picnic lunch. When I told Lacie and Ethan that we were going to have a picnic Lacie said that she had never been on a picnic before. Probably haven't. Well, I've gotta get the kids moving. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!