Broughton Hike Two

While Laini was nursing, napping, and enduring tons of smooches at Broughton Nature Preserve over the weekend, the rest of the kids were hiking away. While still in the field disc-golfing, Bella took her first try at catching a grasshopper and succeeded.

True to her recent nature, she said, "Mama, I liked the way it felt to hold that grasshopper. I like the way he wiggled!" Really, until this summer, she was freaked by bugs, worms, spiders, which was totally opposite my love of the above and the way I was trying to raise her to love them, too. So I was surprised when she dove right in to capture him when I suggested it. She did, however, do the girly squeel and jerk back the first few attempts, but I'm so proud she went through with it.

When we got to the wooded part of the course, Bella went off-trail for a bit, through the luscious, yummy undergrowth, and posed for a couple of shots.

B: Here Mama, take my picture!

B: You better put that picture on your blog, lady!

See, dear daughter, I promised I would.

Bella lead our party into the small pine grove that we've been wanting to explore. But the mystery of the pine grove wore out quickly, as the creek is just below it and all were sweaty and dirty and ready for some stomping and rock-flipping.

The rock-flipping brought an ample supply of slallymanders and even a little group of mudpuppies, which I so tried to photograph, but man are they fast.

Although the frigid water felt wonderful on my feet, I wasn't up for the wading into deep pools, but Bella lead the way happily. That's my girl.