Cleburne State Park

Took a visit to Cleburne State Park (in Cleburne, Texas) on Sunday (fantastic weather for a December day!).

This park visit was special - it concludes my goal to visit one new park every month of 2017.  SO EXCITED!  What a cool goal I made - might be my fave :)

Here is the traditional collage.  BTW, loved this park - and there are so many MORE trails I can venture!  Excited to come back.

Loyd Park at Joe Pool Lake

Oct 28, 2017 visit to Loyd Park at Joe Pool Lake

Dallas Arboretum Visit

After living in DFW for 17 years, I finally visited the Dallas Arboretum!  I already can't wait to go back in the winter for their highly-recommended holiday light displays!

My friend Amanda and I went and I have to say I'm so glad I went with a friend who loved the scenery as much as I did!  And she would see things I didn't even notice, which was a joy to view her perspectives.

Here we are - took us about 1 minute to pose for a selfie as soon as we walked through the gates, because the row of amazingly beautiful pink flowers stopped us in our tracks:

Needed many collages from the Dallas Arboretum, WOW!   I couldn't possibly choose just 6 photos for one collage, because there were a TON of great shots from the beautiful gardens.   I'm speechless honestly.  But, here is a fun one first, that makes me smile and laugh! "Selfie with a frog!"

I could have done these themed collages, EASILY:  Single flowers, plants, statues, flower beds, colors, insects, waterfalls, ponds, benches, etc.

Instead, here are two collages I created among the 100 photos I prolly took with my camera, lol:

Seriously stunning!!

Going to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens this year, too, with Amanda.  Can't wait for another amazing memory-maker of beautiful colors and flowers and scenery!


(click any photo to enlarge)

Village Creek Historical Park

Hopefully you all aren't getting tired of these collages.  Because today's quite amazing walk is brought to you by me, "The Nature Whisperer."  :)  The armadillo didn't run away, the absolutely​ beautiful and friendly butterfly who said hello to me for awhile, the turtles and squirrels who aren't even in the pics, and the stunning scenery under God's beautiful sky.  Another new park, another wonderful memory-making walk.

It's so cool there are so many sweet parks to walk in just in the Dallas Fort Worth area.  And I've barely even started!

Tandy Hills Natural Area

Another new walking spot!  Got a tad lost, lol, as trails aren't marked.  But got back to my car, right as the large rain drops started to fall on Wednesday.  Perfect timing!

To be honest, I was nervous I had to park on a residential street to walk in this area.  No parking area at all.  Too bad, too - this place has great trails and is pretty, even though I really did get lost because the trails aren't marked well at all.

I hope to go back some day.  Maybe on a weekend when more people are out.  This day I was the sole hiker - a tad intimidating because at that point you *hope* you really are alone so no one messes with you.

Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, Texas.  Nestled between Interstate 30 and a residential area.  Hidden.  Good spot!

Collage Twist

When I go to a new place, I like to make a collage of the best photos I took along my venture (usually walking in parks).

I do this because a friend of mine went somewhere and made a collage of his fave photos and it was so much MORE awesome to see ONE photo that captured his fave photos.  Much better than when people post on Facebook all 20-50 photos they took.  Ugh.  I don't even have enough signal to look through all their pics, lol.  So, I learned from my friend that a collage is a great way for me to showcase a few photos and still get the flavor across, instead of posting an entire album lol.

I have been visiting a few of the same parks lately only because some are close to home.  I want to visit more and more new ones, but sometimes I can't do that adventuring during the week after work due to time constraints. 

I still find really awesome things to take pics of, tho!  But, instead of posting the same river, or same trail, I noticed the other day that sometimes themes show themselves.

Here are two:

Beautiful flowers I came across while walking at Rocky Creek Park and the different humans I saw being busy in the great weather along the Trinity River (both located in Fort Worth, Texas):

Z Bonz Dog Park

My new fave place!  Such beautiful surroundings!  And hills, great hills for a great, tough walk!

Took Lily today, on Father's Day.

Her and I walked along the trails first, then I took her to the dog park part.  It was too humid and she got too tired to care about the dog park after the walk lol.

The hills are amazing here, and it's so pretty and soothing.  With the weather getting warmer, gonna have to come without Lily, so I can walk longer, further, explore more of the park.  (Sorry Lily!)

