(I know, I know…these photos are from spring. MONTHS ago. I have so many personal photos I’m eager to share, but I want to force myself to go in order. Hopefully, I’ll play catch-up quickly.)

Every time I pick up my camera, I involuntarily think about what I am capturing and how it will be seen 20, 30, 50 years from today. Whether personal or professional, this thought is always on my mind. I want generations that follow to see and feel, in their own way, what I saw and felt within that moment. To me, this is what photography is all about. It’s my driving passion for this art.

Consequently, this is also what forces me to pack up my heavy beast of a camera, not being tempted by my iphone, even when I dread doing so. I want my kids to see what life was like…what a quick day hike and adventure looked like back in 2012. I want them to be able to relive it a bit, and share with their own children.

This past April when Brett’s brother Jason was visiting, we decided to pack up early one morning and head to Yellow Springs, a town we adore, for a full day of ADVENTURE. We weren’t exactly sure what we were going to do.  So, without much planned, we packed up our hiking gear and a picnic lunch and then just went with the flow of the day.

We began by hiking a gorge area that Brett and I had never seen, and man-oh-man, was it a gorgeous spring hike.

About halfway through, someone had a blister and major drama ensued. She can now brag that she hiked 2 miles barefoot.

We had a relaxing picnic lunch in the sunshine on the lawn of Antioch College, followed by an epic game of hide-and-seek.

We wandered around the small town…

We found a hula hoop, so of course we stopped for a competition. You know who won.

Thoughts on Brett’s post-winter facial hair: I’m not sure if I find it sexy or scary. Or both.

In the afternoon, we hiked the path that led to the actual Yellow Spring that the town is named after.

We joked about Uncle J not getting a date because Priya looks like she could be his girlfriend…

Gabe’s letting me know what this photo is about.

back for more…..

Finished up the adventure with a nice dinner.

It was a simple and wonderful family day!

As a little girl, I remember how anxious I was for Spring Break to arrive. Not only did it signal a pause from the everyday monotony of going to school, it meant sunshine on my face, bare feet, and the chance to run around with nothing much to do.

What could be better?

The best part about growing up on an old farm with acres of land to explore, was that adventure lay just outside my doorstep…that is, as long as my Grandpa (Pappy) would set us free. Sometimes he would get worried when we would disappear down the creeks, up over the hill, or through the woods. We never understood why. What could happen? It’s just wide, open, magical space? And then, always too quickly, after two beautiful weeks of break, back to school we went for 2 more months.

Each Spring I still feel it….almost as if the freshness in the air sweeps in and intoxicates my senses, forcing me to pause from daily tasks. I start dreaming of time out in the yard tending to my flowers, taking the kids exploring, and lazy family picnics in the park. Every year it’s the same….Spring brings its magic and rebirth once again, and we’re all reminded of simplicity, beauty, and a sense of adventure that awaits-perhaps just outside our doorstep.

And so today we have a to-do list that’s a pile high over here: laundry, housework, papers for the kids to write, Latin to study, clothes to switch out in rooms, emails to write, albums to design….and on, and on. But, we’re packing up our school books this morning and driving 15 minutes up the road to my house where I grew up. I’ll visit the magnolia tree that I climbed with my brother, and share with the kids that sometimes the smallest and most simple things in life can sometimes be the most special. Hang on to those. Today, we’ll spread out our blanket, and do our schoolwork with the sun on our faces.

Because truly, what could be better?