Boardman River Outing

Hi all! Ryan, Owen, and I enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch and hike along the Boardman River on Friday afternoon. I have several pictures so thought I would share a recap of our little adventure with you.

Friday was a perfect spring day: the sun was shining, and it was almost 60 degrees. Owen and I were actually on a walk at Veronica Valley when daddy called and asked us to meet him for lunch by the river. We hurried home, packed a cooler, and were on our way!

Here’s a few snapshots from Veronica Valley. We were on the lookout for morel mushrooms but still too early. However, we did notice a snake slithering by! Owen loves all the little critters so we observed and chatted about this snake for quite some time.

We started with lunch-a salad for Ryan and me and a Bentgo lunch (love these boxes) for Owen. Of course, Owen gravitated toward the river and didn’t eat too much of his lunch. He was much more interested in exploring, finding bugs and throwing rocks in the water.

Ryan had a few work calls to take, so Owen and I took some time to explore the meander. It was very peaceful listening to the flowing water and taking time to slow down and feel the calm of nature.

Once Ryan joined us again, we headed out on our hike. Nala came along too!

We walked quite a way by the riverside. Owen stopped frequently to look closely at the ground of things that caught his interest. I love his curiosity!

Eventually, we stumbled upon the “Magical Pine Forest” as Ryan called it. It sure felt like it! Owen ran between the tall trees as we soaked its beauty in.

Nearby, Owen found a drain of flowing water that really caught his attention. He enjoyed putting his hands in the water and sending mini pinecones down the waterfall. Owen found such simple joy in that which made Ryan and I smile.

We decided it was time to start heading back so we looped around on a newly finished boardwalk. It was nestled in more pine trees and Owen wanted to take the lead.

Two hours later, it was time to pick up our brothers from school already! I am glad we took advantage of the beautiful day because the rest of the weekend was a bit dreary and rainy. Owen also got lucky to go on a kayak ride with daddy Friday evening so I would say he had a pretty great day!