Gorgeous Sequoia

There is just something so refreshing, and so uplifting about being in nature.  I think it is important for everyone to spend a little time in nature everyday, and if possible, to spend a few days or more each year in the great outdoors.  Whenever I am surrounded by the beauty of the earth, it makes me remember how blessed I am and how much we are all connected with the earth.  "I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees.  The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets.  It has given me blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern day.  It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful.  Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and benumbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail; and when I hear the coyote wailing to the yellow dawn, my cares fall from me - I am happy."  ~Hamlin Garland, McClure's, February 1899

 "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."  ~Albert Einstein


"Happiness flutters in the air whilst we rest among the breaths of nature."  ~Kelly Sheaffer


"If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere."  ~Vincent Van Gogh

We were blessed to be able to enjoy a trip up to Sequia National Park for a few days last week with Jason's mom, grandma, sister and her kids. We stayed in Badger, which is about an hour down the mountain.  We stayed in a little home/cabin that was on a large piece of property that has its own lake (really a big pond). 

The highlights:

---We were able to use a small row boat that was on the lake, and it was very peaceful and relaxing.  There was such a quiet and calm that surrounded us in the middle of the lake.  It is never, ever that quiet or peaceful in the city.  It was a lot of fun, and Wesley enjoyed singing, "row, row, row your boat"  while Daddy rowed the boat.
---There is nothing that compares with the majesty and glory of those huge, gorgeous Sequoia trees.  It is amazing to think of how many years it took them to get that big (2000ish).  They were seedlings when Christ was on the Earth.  It is hard to comprehend. "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."  ~Lao Tzu  
---Jason got to go fishing on the little lake, and bought a small pole for Wesley.  Wesley held it for a minutes, and got board, but Chase enjoyed sitting next to Jason holding the pole.  It was really cute.  Jason went out early the next day, and caught a few tiny fish.  He threw them back, but he let Wesley hold one of the bigger ones, and he was sooo excited.  
---Not once, but twice we had deer run out in front of our car.  Luckily, we were going slow enough to stop in time. It was neat to watch the cute deer hop along the road.  Wesley had fun telling everyone, "the deer almost killed us!!"  
---I loved being in the cabin with family, and eating yummy dinner that Jason's mom and sister would cook for us.  
---We had fun one day playing in Hume lake.  The kids enjoyed the water, and it was relaxing sitting in the shade of the pretty pine trees over looking the lake.  
--- A big tarantula walked in front of our car on one of the dirt roads.  I have never seen a tarantula in real life (besides pet ones, or at the zoo).  I dont like spiders, but it was kid of cool to see on in the wild (as long as I was safe and sound in my car).  If it touched me, I would have had a heat attack.  
---We stopped at Golden Coral buffet on the way home, and it was really good!!  It was a nice break form a long drive.  
---Being able to teach my kids about the environment and the Earth is very important to me, and I love that we have so many beautiful places that help me do that in California. 



The lowlights:


---the deck of the house was made from old wood, and Wesley got quite a few splinters :-(
---having five kids under 5 in the house was a bit of an adventure.  There were lots of tears, and tantrums, and yelling, but boy..they sure did have fun together.  
---Lots of winding roads makes me car sick.  Luckily I didn't get too bad, and it was gorgeous scenery (however, I didn't see most of it because my eyes were glued to the road).  Luckily, and amazingly, Wesley who is the puke master, did great!  We stopped once for him because he said he was sick, but he never threw up.  
---The drive up was during nap time, and the boys did amazing on the way up (it is a five hour drive).  However, Chase cried half of the way home. Poor little guy just wanted out, and there was nothing I really could do.  He calmed down eventually, but its hard having a sad baby that your can't calm. 

Eating dinner on the first night outside on the porch

Wesley was more interested in the caterpillar we found, and wanted to make sure he would be safe so he could turn into a butterfly

Wesley trying to fish

the cute lake that was pretty much all ours while we stayed in the cabin

"Daddy...am I doing this right?!" 

Look Mommy...I'm fishing!!

He was so happy sitting in Wesley's chair while Wesley was off playing at the lake 

Lake Hume

The Neapolitan cousins

My little bear

Its amazing how babies have no fear....he wanted to walk off into the scary dark woods

holding the fish Daddy caught early one morning

Horrible picture, but its the only one of us on the boat.  There was no way I was taking my nice camera on the boat, but Daddy was brave and took his phone.  Chase is all smooched in his life jacket, lol

On the way down the mountain there were gorgeous golden fields.  Most of them were gated off to keep graving cows in, but I made Jason stop and we found an opening so I could sneak in and get a few quick pictures!