day at the park

We spent one of the most fun days ever at Oak Mountain State Park today. We met up with Chloe and Ellen and Chloe's Grandma and Gran and Pop and we went for a nice hike on the White Trail to Maggie's Glen and then back out the red trail. Pogo even came along and both kids so enjoyed his doggy company on the trail, especially since they got to throw sticks for him to retrieve. I'm so proud of Dennis for walking over 2 miles under his own power! True, hiking with a toddler involves much redirection and motivation, but the rewards are incredible. He pointed out some very neat tree formations ("look, Mommy, it's a triangle!" about some trees that were growing together and a branch across that did indeed make a triangle) and pretty leaves and perfect tiny pinecones. Gran showed him pretty ferns and bright red mushrooms, and he and Chloe enjoyed shaking the smaller trees to make the leaves fall all around them. Dennis played 'dinosaur' and growled and bit a couple of trees just to sample, I suppose! We also taught him to point out the trail blazes so we knew what trail we were on, something he learned quickly and enjoyed doing. His delight with what he calls 'walking the woods' increases my own enjoyment of the outdoor experience. It was a perfect day, sunny and gorgeous with fall color and mild temperature, a day not like November at all, and it was a great day to be outside.

After our hike, we planned to drive up the mountain to picnic at a shelter up on top, but the road was closed. Instead, we set up and ate next to a playground, and we had a time trying to convince Dennis to eat instead of sliding and swinging, though we all did plenty of both. It was way past naptime when we wound up our picnic, and by this time, Ellen and family had departed in order to get ready for an appointment, and Gran and Pop left also. I thought Dennis would fall asleep in the car, but he recognized where we were and said "let's go see the owls, Mommy". We walked on the Treetop Nature Trail to see the birds recuperating in captivity. We saw owls and vultures and hawks, and we both liked the albino vulture very much--so unusual! I was sure this would tire Dennis out to the max, but I was wrong.

We got back in the car and he said "we go see the animals at the farm, Mommy", something we've never done but always wanted to do, and since it was still open and he was still awake when I got to the demonstration farm, we turned in. This particular farm is like a petting farm of sorts--you go in the gate and you are in with goats and sheep and peacocks and one donkey wandering around. The animals came up to see us and sniff us and make us feel welcome. Dennis got to pet sheep and goats and the donkey, and we also saw chickens in the barn (behind a fence) and also cows and horses and a few more donkeys that were in fenced pens. It's a beautiful grassy area with several outbuildings and a great barn to walk through, and Dennis and I had a great time watching all the animals. As I imagined he would, he fell asleep pretty much immediately upon returning to the car, and later he talked about his day with his Daddy and me. It was a great one. Can't wait to do it again next week!