A Needed Break from Chores

Saturday mornings, as a little girl, involved PBS shows such as This Old House, Bob Vila, and Julia Child; as well as Dad half asleep on the couch with his newspaper. We children would shake him, bug him, and even try to pry his eyes open with our little fingers. We would beg him to take us fishing, hiking, camping or swimming. And, often times he would hop up and load the van for an outdoor adventure. These adventures, as well my grandparent's old trailer on the Muskingum River, instilled a great appreciation of the beauty of God's creation. I love sharing that beauty with my children.

 

Last week, we went on a couple adventures around Ohio and discovered some of God's beauty. These adventures were FREE and lots of fun.

 

Our first stop:  Brown Family Environmental Center. The children had a good time getting close with nature. They got to touch pelts, shells, arrowheads, bones, and all sorts of interesting creations.

After leaving the nature center, we headed to Kokosing River's Honeyrun Falls/ I enjoy taking the children here, because they can safely play in the creek and falls, while I can sit back and relax and take in the sights and sounds. There is also a great swimming hole nearby, but I don't feel safe playing in the river without Da to help. The kids brought their fishing pools and practiced casting in the creek.

Saturday, we headed South to Hocking County. This area is one of our favorite spots in Ohio. It is beautiful. We stopped for a swim, then went on a short hike. There are a couple of places that are touristy. One being Old Man's Cave . Old Man's Cave is lots of fun. I highly recommend it, if you are in the area. However, we like to go off the beaten path. We enjoy the less popular places, such as Conkles Hollow  Every time I've been to Conkles, I've visited the upper ridge. As a teen, I would go there with friends or my dad to jog the trails. This time, we decided to stay on the lower path. It was relaxing, much more relaxing then taking four children on a 2 1/2 mile hike on the edge of cliffs. Most of the path was concrete or wood. I prefer a more rugged trail, but this was great and perfect for those who can't get around on the rugged trails.



Da and Noah were having fun with the camera.

It was good to get away for the day. We actually had to force ourselves to put the tools down and walk away from the garden. There are certainly plenty of projects to keep us busy at home. A break was needed though. And I am so happy we took it. Sometimes, we just have to stop and get away. Everything was waiting for us when we got home Saturday evening.

Where do you like to spend your time away?

 

Links:

Honey Run Falls: http://www.gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/honeyrun.shtml

Old Man's Cave: http://www.oldmanscave.net/



Brown Family Environmental Center: http://www.kenyon.edu/directories/offices-services/brown-family-environmental-center/
Conkles Hollow http://conkleshollow.com/