winding stair

a couple of weekends back, T and i ventured out to the ouachita mountains with the pups and m+j for an unplugged getaway to the woods. it was the perfect way to disconnect and recharge after a long stretch of hectic weeks. plus, i love going where the cell reception is slow, and limited. 

[heading towards the changing trees]

[home, sweet home (for the weekend)]

our first day there, we focused on getting our campsite set up, taking in the views, and keeping warm by the fire. the weather that weekend was pretty windy (read: classic oklahoma wind), but classically fall-like temperatures. in a word, it was lovely, and a perfect excuse to indulge in all the layering. i loved it. 

[getting cozy with spiked cider]

[playing buds]

after making some campfire quesadillas, and enjoying a glowing fire, i went to bed early while the rest of the gang stayed up playing board games. apparently, battleship got pretty intense!

[breakfast toast scramble]

the next morning, we took it pretty easy while we waited for the winds to die down. the pups ran amok through the campsite playing, barking, and marking everything in sight. it was their own personal paradise. 

[chopping more wood]

[late morning sweet treat - banana boats]

[emerald vista]

a little later, we set out for our hike on the ouachita trail with all of the pups. now, i should clarify that we didn't hike the whole trail as it goes through the entire national park. but, we typically try to hike up to the top of the ridge to the first backpackers shelter site. 

[happy pups in their happy place]

[our trail marker]

once we got to the backpacker site, we took a break, had lunch, and took in the mountainside views. 

[couple of cuties]

once we finished our lunch, the temperature started to cool down, so we packed up and headed back to camp. 

[trailblazers]

when we got back to camp, we rebuilt the fire, warmed up some spiked cider, and watched the sun set while the pups took a well-deserved nap. 

[our sleepy, old boy]

later that night, we kept cozy by a roaring fire, ate campfire burritos (oh my goodness, so freaking tasty - i wish all burritos were this good), sipped wine, and took in a gorgeous star-filled sky. a beautiful end to our last night. 

the next morning, we woke up bright and early to wish m+j farewell as michael had a bike race in tulsa a few hours later. then, T and i loaded up the pups, and headed back home to a hot shower, a warm home, and a recharged us. just what the doctor ordered :)

grow your goods

this year marks our second year growing our garden goodies, and i have to say, i feel like i started to get the hang of it. last year felt like it was all trial and error, whereas this year i felt like i got to reap the rewards of my (very little) experience. overall, we stuck to similar plants, and introduced a few newbies to the group. 

the florals (not all pictured): knockout roses, mini roses which have now quadrupled in size (oh my!), rose of sharon, milkweed and lantanas aka all plants to help attract healthy pollinators like butterflies, and my personal favorite, the honeybee. 

herbs/veggies (not all pictured): citronella, lavender, mint, thyme, italian and greek oregano, sage, rosemary, garlic (purely as a companion plant for the sage, and not to eat), rosemary, lemon balm, scallions, parsley, chives, and basil. 

[my latest newbies: parsley and chives]

[l to r: lemon balm, scallions, and basil]

[checking for garden pests]

what i learned this year was to trust my gut when it comes to tending to our garden. i let my sage bloom for about a couple of weeks too long without trimming their flowers. because of this, it caused my sage to stop producing leaves and focus on reproducing. next year, i'll trust my intuition on keeping our plants healthy. 

my goals for adding in new plants next year would be to plant nasturtiums and marigolds to act as additional pollinators, and companion plants for our goods. now that this year's growing season is winding down, and i already can't wait to see what i can do next year!

elk mountain

a couple of weeks back, T and i loaded up the pups for a day hike out at the wichitas. we decided we'd check out a new (to us) trail out at elk mountain. thankfully, there was a storm that passed through the night before so the boys had loads of mini pools and mud to play in. 

[boba finding his first pool to lay in]

sadly, there were too many hikers out on the trail to let the boys run off leash, but T easily kept up with their energy...it made it all the easier for me to snap photos of all the sights :)

[just shy of half way up]

[my mountain man]

the first half of the hike (going up) was pretty intense, mostly due to the tricky terrain, incline, and weaving of the trail. that being said, it was really cool seeing our mountain-side views changing the further we went up. plus, we were greeted by an eastern collared lizard, and fresh elk droppings (guess that's why it's called 'elk' mountain - eep!). 

the second half of the hike (going up) was much better. there was a good amount of shade throughout, and the terrain was a nice switch from the first half. then, the wind picked up which was a sweet reminder of how close we were getting to the mountaintop.  

[pup pool with a view]

[taking a breather and catching the views]

it was a memorably sweaty hike that was well worth pushing through. it's probably why i love to hike when we can. being able to push through what your mind says you can do to reap such gorgeous rewards with your favorites makes it all the better. 

here's to the next hike! but, maybe we stick to early morning/late afternoon hikes ;)

greening thumb

[last year's bounty]

for some, i know this isn't the most exciting topic, but T and i have gotten into gardening for the past couple of years. we are still very wet behind the ears in experience and knowledge, but have quenched a growing thirst for cultivating our own goods. it started from the tiniest of complaints - the quick deterioration of grocery store herbs and their expense. i can't tell you how often i have bought basil only to have to return and get more after two days when it goes bad. 

so, we started small, working our way up with each success, and learning from our failed attempts. currently, we've started working towards this year's harvest, and i can't wait to see what comes of it. once our garden has reemerged, i'll post an update. but, fingers crossed it goes well. 

[a colorful path]

outdoor r&r

sorry for the gap in posts everyone! i caught whatever muck has been going around lately and spent most of my time resting and keeping hydrated. fingers crossed i'm on the mend.

a couple of weekends back, T and i trekked out to lake arbuckle with m+j for a mini trip outdoors. normally, we are pretty active on our camping weekends, but we had all been feeling pretty exhausted and drained. so, we kept things extra relaxed this go around...a little campsite r and r, if you will :)

[chuck's favorite spot to hang out]

[hanging with my boyfriend, bruce]

[checking out a hilly trail (above) and the views (below)]

[sunset walk and camp drinks]

[the happiest camper]

that night, we tried out a new campfire dinner (delicious by the way), cozied up by the fire, and star-gazed to our heart's content. without the added glow of the moon, the sky was packed to the brim with stars. we could even seen the taurus constellation! 

[my morning snuggle buddy]

the next morning, michael whipped up a delicious breakfast while we caught up with rob and heather, who stopped by our campsite that morning. sadly, we couldn't hang longer as a storm looked like it was sweeping through, but we sure did enjoy the time we had. 

until next time!

[bacon patrol]

[yum]