Wish I was a country girl...

My favorite thing to do is in the summer is to go swimming, but my second favorite thing is going for long hikes in the woods. The best is when I can combine the two, but I'll take what I can get.

A couple of weeks ago (before my mom started studying for the bar exam), my mom and dad took me for a hike up near where my dad grew up. It's not officially an off-leash area, so I won't tell you where it is, but I really love going there because there are lots of stuff to do.

There is a forest to zig-zag through, fields to hunt birdies in, hills to run up, and hills to run down, tall grasses to leap through, holes to pop my head into (don't worry, Mom, I won't get nibbled on), a lake to look at (not for swimming), a creek for splashing in, and lots of great smells and wildlife to check out!

We started out hiking a few miles through the woods.

Hmm... what is in here?

Let me get a better sniff...

Further along the trail, we came across the Raptor Cages, where the Nature Center houses several birds of prey which have been permanently injured and cannot take care of themselves.

"Umm... hello Mr. Buzzard, Sir.  You look kind-of grumpy, so I'll leave you alone now."

No time to waste.  Let's keep going!

Next on the agenda was a trip to the nearby open fields. 

I hunted birds and chased bunnies for awhile.

... but then my mom and dad brought out my ball!  Yes!!!!!!!!

  Now, the key is not to lose your ball.  Especially when the field is as big as this one.

But, you know what? Surprising, between my dad and I, we found it!

 What a great day!