Hiking

Summer Weekend Adventures

| terriaw

Weekends are never long enough, especially in summer.

Spending a long holiday weekend at my parents’ house on Lake Michigan is always full of adventures, from kayaking to hiking. This time we also hiked The Ridges and the Mink River Trail.

Exploring the variety of flora is a fun treasure hunt throughout the seasons.

Noticing the wildlife is an exciting outdoor activity too, finding birds, wildlife and insects.

Some critters are hard to capture with the camera, like this pileated woodpecker, and other critters are fun to watch their shenanigans, like these cute little red squirrels chomping on cones right outside our kitchen door.

And of course, there are many varieties of butterflies and dragonflies to follow. I’ve never seen this particular 12-Spotted skimmer dragonfly before. I had fun following a tiger swallowtail and a few monarchs too.

I always cherish these weekend getaways and wish I could stay longer. I’m already looking forward to the next one! Cheers to more summer weekend adventures!

Summer Hiking

| terriaw

I don’t go hiking on the trails too often in summer because it can get pretty buggy (mosquitoes love me!) and muggy with our warm, humid summery days. Our weather has been all over the place lately, from temperatures in the 60s and breezy to 90s with a heat index. We’ve had a few nice weekends of low humidity and temps in the 70s to low 80s, so I’ve been able to spend time on the hiking trails the past couple weekends.

I love noticing all the sweet little flowers (er, maybe weeds) along the trail. They look dainty and fragile but they are usually vibrant and hardy.

I’ve also been noticing the bluest skies lately which means low humidity or haze in the atmosphere.

I’m still working from home for a little while longer, which is great but feels like too much time in front of computer screens, so I’ve been trying to soak up more fresh air, wide open spaces and time on the trails or in the woods.

Hope you are taking the time to pause or slow down, get out there and enjoy lovely summer days!

Take A Hike – Christmas Eve

| terriaw

I went for a hike on Christmas Eve with my parents. It was wonderful to try out a trail new to me and so close to my parent’s house.

I was in awe that these great trails and woods are right in the city. What a reprieve and escape from the daily grind.

We saw a few tress that the beavers have been working on. I’ve never seen that before so it was a cool sight to see first-hand. Too bad we never saw any beavers though.I spotted this little bit of lichen which looked like foam – a cool find and great inspiration for a future sketchbook illustration.

The Milwaukee River was starting to freeze so it was mesmerizing to watch the ice dams flowing.

Hiking is a wonderful way to spend time on a quiet holiday. And always one of my favorite things to do, no matter what day it is. I savor these moments of solitude in the peaceful woods.

Take a Hike… Snowshoeing!

| terriaw

We got our first big snow storm of the winter season over the weekend, which dumped about 8-10″ of fresh snow.

It was heavy snow since it started out as rain, so I’m grateful for the new ATV with a plow on it.

I broke out my snowshoes for the first time in many years. I couldn’t even remember how to put them on!

It was great to be out there exploring without sinking into the snow.

It’s a magical, winter wonderland around here now so I’m excited for winter sports, especially hiking with my snowshoes.

Sunday Are a Good Day For a Hike

| terriaw

Sundays are proving to be a great day for a hike. No snow on the trails yet, but the blue sky was wonderful.

Hiking has become such a wonderful reprieve lately to clear my head. Sometimes I’m just feeling tired and worn out but I go anyway, and I’m always happy I did. There’s not much wildlife activity these days, just a few crows and juncos here and there. I’ve only seen a handful of people on this trail lately so it’s been very peaceful.

Take A Hike – Thanksgiving Day

| terriaw

I went for a hike on Thanksgiving day, before the food fest. I have been going to the same trail that’s close to my house because it’s so convenient. I always try to notice different things, such as animals or birds on the move gathering their supplies for the upcoming winter weather, or interesting trees, shrubs and vegetation.

It’s been such a great stress reliever and way to relax and clear my head these days. I’m hoping to continue getting out there at least once a week as we move into colder winter weather.

Take A Hike

| terriaw

I left work a little early on my birthday to go for a hike before it got dark. It was wonderful to get out there!

One of my favorite things to do is hiking, especially in the woods, so I’m grateful to have a trail so close to my house. It’s always fun to see nature change through the seasons.

Take a Hike

| terriaw

I went hiking over the weekend with my mom. We hiked on leaf-covered trails through the woods and saw some gorgeous fall colors, and then ended up on the beach of Lake Michigan.

We encountered only a few other people so it was a wonderfully quiet and peaceful hike.

Take a Hike

| terriaw

My weekend feels complete when I get the chance to go hiking, one of my favorite things to do. We are about 50% at peak for our fall colors, which usually happens around the middle of October.I’m so grateful there is a hiking trail so close to my house. Hope you can get out there this season and see some autumn colors!