Hiking in the Hill Country

Last Friday, something unusual happened:  I had the car for the whole day!  There was lots I could have done (errands, grocery shopping, etc.) that I wouldn't be able to get done on the weekend.  But it was a beautiful day, and I decided it would be a shame to waste such a day and such an opportunity, on errands.  So on a whim, I called up my friend Denise and she, the girls, and I set out adventuring.  

I was surprised to see numerous results come up when I googled "hiking in Austin, TX".  Apparently Austin has some great, if not mountainous, hikes!  The one I chose at random was the Bull Creek Greenbelt, just off of the Capital of Texas Highway.  What it lacked in elevation, it made up for with all kinds of little wonders I didn't expect.

We set out walking down a shady path lined with cacti and all kinds of greenery.  Watching the girls out in nature was so much fun!  They ran along like curious little puppies sniffing from one thing to the next, picking up branches as if they were shiny swords, or small grey rocks as if they were jewels.  

 Down the trail a little ways, we followed a stone staircase that led to a clearing.

At the bottom, we were delighted to find a stream bed, just a few inches deep.  Of course we took our shoes off and played in the water!

We've been reading about tadpoles and their fascinating transformation from egg to frog, so when Denise discovered a tadpole, we were all very excited.

Afton found a little waterfall that had smoothed out the slippery rocks under it, carving out a perfect slide.  She was determined to use it for its obvious purpose.  We did not.

I walked with the girls as they splashed in the water with their bare feet, uninhibited and without concern.  Together we discovered new creatures in the water, and caught our balance on the slippery rocks.  I watched them relish the challenge of stepping from rock to rock, or climbing over a big log, and I saw the wonder of childhood through their eyes.  

We walked along the stream on our way back to the car.  We spotted some colorful caterpillars, and some turtles swimming freely in a deep green swimming hole that I can't wait to visit again when I have my swimming suit with me! 

The more of this earth I get to know, the more amazed I am at the beauty of it.  Our Heavenly Father must love us immensely to have created such beauty just for us.  Too much cannot be said about the wonders of this earth, or the joy and wonder that can be felt as we let it become a part of us.  Grateful for an awesome day.