Secret Picnic Hideaway

This morning, despite grey, angry skies that threatened rain, we packed up our trusty red picnic basket and set off in search of adventure. We spotted the perfect place from the road and pulled over to investigate- a weeping willow next to a wildflower-embellished pond. The leaves formed a perfect, thick green curtain around our blanket, hiding us from cars and passerby. Do you know that feeling of playing hide-and-seek as a kid, when you can see the person who's "seeking" you looking right at your hiding place, but they can't see you? That's the sort of giggly, mischievous feeling that this place gives you. 

Berries and cream and homemade almond-flour banana bread- the result of one of Andrew's grain-free baking experiments (which Hannah loves... ).

Drizzly Sunday mornings are excellent for impromptu worship, songwriting, and duet-singing.

Black eyed Susan...  I always thought that was a strange name for this flower. I wonder what the back story is? I bet it was named after a brave woman, named Susan, who stood up to a man who was beating up some poor lady and got a black eye in the process. During this whole ordeal she was wearing a bright yellow dress and they named this flower after her for her valor and courageous spirit... Or not, I really don't know... 

Umm... Yeah we ARE this cute early in the morning. : )

The Berries and cream were excellent... Food simply tastes better when you are with your best friend and the one you care about, especially when you are in such a beautiful place as this.   

The fearless willow-warriors of Uptown, wearing their war-headdresses.

Hannah is apparently very skilled in the art of willow-branch art, after many years of making hula skirts  and wreaths from the willow tree in the backyard of her childhood house.

Andrew never misses an opportunity to do a bit of serenading, and today was no exception... 

Adventure is Out There!

Andrew & Hannah 

Urban Exploration

"The surest way of keeping one's heart young is to find adventure in the ordinary."

                                                                                                    -Me (Hannah)  

Andrew has moved! Along with the excitement of new friends (roomies) and a new space to set up with all the old familiar things, there's also a whole new neighborhood to explore! This potential for new, excellent exploratory expeditions simply could not be passed up... 

Last evening we set off to discover what adventurous places we could find within walking distance of the new abode. At first it was just the normal city bustle- the smell of gasoline, traffic signals, stone and cement and bricks and weeds. Then we came across a set of wooden stairs and followed them down from the busy street. The further we descended the cooler, and greener, and more silent the world became. Right away we spotted these ancient ruins, decidedly out of place in the middle of the busy city, crumbling slowly as everything else grows.  

 By the ruins there was a tiny stream that trickled down from the rocks...

 .... forming a pool that reflected the buildings on the streets above like a perfect looking glass.

 Steps leading deeper into the little patch of urban jungle beg to be followed.

 Stumbling across this enchanting hollow tree:
Hannah: "Quick! We must make up a story about who might live here! I suppose it's probably a family of fairies or gnomes..."
Andrew: "Or a duck."
Hannah: *glares*
Andrew: "A GOLDEN duck."

 Speaking of golden, the sunshine could not have cooperated more beautifully for this adventure- peeking through the leaves, bathing everything in golden light...

 ...Making little points of light dance across the path...

 ...And illuminating a rock wall growing a mossy message. Who is the artist? Why did the artist choose these particular words? Mysteries make adventures more fun, especially when you stop trying to figure out the answers and just savor the unknown-ness of it.

 Graffiti on the bridge- the beauty of decay and a startling bit of un-natural color amidst the greens, blues, and browns.

We came out of the jungle of ruins right next to this bridge. There was soft flute music drifting through the evening air and we climbed back up to the street to find where it was coming from.

It turned out to be this gentleman. Street musicians are so interesting- I wish someone would write a book which would contain interviews/life stories of all the regular street musicians in the Twin Cities. Wouldn't that be fascinating?
 

There's nothing more mesmerizing than the sun setting behind the skyline... Its rays, like arms, trying to hold on for just one more moment.  

AHHHH!!! MY EYE IS ON FIRE!!! AND MY HAIR.... And the rest of my face...

Hannah, Always an adventurer at heart.

We originally were trying to get the dam in the background but we were having difficulties so we gave up... Dam!   

We almost walked past this little cubby in the wall... but thankfully we noticed it and it turned out to be an excellent secret spot to sit and watch passerby. 

We are looking over a huge cliff... Just kidding, Hannah wasn't co-operating so I was trying (and failing) to mimic her.

Hannah, looking like the the cutest knik-knak that God put on his shelf.

Adventure is Out There!

Hannah&Andrew