backlog of pictures

Well, life has gotten really busy lately.  Because I just didn't have enough to do already (i.e. I'm crazy!), I've started working a 2nd part-time job...so in addition to my job at the N.C. Botanical Garden (which I love!), I am now also delivering produce boxes for a local CSA.  And now I've fallen WAAAY behind in my blog posts.  I have a TON of pictures to post, so I'll try to catch up in a series of posts. 

This first post is from a road trip we took back in April to visit our old stomping ground in southwest Georgia (Ichauway...the ecological research station where I worked after college and in grad school, and also where Will and I met).  It was an awesome trip and we had so much fun seeing our old "home" (I can't believe it has been 8 years since we moved away!!) and visiting with old friends.

on the first day of our trip, we drove down to Cordele, GA and camped at Georgia Veteran's State Park...the girls enjoyed seeing these big planes and tanks they had on display

 

the lab building at Ichauway

beautiful native azalea outside the lab

the girls with a familiar friend, Emily (who they met last summer on our Mentone, AL trip)

wagon ride

the "Big House"

did I mention how much I miss this place???

hunting dog cemetary

Ariana and Jamie in the herp lab

future scientists

Roger and Chelsea's little boy, Michael

Maggie loved all of the "dress-up" stuff in the kid's tent

looking back I wish I had taken more pictures of our friends!

Roger and Chelsea's little girl, Adelaide

after the Ichauway reunion, we camped out in Newton with some old friends (yes, there's now a campground in Newton!) and then drove down to Tallahassee the next day to visit Will's cousin, Clay...the weather was rainy but we managed to get out briefly after dinner to let the kids stretch their legs...this is the only picture I have that isn't blurry of the girls with their cousin Conner

after spending the night in Tallahassee, we drove over to our favorite spot to paddle in north Florida, Ichetucknee Springs...we were so excited to share this place with the girls, and it did not disappoint us!!

sooo pretty!!  I think my exact words when we got on the river were "that's it, we're moving back here!!"

got Cheetos?

the highlight of the trip, seeing a manatee family up close and personal!!!

the manatees were amazing (here's the mama and baby)...we took a video that I'll post later

so many turtles!

daddy manatee

how amazing is this water??  this makes paddling in eastern NC seem just plain boring!  :-)

 

after an exciting afternoon on the Ichetucknee, we piled back into the car and headed over to Little Talbot Island State Park, north of Jacksonville while the girls both took a much-needed nap

the dunes at Little Talbot Island

our campsite in the maritime forest at Little Talbot Island State Park

the next morning back on the beach

 

a rare photo of me and the girls

a crab that Lilly almost stepped on

 

Maggie drew Rapunzel in the sand

 

It was such a fun trip, and the girls did absolutely amazing in the car for that long.  Maggie loves road trips (and camping too!) more than just about anything else, so we knew she was going to have fun.  And Lilly just feeds off of Maggie's mood, so she was happy pretty much the whole time as well.  We are so lucky! 

Snoopy

Snoopy  2000 - 2013

We laid Snoopy to rest yesterday evening under an old oak tree overlooking a large field where many a bunny was fiercely pursued.  His last day included a long wagon ride in the woods, a bacon cheese burger and fries and some quality time laying in the shade with Heather and myself. It was as peaceful and dignified as I can imagine.  

If people have souls, it stands to reason that beagles must as well, and perhaps even rabbits.  And being rabbit souls, they must surely leave a scent when they move about, if just a faint one, which only the soul of a beagle might detect.  And without the hunter present to ruin the rabbit's momentum, the chases must last forever.   

- the bible

(...I'm pretty sure that's in there somewhere)

Here's a few pictures to remember ol' Snoop by:

 Always faithful: A young Snoopy seen here protecting my "dignity" from the paperazzi. 

Fierce chaser of bunny...

...fetcher of geese...

...attentive observer of grill...

...brave sailor or stoic bow figurehead...

...squeezer of smug plush turkeys with ironic expressions...

...high flying catcher of ball and renowned kangaroo impersonator...

...intrepid explorer of the cold, dark places most dare not enter...

...patient...

...reliable warmer of feet...

...and couch...

...and chair...

...sensible consumer of baked goods...

...but mostly a faithful companion.

 

springtime activities

I haven't posted in awhile, but we've been doing a lot of fun things lately (including a big road trip, which I'll write about in a separate post).  Spring has arrived here, and I've been following the spring ephemeral wildflowers by going on frequent hikes and wildflower walks with the girls.

Here are some photos I took last month at one of my favorite nature preserves near our house, Swift Creek Bluffs (managed by the Triangle Land Conservancy)...there are some fantastic spring wildflowers here!

Lilly pointing out a trout lily

trout lilies

who lives in here??

spring beauties (the white flowers) nestled against a beech tree

hepatica

Lilly enjoying a snack on the steps with the trout lilies

bloodroot

another bloodroot

This next series of photos is from another Triangle Land Conservancy preserve, Johnston Mill Preserve, up near Chapel Hill...another great place to see spring wildflowers.

spring beauties

windflowers

looking at a little creek

a rare photo with me

across from the old mill

ACORN!!

the girls love to find "horses" in the woods

a really cool bench along the trail

We also took a spontaneous trip to the NC Zoo in Asheboro a couple of weeks ago...it was during spring break for many of the school districts in NC, and it was so crowded!  We rushed through because we didn't get there until after lunch, so I didn't take many pictures, but the girls had fun.

We also went camping / canoeing with some friends of ours a couple of weekends ago.  We went to Merchant's Millpond State Park, which is a neat cypress pond up in the northeast corner of the state, about 2.5 hours away from Raleigh.  It was fun, and I think the kids really enjoyed it.

Lilly and Jacob chasing each other in circles with frisbees on their heads...this was pretty funny and went on for about 5 minutes

dinnertime...venison, corn, green beans, and mac & cheese

Maggie striking a pose by the campfire

venturing out on the pond the next morning

 

the Moormans...Leslie, Chris, and the boys

daddy's going to have to make another paddle!

we paddled right next to a goose sitting on a nest