Pixley Falls State Park

On Sunday after church we drove up to Pixley Falls State Park.  I'd never even heard of it but Ben made the discovery looking for family funtivities online.

There were quite a few little falls like this one...

...and this here is the big waterfall, which I'm assuming is Pixley Falls.

I pretty much always offer to take people's picture for them at places like this when I see them snapping shots of each other in front of the attraction, as I did for those folks above.  Other than just the feeling of doing a good deed and knowing they'll smile at the gems I captured for them when they get home later, the best part is that people almost always offer to do the same for us, and then I get a photo like this without having to prop my camera on a rock.  And wouldn't you know it, Bob even waved.

Bob had a grand old time picking up rocks and throwing them...

... then handing them to dad to throw much farther.

Bob was so totally impressed by how high Ben could throw the rocks.  He watched his dad throw rock after rock after rock and this was the look on his face as they flew through the air:

"Here, dad, do another."

and another.

I could not get enough of that face.  Bob had Ben and me laughing so hard.

I climbed right up next to the waterfall to get the full effect and take pictures.

It was so beautiful up close -- water droplets and mist and vibrant green grass and moss.

Something about that much water falling is both totally exhilarating and relaxing at once.  (And very loud.)

Ben and Bob just kept throwing rocks...

The cliffside kinda reminded me of Mr. Miagi's bonsai tree in Karate Kid 3.

This here is just about where I was sitting when I took the pics above...

While Ben took his turn on the peace rock Bobby and I explored the streams.

Right after the next picture was taken, Bob came this close to toppling over into the water.  So close that at least one, if not both of his boots left the rock.  Somehow he regained his balance and saved it; I'm pretty sure I would have caught him at the last second if he didn't, but I'm glad we didn't have to find out.

We walked the trails a little bit but hiking didn't work out all that well because Bob just wanted to run back and forth across the little bridges covering the streams.  To him the bridges were flat stairs -- what could be more fun?

"Huh-woe!!"

This place made me want to go swimming so so bad, but obviously it was too cold.  Maybe we'll head back this summer when it's warmer, but even then the water's got to be freezing.

When I was a kid I loved to swim so much that in the spring I started taking cold showers to build up my endurance for cold water, so that when I was presented with an opportunity to take a dip or a dive I wouldn't balk at it no matter how frigid the water may be.

me on Grampa Sonny's boat, back in the day

Now I'm a grownup and I am much less cool and adventurous and brave and I like my swimming holes to be good and warm.  But I'm still just as excited for summer.

Perfect cure for the end of summer blues: an end of summer (or early fall) hike!

I love summer.  I'm a summer person.  I'm not one of those people that says, I love summer soooo much, and I also love fall, and I also love winter...  No.  I like fall.  I like spring.  I do not like winter.  But I LIVE for summer.  And every year, when I feel it drawing to a close -- shorter days, colder nights, Halloween decorations in the aisles instead of pool toys -- it totally bums me out.  I was feeling it BAD last week due to all the chilly weather and the fact that I've been secretly hoping for an indian summer that lasts all the way through October.

In an attempt to combat my despair, on Thursday I took Bob for a hike to Agassiz Rock in Manchester by the Sea.  And you know what?  It totally worked.  The cooler temperature makes the hiking a whole lot more enjoyable.  And the air in the woods smelled so crisp and clean!  I feel newly optimistic about fall.  (Although I'm still a little nervous about winter.)

Bobby LOVES to be outside.  He loves trees and dirt and rocks and leaves and sticks.  As we walk through the woods Bob points up and says, "tuh, tuh" over and over -- so far that's the best he can do for "tree."

Agassiz Rock was a really cool spot, too.  The huge rocks make it lots of fun for kids (and kids at heart, like me).  Much more exciting than what I saw of Ravenswood Park.

As always, here are the pics...

Here's Little Agassiz:

I'm sorry there are so many photos in the following set, but I couldn't help it.  I'll tell you why I had to choose each one...

(Because look at that face!  He is just so precious.)

(Because it looks like he's using a tiny walking stick to climb that rock.)

(Because he's just so enthralled by the birds and trees.)

(Because he looks like such a little midge in this shot.)

(Because he obviously wanted me to take this picture of him waving his stick.)

(Because, look at those lashes!  Is the picture too small here to get the full effect?)

(Do I even have to explain?)

(Because I love to see him so pleased with himself.)

(So you can get the bigger picture of my baby crawling around in the forest.)

Bob was in heaven in this little tree fort:

At the top of the hill where Little Agassiz sits are a bunch of smaller boulders... lots of things to climb on and great photo ops.

Here's Big Agassiz.  The land was swampy all around this big guy so we didn't do too much exploring.