The Last Snowy Hike

Spring is finally in the air here. Most of the snow has melted and the temperatures are getting warmer (it's about time)! So, on this lovely first day of spring, I'm posting my last snowy pictures for the season. :)

The brilliant part about hiking in the snow is there are no rocky trails.. just flat snowy ones!

Carolyn & I also stopped by a creepy/cool cemetery to find a geocache.. we also found a lot of black and turkey vultures.

Beautiful Pennsylvania.. I love these hills. :)
Happy spring everyone!! Here's to blooming flowers, green trees, flip-flops, shorts, and longer days!

PS: I'm in Ohio, so I'll be taking a short blogging break. I'll see y'all on tuesday! :)

Winter Geocaching Hikes

Two weeks ago, Carolyn & I headed out in search of a few local geocaches in our area. We got stuck in some snow and found a few (and neglected to find others) caches. But we had a good time, and that's what really matters. :)

We also made a miniature snowman.

Covered bridge geocaches are my favorite.

As spring comes and the weather warms up, I plan to do a full post on geocaching (the details & know-how)! For now you'll just have to look at my pictures and wonder "what on earth is that girl doing?!" So stay tuned for more info. :)

Monday Miscellany

So I'm back..with a second Monday blog post about my life in two weeks. Maybe this is a trend? Hmmm.

001. I picked up the adorable mason jar above for a whole 50 cents at our local thrifty shop. The acorns were free too (we collected a whole bag full last fall) and I painted them last week. They're super fun and I like them. 

002. Carolyn & I went hiking on Thursday. We started on the trails at 8am with the temperature at a balmy 15° degrees..with a foot of snow on the ground in places. But it was beautifully quiet on the mountain, which made the chilly air worth the early morning hike.

003. I've been super fascinated with hex signs lately. I never noticed how many there are in our area. Apparently it's largely due to the grant that was given a few years ago to help farmers restore them on their barns. I love the Pennsylvania Dutch culture in my area, it's so rich and interesting! 

004. So uhm.. I finally fixed my wireless remote (it needed a new battery) and got to test it out for the second time. The above is the product. That's me, folks.

005. I made a scarf last night! It's super cute, springy colors and I wore it to work today. The first time I sewed it I did nearly the entire thing length-wise and then proceeded to realize that the main thread wasn't thread.. it was elastic. So I spent twice the time pulling said elastic out and then re-sewing it. It was fun. But it turned out nice, so I'm pleased. 

006. Despite multiple days over 40°, the snow refuses to melt. It's gone in some areas, but in our backyard there's still 6-10 inches in spots.

007. I bought this frame at our local thrift store for a $1. I see so much potential for it. I know what I'm going to do with it, I just need to get a few more things first. I can't wait to re purpose it, use it, and show you!

008. Even with all the snow and cloudy days, winter is still beautiful. I used to hate the bare trees and thought they were ugly.. but I love their proud branches standing against the sky and the shadows they play on the ground. I enjoy the dried up flowers that are waiting for spring to come forth. Which by the way, can come any day. :)

That about concludes my life as of late. I'm off to sleep, wake up, shower, go to work, and repeat all this week. Happy Monday everyone! :)

The Red Bridge and the Valley

Is there a location you find yourself coming back to time and time again to try and get a new photograph? For me, that spot is our red covered bridge. Every winter I end up here.. trying to find a new and interesting angle that I haven't captured before. There is just something about the red contrasted against the white snow and blue skies that I can't pass up. Here are a few of my favorite photos of the snow-covered valley I love so much. 

 This hex sign on the bridge was painted by the father of a family I know. Hex signs are part of Pennsylvania Dutch history and heritage and can be found all over my area. The different designs have different meanings, this one (which has an eight-pointed star in the middle) has origins with the Star of David. 

 Animal tracks in the snow..

 ..and my tracks in the snow!

The shot above was my winner from the day. A very different and unique image from what I have shot in the past. I love the two Mersangers swimming down the creek with the red bridge and snow covered branches. I might frame this one. :)