Into the forest…
It was a nice day so we decided to drive a few minutes to hike in the mountains.
Walking two puppies and an adult Meija who were all WAY too excited to get off the homestead and go on an adventure was no small feat!
(As we go more often they will settle into the routine)
Being in nature is so peaceful for the soul.
I took my children on a trail we really like. My oldest managed Laijla and I managed Fergus and Meija. It is so helpful to have kids that are big enough they can help out. The trail started out nice with a lot of patchy snow but quickly turned into a bunch of snow and ice packed pathway.
The dogs were in Heaven! They love the snow and forest trails. It is just as much of an adventure to them as it is for us. Our Newfoundlands love to go exploring with the kids and smell the forest floor and climb in the snow piled up off trail. Nature is a place they truly love as well. I also love to send dogs with my kids as they go off to explore. Mainly for two reasons… One, I love that our dogs are concerned for our children’s well being (not getting lost) and want to tag along to watch over them as they play, but they also are just as big of adventure buddies that they want to see what’s behind those boulders and trees just as much as anyone else does! Second, I send the children off with dogs because a forest is the home for many wildlife. I want to know my children are in safe hands as they run through the meadows and climb up to the mountainside. Newfoundlands give me the peace of mind that my children are safe and having fun without them being wild dogs just waiting to ditch the kids.
Slipping and sliding all the way back down the trail we went. This trail has huge rock formations in the forest and they are one of my kids favorite things to climb. I love the rock formations because they remind me of Scandinavia and that makes me smile. I can breathe deep and calmly in these forests. The thick forests have always been a magical place for my soul for as long as I can remember I have always had a deep connection to them. Nature is the deepest part of me and it always touches my heart in the way I need it to most. The forest is the only place I have ever felt at home. I love that it is constantly changing yet still somehow the same. There is a peace there walking under those trees that you don’t find anywhere else.
These trips are ones our family and loves to take. We all love to stretch our legs and explore the forests. I can't wait for the spring runoff! When the rivers run full and we can play in the pools of water they make as the air warms again. The dogs will have SO much fun when everything melts and the water is back to swim in. Till then they are enjoying their favorite season of the year and romping around in the snow like kids with pockets of change in the candy store.
