I grew up in a family that spent a lot of time outdoors. We are at least three generations of farmers, and my parents are true craftsmen. Gathering raw natural materials to create stunning pieces from furniture to simple wreaths. We ALWAYS worked as a family and often times with my cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents. I remember taking long hikes deep in the woods with my parents and siblings hunting for perfect clusters of fresh green grape vines and bright pink bloomed wisteria to harvest for the next project.
Truthfully, I literally hated it…. lol. I dreamed of being in a nice cool office wearing the latest business trends instead of bonding with the roughness of nature.
Nonetheless, when I got the corporate opportunities I dreamed of as a child, I still found myself instinctively taking nature trails to exercise and to simply relax. It’s an indescribable peace being deep in nature.
When my daughter came along, I shared the experience of gathering beautiful fall branches to decorate the table, pick wild flowers, and more than anything to PLAY! She latched on to our annual fall outing from the first time we did it. That first experience was so memorable, she never forgets the fall and Christmas season is our extra special time to take long trail hikes in the woods.
The soothing sound of rushing streams, creatures in their natural habitat and the awing annual fall scenery is such an amazing experience. It reminds me that life should be so much more than a day to day hustle. It clears my mind and helps me remember to be happy on purpose.
No matter how our lives have transitioned, fall nature hikes have become an official family tradition etched in stone that I hope my daughter will pass down to her children and share with them our adventures.
We are from the Earth. Therefore we must communicate with Nature everyday to keep us balanced. I love the Fall season.
This is an awesome reminder of the best kind of entertainment: good old outdoors fun with loved ones! Beautiful location and I love that bag!!
This is a wonderful blog. I love the simplicity of taking opportunities to enjoy life by just going outside. I also love the fall outdoor style.
What an awesome tradition! With the busyness of work, school, band and other kiddie activities, it’s good to have something to do to relax and take a break from all of the activity. The bonus is I think my kids will really enjoy it 🙂 Thanks for the reminder to get back to the basics.
Beautiful photos! These pictures is like a huge reminder of how the outdoors/nature have a significant influence on our mental health and we just need to take the time to take it all in.