So I took 2,457 pictures this past weekend while we were at Oak Mountain, and edited and kept 265. It took me approximately 16 hours to go through them all and save and edit, so I decided that I would subject you to more of them. Because I deserve your attention, guys. And also […]
On Running Away While Staying in Town.
Starting Friday afternoon, I took an unexpected four day/three night vacation. …Something about that sounds like I went to prison, but no. We, as a family, discovered the pure joy in taking a completely unplanned weekend getaway. It all started at noon on Friday. Chris had told me he was going to be trail running […]
Exploring Secrets in Birmingham.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared 30 really cool places that the kids and I like to visit on hikes. But, regardless of the destination’s level of “knownness”, pretty much all of them are on the grid. They can be found on hiking maps, they’re not hidden, and they’re available for public use. But since I published that […]
It’s Not About the Journey: 30 Hiking Destinations around Birmingham
In the past seven days, my nine and five year old have hiked 15 miles with me – and this isn’t unusual for us. There were tears once, whining a few times, and EMERGENCY NEEDS TO PEE twice, but overall, they were excited, running ahead of me, and looking for adventure. The secret to this […]
The Grand State Park Tour.
We did it. A mom, 2 kids, and a Grandmother, 50 hours, 436 miles, Over 8 hours in the car, 0 bathroom breaks during said drives, 4 State Parks, 3 State Park Restaurants, 2 State Park Lodges, 3 Hikes totalling 6.7 miles, 1,438 pictures taken. And it only took me a month to actually blog about […]
Fall Fever: The Tale of Luna.
Every fall, as the weather shows the first signs of getting cooler, I become a little bit manic. Because Alabama falls are so magical. And so fleeting. Because if it’s cool today, it’s gonna be 90 degrees tomorrow. Then it’s gonna go straight to 40 degrees and – oops! You missed fall. And also, I […]
A Matter of Taste.
We live adjacent to a really nice part of town. “Adjacent”, in this context, is a synonym for “undesirable”, and that’s fine. Our quirky little neighborhood is unincorporated and we embrace that unincorporation. Without silly zoning rules to hold us back, we have such fineries as skateboarding half-pipes and 400-600 white pigeons in portable buildings […]
Discovering The Soul of Trains.
Last Sunday was our annual trek out to Calera to visit Thomas the Train. But this year, we managed to get there earlier than usual, and it was much less crowded than it has been in the past. These two factors gave us ample opportunity to explore everything else at the location – something we’d […]
10 Best Hikes and Runs in Birmingham.
It’s the first day of spring, guys. I can nearly feel all of the viruses and bacteria of this infested winter die. Isn’t it wonderful? And it’s time to get back outdoors and enjoy our beautiful state. We’re blessed with winters that are mild enough to allow us to comfortably be outside regularly, but the […]
The Journey of a Year.
This time last year, I was beginning to realize the layers of beauty in what I call “Double Blessing Shopping”. I blame this on a blog reader. I learn so much from all of you – if you didn’t keep me informed and educate me on the best stuff, my life would be so much […]