Braving Transition

This past weekend my husband and I celebrated our 11th anniversary. Last year we took a mini-vacation.  It was the first time in 10 years that we had gone somewhere by ourselves. Long overdue. Very long.  We realized last year that we needed to do that more often.  So this year for our anniversary we kept it simple and went to a state park. I know far too many couples who think the only way to have an alone weekend is to go on some extravagant trip like a cruise, Caribbean island, etc.  I see only a few requirements: being alone away from those close to us, being away from the house, and being someplace both of us would enjoy.

Staying at a lodge in one of our state parks is quiet and serene.  We don't have to drive around a lot. We thoroughly enjoy going on hikes and taking in all nature has to offer.  Our only damper this year was my husband's relentless cold.  We didn't do as many trails as we had hoped or see as many sites.  However, that is not the point for us.  The point is to rest and just be together.

One of the other aspects I love about state parks are the photo opportunities.  The parks are a perfect spot for my amateur photography. Here is a sampling from our trip.

                                 The pioneer village had civil war encampments and a reenactment

 

 Pioneer Village with tents from the encampments in the background

Beautiful waterfall on the lake

                

 

 I was so happy to be able to catch the sun ray coming through the trees

  

Again, a beautiful morning hike around the lake 

As we took the morning hike around the lake we saw lots of turtles resting on logs

We hope to visit more state parks close to us this summer so that we can take our daughter along.  She would have loved seeing all that this past weekend had to offer. My husband and I are already thinking about where our next weekend alone will be.