I've always joked with my teacher friends about proposing the school year be moved from New Year's Day to Labor Day. This intrigues me for many reasons other than my love of Pumpkin Pie Blizzards from Dairy Queen, playoff baseball, and Oktoberfest beer.
The biggest reason is what I experienced today: the pure beauty of autumn. I could do this everyday!
From launching leaves to climbing trees, our afternoon hike at Pike Lake was a prime example of why I'd love the school year to free up time for more awesome autumn experiences.
Besides climbing trees, we hugged them and balanced on them.
We also scaled the tower and took in the splendor displayed in front of us. So did many others. The parking lots were packed and we greeted many new outdoor companions on our short but action-packed walk through the woods.
One of our many stops to take in the scenery was at the diaper-changing rock, which we didn't have to utilize this time around.
We did however utilize the area we call our natural play area. Adjacent to one of our absolute favorite trails (Black Forest Nature Trail) is a towering oak and fallen tree that we stop to explore in and around as often as we can.
This last week in school, she had the joy of meeting with some Retzer Nature Center naturalists who helped her and her classmates identify and collect seeds. Embry continued this experience on her own as we headed back to the lot.
She checked on the bergamot (beebalm) since she knows it smells like mint when pinched.
She found the burdock plant. So did Oakley.
She also shook the goldenrod fluff, hoping to scatter some seeds.
Oakley was happy just to bop the blazes along a short section of the Ice Age Trail.
I don't see the school year changing any time soon, but a guy can dream, can't he?
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