I like to take different hikes on the weekends in fall, try a different trail, see different landscapes, collect treasures I find on the trails, mostly through photography. One of these weekends, I’m hoping to go on a hike by myself and try doing some botanical studies and odes to nature in my sketchbook.

This past weekend, I hiked at Lapham Peak, which is part of the Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern unit, formed 10,000 years ago by glaciers. The trails traverse through glacially-formed hills and around kettle lakes, prairies and state forest land.

It was also great fun to discover a beautiful butterfly garden in the middle of this state park, full of a huge variety of wildflowers that attract pollinators. Nice to still see bees, goldfinches and monarchs this late in the season. I lucked out with a warm and sunny fall day, so it was exhilarating to be out in the woods and hiking the trails again.