Eagle Mountain State Park

Unfortunately dogs not allowed, but I really wanted to be challenged​ on Sunday. And this location (Eagle Mountain State Park, north of Fort Worth, Texas) is really a bitch to hike lol. It's also a really great and beautiful scenic hike, tho, too.  Been here only 2-3 times I think.

I saw some deer this time!  SO awesome!  They barely ran away, it was really cool.

Every person, couple, or family that I walked past I would say, "Good morning!"  That's about 40 hello's! Only 2 people didn't reply - peckers, lol.  Let's hope they were listening to music and just didn't hear me. :)

I walked almost 2 1/2 hours - yes, got some blisters on my feet lol.  Very well worth it!  May go back this weekend because it's so tough on me, yet beautiful.

Pecan Valley Park

Took Lily to Art Cowsen Trailhead (at Pecan Valley Park) in Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday.

We had been here before, but this time stayed more on the paved path than checking out all the trails into the woods.

Still really like this location.  Bikers have plenty of room and lots for Lily and I to see and enjoy the outdoors!

Even saw some beautiful horses this time.  :)

Grapevine Lake Trails

I finally was able to visit the hiking trails in Grapevine, Texas along Grapevine Lake.

I did this deliberately on Mother's Day, so I would be distracted (didn't work).  But it was a gorgeous day and I was VERY thankful.

Airfield Falls

Walked this gem on Tuesday.  Located right in Fort Worth along the Trinity River, I recommend Airfield Falls.

Highs were near 90, sun was bright, and it was a fabulous day for a long, brisk walk!

Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge

Finally got to visit the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge!

I expected more walking trails, but I only took one trail before Lily got tired.  There are more to take in the "prairie" areas, that I will do some day without Lily, so I'm not slowed down and can explore even more!

We walked along the marsh and parts of the Trinity and it was so cool to walk the ENTIRE time with water next to us!

Here is the traditional collage:

Bicentennial Park, Jan 2017

After checking the forecast last weekend I noticed that Wednesday would be the best day for me to take a great walk with my lovely dog, Lily.

I left work a little early and even though I was going to take her to the Trinity River Trails, my car veered towards Bicentennial Park instead. And I was glad I did.

Because it was so windy out I thought it would be a good chance to check out the Frisbee Golf Course that's at Bicentennial Park. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet because there's usually too many people out there playing frisbee golf. So today I thought was our day to see just how far back the course went.

However there were many other people out there with their dogs as well and so instead of going along the course, I decided to check out the dirt road again.

And boy is it a dirt road!  Last time I was here in December I even saw a guy on a dirt bike in this particular area, like a motocross bike.  

This time there was no one around though and Lily and I were able to walk further and further and further. There was some muddy areas, but it was all along a beautiful flowing creek.  And it was also a great, sunny day.  Even for January the temperature was hovering around 80 degrees.

Here's my traditional collage of this great, beautiful, just what I needed, walk in nature.

Cedar Hill Walk with Lily

Trying to get out more to be one with nature.  I can tell it's helping me A LOT.

Found a trail in town that I could take Lily on.  We both LOVED IT!

Cedar Hill State Park (just south of Arlington, Texas) has more trails to check out that are much longer.  I'm super excited!  Of course, not sure I can take Lily on the longer ones - maybe when it finally feels like Fall weather. 

She loved the "hike" SO much!  I could tell by the way she fell asleep so fast and kept close to me the next few days showing her appreciation and adoration. 

Here are some pics for my memory (although the great area wont ever leave my thoughts):

Eagle Mountain Park

Found this GEM last year and LOVED it!

Eagle Mountain Park

I learned my lesson to arrive early, instead of the hot afternoon sun in the middle of Summer, lol.  While I can walk for hours in the sun, little did I know the first time this is more of hiking than walking.  SO COOL!

Even get to see Eagle Mountain Lake if you venture far enough on the trails.  Awesome scenery.  Too bad dogs aren't allowed :(

 

 

 

Bicentennial Park

Lily and I visited a new park last weekend.  Bicentennial Park in/near Burleson, Texas. 

I really liked it and it had a cute little stream!  I'll be heading back without Lily so I can explore more and longer.