Many times this week I have found captions in my head including the words "nature nerd" for photos I have been taking on little excursions. From Lincoln to Omaha and a few places in between, I have enjoyed spending some time in the great outdoors. Some days may have been a bit brisk out there but were still rather beautiful.
Felt like a nature nerd when I purchased my 2014 Nebraska State Park Permit online. I lit up when it arrived in the mail early this week. Took a photo through my windshield of the sticker and a state park sign as I stopped to make a little loop around Louisville State Park on my way to Omaha one day.
I packed my running clothes to change into after running some errands and paying Uncle Chuck and Aunt Paula a visit in Lincoln on Saturday. I felt like exploring one of the parks I had driven by on my many trips that way lately. I decided on Holmes Lake Park for the lake atmosphere. Pulled in, parked my car, said "take this, Nebraska wind", and away I went. Jogged 2.5 miles around the main part of the lake in decent time for my colder weather running and battling the wind at times. I had to take a few photos along the way. Some beautiful light shining through the clouds that afternoon.
This was my favorite photo from that particular jaunt...
With my new state park permit in possession, I was itching to go do a little adventuring in some places I've been before. When I checked the forecast for Sunday, I read highs of 50 with wind speeds that could reach 40+ as the afternoon progressed. I decided that even if the wind picked up some, it still sounded like it could be a good day out there.
I asked Chance if he'd like to join me on a little outdoor adventure. All I said was to meet me in Louisville at 11:30am and we'd go from there - "see where the wind takes us". I did have a few ideas in mind, though. :-)
Started out with a picnic basket I packed for lunch as we sat on a picnic table by one of the lakes at Louisville State Park.
Also took a little stroll around one of the small lakes.
The wind blew us to the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium at Schramm State Park next, where Chance was impressed with some of the fish.
I just loved being around the education center. Here's a cute little tapestry the art club had painted.
My kid spirit in the education center shining strong. I love education centers and camping! So many memories were surfacing in my head. Memories made with family, memories made with friends, and memories made on some solo excursions. So many that made me smile even bigger all afternoon. I was already smiling just being out in nature and sharing it with someone.
One particular memory that came to mind thanks to my fun posing in the education center was spending time with a group of college friends I got to go with me to Ponca State Park one day. We hiked a little, took a bunch of pictures outside, spent some time playing around in the visitors center (a photo I had first thought of). My brain went one step further though and remembered this awesome moment. We all climbed up on this huge buffalo statue just outside of Ponca State Park. I sent a message to a few of those friends saying "Remember that day on Ponca State Park". One responded immediately "Was that the place with the buffalo?" Yes. Yes, it was. :-)
Onward we blew to Mahoney State Park. A few photos at the marina.
Last park in our path for the day was Platte River State Park, where we blew right up to a trailhead to some falls. It's hard for me to avoid walking down a trail that leads to a waterfall, great and small.
Beautiful little falls along the trail, mostly frozen per the season of course.
Here you can see the water still coming through underneath.
I wanted one photo of both of us along the trail, and I finally found a nice little tree that could act as my make-shift tripod for said shot. A little crooked, but I was okay with this artistic perspective.
The result...
Just sat and hung on one of the bridges over the stream for a bit.
Finally, showtime at the amphitheater before ice cream back in Louisville to end our Sunday afternoon adventure.
Nature nerd. Smile just staring at a tree with leaves and dirt below my feet and sunshine on my face. Posed photos and fun photos along the way. No music in my ears while I run or hike, but rather listening to nature around me. Okay, maybe I also sing a few songs to myself along the way.
One today was "Everybody sing this song. Doo dah. Doo dah. Well everybody sing this song all the doo dah day." My jukebox of a head sometimes. Where did this one come from I wondered? A cartoon song I remember. Perhaps it was my joyful thoughts of a child spirit and so many great memories from childhood to now that led to it jumping into my head along a nature walk that beautiful afternoon.
Nature nerd, always have been, always will be. A fun-loving one. :-)
Hope you all have a wonderful week!
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