Moab Swimming Hole : Mill Creek North Fork

You can find more of our Utah adventures here.

As I mentioned in this post, during our Moab visit the swimming pool at our campground was closed. It was a disappointment, BUT our day turned out even better than expected when we were tipped off about this magical swimming hole.

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Go Hot Air Ballooning in Moab

We’re still recounting our summer adventures. If you missed it, check out this free camping at Spencer hot springs in Nevada! And if you’d like to see more of our Utah adventures, check out these posts.

In June Calder and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a hot air balloon ride! Check out this post for a snapshot of our wedding day.

How did we decide to celebrate with a hot air balloon ride? I think you meant to say, “why not celebrate with a hot air balloon ride?!”

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Camping at Spencer Hot Springs, NV

I’ve written about camping on BLM land before. For us, it’s the ideal situation: it’s free, often remote & less crowded than campgrounds, and there’s plenty of nature right outside your door.

Finding this perfect stopover so close to a road that we travel every summer was a great reminder to always keep exploring, even when you’ve been there before.

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Phenology: Observing Mother Nature’s Cycles

This post was originally published on March 12, 2014. Seven years ago! Since then, I’ve moved from PA to CO, and Sarah’s moved from PA to NC to WA. Wow. I can say for certain that both of us are still getting to know our new home states, and something that brings us joy is understanding the seasonal variations.
This desire to know my place came up for me this week. I was hiking and realized that I could identify more plants, even in their deadened winter state, than I could last year. BUT I also realized that I wanted to make a recipe that called for newly developed evergreen needles, and I realized that I didn’t know exactly when the firs and spruces put out their new needles. Is it soon? Do I have to wait until June? I have no clue, but I bet by next year I’ll know. 

What do you know about the natural cycles of the plants and animals where you live?

Rothrock State Forrest early spring, before the Mountain Laurel blooms

Rothrock State Forrest early spring, before the Mountain Laurel blooms

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Field Trip : Botanic Gardens

*This post was originally published in October of 2017. We’re republishing it today as a reminder to everyone that botanic gardens are a great space for relaxation and inspiration.*

Have you ever been to a botanic garden? If not, it’s time to find one in your neck of the woods. You may be lucky enough to have one in your city or town, or you may want to visit one the next time you’re on vacation. Trust us, this is a field trip that’s equally entertaining for both adults and kiddos.

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Capital Reef Hike : Cassidy Arch

If you’d like to see more Utah adventures, click here! When we’re in Utah, we often camp on BLM land (it’s free and vast!). You can learn more about camping on BLM land in this post.

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In early July, after camping near the Fremont River, we visited Capital Reef and hiked to Cassidy Arch. Want to see more pics and details from that hike? Continue reading

Colorado Hiking: Devil’s Thumb Trail

If you want to read about more of our hiking and camping adventures, you can find them here. And if you want more Colorado hikes, they’re here.

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Last weekend I went on my first big hike in years, and it felt amazing. Click on to read about my little day hike across the continental divide from one Colorado ski-town to another. Continue reading