Fun Day in Kentucky

Bless me, Bloggers, for I have sinned; it’s been damnear a month since I last posted, and my poor starved stats reflect that slack.

I’ve been adrift for a couple of months now after having come inexplicably unmoored from any desire to share more than my most basic impressions of books I’ve read recently.  I think I’m about 20 books behind, and my last post was a mean-spirited (but justified!) rant about the worst book I’ve ever read.

My nasty, needling, contemptuous, inner critic, that thing Natalie Goldberg captured so nicely as the “monkey mind” in her 1990 classic Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life, has, after a very long and welcome absence, ensconced itself firmly upon its throne straddling my lateral prefrontal & dorsal anterior cingulate cortices, from which it refuses to cease flaying my mind with its awful iron scepter of doubt while stamping its feet and gleefully shrieking, “Eeeee-HEEE!  AAA-Aaahhh!”  I can’t hardly think over that din, much less formulate a coherent opinion.  “Who cares what you think, you fool,” it screams, “what qualifies your stupid ass to judge someone else’s work?”

Does that ever happen to y’all?  I know, I know, the mere suggestion strains credulity, but…

Don’t worry about me, though.  Sooner or later that monkey will get tired, shut up, and lope away to find some other prey, and I’ll get back to work.  Who’ll be laughing then, hmmm?

It’s not like I haven’t been plenty busy since The Girl & The Boy started summer break.  My goodness, those li’l devils keep me & The Boss runnin’!

Last month, we went with The Boy’s Cub Scouts den up to Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, Kentucky, where we encountered some amazing forest giants and I got a few good pics to share with y’all.

I do hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think in my ‘Comments’ section down below!

Near the beginning of the main trail, there’s a Faerie House Construction Zone, where visitors are encouraged to build fairy huts with available materials.  The Girl & The Boy (and The Boy’s best friend) had some fun with that.

Then we walked past a pond on our way to the first forest giant, which afforded The Girl a couple of great photo ops.

I’m particularly proud of this one, tentatively titled “Girl in Frozen Flame”:

Then we encountered the first, and youngest, forest giant, Little Nis.

The kids enjoyed getting a little closer.

There are several sculptures placed strategically around the 2-plus miles of improved trails that the kids had tons of fun climbing on.

I love this shot of The Girl & The Boy gazing adoringly into each other’s eyes:

A little farther along we entered a shaded court full of, among other interesting and intricately hand-carved items, this awesome Game of Thrones-inspired wooden throne:

This plaque posted in the shady court tells the story of the forest giants:

Just outside her shady court, resting content against an enormous tree, is the very pregnant Mama Loumari.

Here’s a detail of Mama Loumari’s hair.  You can see how much effort Thomas Dambo & his team put into these amazing sculptures.  Note how minuscule The Boy is compared to her!

The forest also includes some lovely ponds and extensive wetlands.  Yes, that’s The Girl near the bottom left of the pic.

On our way to the final forest giant, we came across this massive, sprawling tree, a Caucasian Wingnut, that the kids couldn’t resist climbing on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love this one.  I call it “Caucasian Wingnut Siblings in Eponymous Tree”:

Last stop on the trail is Little Elina, big sister to Little Nis.

If y’all are ever in the vicinity of Clermont, Kentucky, about an hour south of Louisville and east of the Ohio River, and especially if you’re traveling with kids, I highly recommend you stop by Bernheim Arboretum.  There’s plenty to do & see to keep a group occupied for a whole day, and best of all, it’s free, although a recommended donation of $10 per carload is appreciated.  Until next time, y’all take care, be well, and happy blogging!

Love,

Denny

via Fandango’s One-Word Challenge for 7/10/19, ‘stats’
via Ragtag Daily Prompt for 7/9/19, ‘strain’
via Word of the Day Challenge for 7/5/19, ‘capture’