Saturday we had a marvellous day outdoors. It was warm but the howling wind made the temp feel much cooler, so we all bundled up. Just inside Padre Is National Seashore there is a short (apx 3/4 mi) nature trail. Put Sage in the stroller, Folsom on the leash, and off we all went. Hiked directly into the wind -- eegads. Park Service did a controlled burn of the grassland surrounding the nature trail. Only a couple of species of plants have returned and are blooming, as of this post. Yellow-blooming Baptisia and Indian Blanket, mostly. Of course coastal Little Bluestem abounds.
After our hike we drove further into the park to Malaquite Beach Visitor Center. David attended a nature talk on the deck while Sage and I ate lunch. Folsom napped. After the talk an intro to birds class started up in the auditorium; I really wanted to attend. Sage preferred running around and screaming like any normal 14-mo-old would, so instead I watched her and giggled. She really has a great sense of humor. Two monarch butterflies flitted about -- she was mesmerized. For a solid 5 minutes she watched them flap their wings and soar upward and around, descending in a spiral near her feet. I have always felt we should encourage children to pursue their interests not ours. There is a book store at the visitor center and David and I decided to buy her a book on butterflies. But she found the book first! And carried it, and my credit card, to the register. So cute. Her first lesson about monetary transactions!
Of course, no outing would be complete without a trip to the beach. We left the visitor center and drove to the end of the road -- literally. Autos are allowed on the beach here, and after the 5-mi post, only 4x4 vehicles can make the trek. Tide had come in high so most of the sand was packed, meaning we could drive much faster and more smoothly than when the sand is powdery. Around the 20-mi post the shells became really deep and our truck began to sink. Good stopping point. Sage was snoozing by then. It was Folsom's turn to run around and play. David fished while Folsom swam and dug to China. I took out my binoculars and bird guides and kept an eye on Sage. I saw a Willett!
Sage woke up and played in the shells with me. We ended up spending about half the day exploring that part of the island. Lovely way to spend a Saturday...especially just moments from home.
After our hike we drove further into the park to Malaquite Beach Visitor Center. David attended a nature talk on the deck while Sage and I ate lunch. Folsom napped. After the talk an intro to birds class started up in the auditorium; I really wanted to attend. Sage preferred running around and screaming like any normal 14-mo-old would, so instead I watched her and giggled. She really has a great sense of humor. Two monarch butterflies flitted about -- she was mesmerized. For a solid 5 minutes she watched them flap their wings and soar upward and around, descending in a spiral near her feet. I have always felt we should encourage children to pursue their interests not ours. There is a book store at the visitor center and David and I decided to buy her a book on butterflies. But she found the book first! And carried it, and my credit card, to the register. So cute. Her first lesson about monetary transactions!
Of course, no outing would be complete without a trip to the beach. We left the visitor center and drove to the end of the road -- literally. Autos are allowed on the beach here, and after the 5-mi post, only 4x4 vehicles can make the trek. Tide had come in high so most of the sand was packed, meaning we could drive much faster and more smoothly than when the sand is powdery. Around the 20-mi post the shells became really deep and our truck began to sink. Good stopping point. Sage was snoozing by then. It was Folsom's turn to run around and play. David fished while Folsom swam and dug to China. I took out my binoculars and bird guides and kept an eye on Sage. I saw a Willett!
Sage woke up and played in the shells with me. We ended up spending about half the day exploring that part of the island. Lovely way to spend a Saturday...especially just moments from home.
What a wonderful way to spend a day with your sweet family!
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