Lake

I haven't been posting much lately,

the words just aren't coming and I don't have much to say.

But today, I went for a two-mile bike ride,

followed by a two mile hike around my favorite lake.

The weather was cool,

so I think most of the alligators were hiding, 

because I didn't see any.

It was evening by the time I started getting home,

I love the setting sun.

Alligators in the Wild

For me, it's become a very common sight to see Alligators in the wild. In fact, I'm seeing them on almost a daily basis. Today in particular I rode my bike down the road a few miles over to the hidden lake way back into the woods. While the weather is nice, the little ones have been poking their heads out the water. Today I saw four young ones!

Don't worry, I keep my distance and they keep theirs! I've noticed here there is the biggest alligator, who must be the dominant male. Some smaller adults, and then the few young alligators. I think it is very fascinating to observe them, and it's cool because most people don't get this opportunity.

Along with the alligators, this lake is home to many species of bird and water turtles. I don't get close enough to the water to see if there is any fish, but it's possible they live here, too.

I often wonder how old these guys are, and how long they've been living in this lake. Studies show they can live up to 50 years in the wild, that's a long time for an animal!

These fellas' are generally pretty chill, I've noticed they just love hanging out and basking in the sunlight. It's pretty cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today, 

it rained.

so,

what else

is there to do?

other than,

make cookies!

photos :)

today,

I was happy.

Joshua and I had such a great time.

I don't have much to say,

other than I smiled.

the pictures can speak for me.

we hopped the fence at the school *it was sunday* and we had some fun :)

Slow Days

It's been slow lately. The only time I tend to leave the house is when my feet touch the Georgia mud and I'm wandering through the endless fields.

This place is amazing, and to think I hated it here at first. The campground has a lake, right next door is a sub-division that went broke before they could build the houses,
which might I add is an awesome place to ride bikes + they have a pond.










The campground has a boardwalk and access to the swamps, also, I'd discovered fields and fields of woods and forests. Not to mention alligator lake. I mean, I'm having so much fun! So, here are some photos I've taken in the last two weeks... nothing special, I just wanted to share!

this is the swamp during low-tide

Swimming... in January?

It's January, and usually for me, being a Wisconsin-bred child, this is the month where you don't leave the house because the temperature doesn't get above -0, the wind doesn't stop and the snow is at your waist.

But today, it's January, we are in Georgia, and you know what my brother is doing?

Amelia Island, Florida

Our destination today was the beach, which seems to be the place we are always going lately, but let me tell you a little something. My dad was forty five years old the first time he ever saw the ocean. Needless to say, we're making up for lost time. I think he's trying to compensate for all the years he never saw the sea.

For lunch, our sandwiches have a label, with a word to distinguish whose it is.

Mine of course:

Surprise, surprise...

oh and hey, we found a sharks tooth for the first time!

And I got Joshua to smile for a picture!

And of course, dad is completely and utterly lost in the endless amount of shells that wash up to the sandy shores.

 This dude was pretty awesome, so was this dude:

Fun with Kiddos & Alligator Lake

So as I have mentioned before - I'm a wanderer. 

But today, the adventure was a little more exciting. 

A few weeks ago I was riding my bike alongside the road, and I noticed a big path going into the woods. This is about a mile away from our house, and I thought 

"Hmm, I wonder what's back there."

Here it is, weeks later, and I decided it was time to take a little stroll over there. I parked my bike in the weeds and I began walking. The first thing I noticed was the I-Kid-You-Not gazillion mushrooms.

But then I noticed it - 

the lake

Yes, I found a hidden lake. And I cannot even begin to explain to you the rate my heart was rabidly beating. With every step, I was worried,

"what if I get caught?"

"am I trespassing?"

But, I went for it, and I kept walking. 

It's funny, you know, because in that moment I was just thinking to myself, "ahaha, it'd be really funny if I saw an alligator" AND I KID YOU NOT

I LOOK UP AND OH

HEY LOOK

IT'S A FREAKING ALLIGATOR

This is me in this moment:

NO, NO, BAD BAD ABORT ABORT ABORT

and I was literally shaking soooo bad, I couldn't even keep the camera steady. This was amazing, it was exhilarating. And I was worried I'd die. But I kept on moving.

Oh, big mistake, I was several feet away from three smaller gators, and in the distance I could see another. I was done... it was time to go home, and I was glad I got home, because Joshua & I played with our friends, Savannah and Cameron. 

We had a fun time, and afterwards, it was the potluck!