October 20 Blandford Nature Center

Monday: It's been a weird autumn in Grand Rapids this year. Exceptionally warm and dry! The fall colors haven't been the greatest, but whose going to knock warm and dry weather extending into mid-October? Not I!

I have been hankering after a walk in the woods for a very long time ... I am almost as happy in the woods as I am at Lake Michigan! There are plenty of woodsy trails nearby that are far closer than driving out to the Lake ... so I decided that the next possible afternoon that I had free, I would take myself on a little walk in the deep woods.

As I was kind of mapping this out in my head, I ran across a picture on the internet of the trails out at Blandford Nature Center. It's been more than ten years since I have been out to Blandford--I think the last time I was there was with Emma, Chris, and Matt when they were all quite a bit younger. The highs today were only going to be in the low 60's, but rain is forecasted for the rest of the week; so I decided to drive out to Blandford and do a little exploring. WOW. What a gorgeous day it was too! I took 267 pictures!!

I'm going to post these pictures in two separate posts. This one will be just the random woodsy pictures I took. The next post will be of the beautiful encounter I had with the deer.

The other BIG bonus about walking in the woods today was ... the SUN making it possible for SHADOWS. Ah, shadows, I love them! Without the sunshine today, these photos would be far less enchanting.

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46.10  To be still and know ... without the God part is just a pretty thought, isn't it? But to KNOW that I AM GOD is quite another matter! I will say--the woods is the perfect place, though, to do just that: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

SO ... as I was walking along, I took a turn in the pathway where I had been walking and had such a cool encounter ... that, however, is for the following post ...

I think many of these pictures will be formulated into future cards ...

And I simply MUST hike over here on the first snow ... perhaps I can get a picture that will inspire my Christmas card this year--who knows? I need to start working on that design ... like ... right away!

And look at this bench?

I would love to have known Mya and Alexander ... my heart!

Those were the best of the edited pictures I took. I have a ton of ones that didn't make the "grade" for posting or card making. It sure was a joy to spend the afternoon in this peaceful place. Thank you, Lord.