Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Friday, October 26, 2012

ROCKBRIDGE STATE NATURE PRESERVE, OHIO

We enjoyed our visit to OHIO with good friends,  Neal and Patti.  The first hike we took on 10/16/12 was to the Rockbridge State Nature Preserve (near Logan, Ohio).  The hike took us to a natural bridge.....  BUT--as evidenced from the above collage,   we not only saw that awesome bridge,  but we also saw some fabulous colors on the trees in that area.

Hope you enjoy our hike as much as we did... Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.




I took this picture of Neal and George on the trail...  (You can also see Patti in the back--behind George.)  Note how pretty that area is!!!  It was a cool, crisp morning --and we all enjoyed the hike.




Here is a picture of the natural bridge when we got to it.  What an amazing bridge....  God's world is just AWESOME.




I was standing on the edge looking down at the area BELOW the bridge.  It's hard getting a good angle so that you can see the bridge and the area below.




SO---we walked down under the bridge.... I took  a cute picture of Tiny Patti  standing on a rock under the natural bridge.  Isn't she just a Cutie?




Here's a neat picture from below ---looking UP at the natural bridge above us...  Isn't this just an awesome place??????  (Think I said that all week---everywhere we went!!!! ha)




George took this picture of me on the trail... By the time we hiked back to the car,  it was time to put away the jackets.... ha





Before going to the next hiking area,  we stopped for a 'necessary' break.   At this rest stop,  there were lines and lines of gorgeous Maple trees....  We all took many many photos here. 




George set up the tripod to get a picture of the four friends in front of one of those beautiful Maple trees. 

If you ever get to Logan, Ohio,  be sure and check out the Rockbridge State Nature Preserve.... The natural bridge was truly marvelous!!!!  If you want to read more about this natural bridge,  click HERE.

Have a fabulous weekend and I'll see you on Monday.  The cold front is COMING this weekend!!!!  I'm ready for a roaring fire in the fireplace.

Hugs,
Betsy

58 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hi betsy, what a beautiful park. The Autumn colors are just stunning. Wonderful photos, especially love the shot of the four of you! Have a wonderful weekend!

Elizabeth Edwards said...

i wondering what this weekend & coming up week will hold for us?!! a possibly of snow.. so scary.

lovely fall views. gorgeous times you all had. fun!! (:

Joe Todd said...

A favorite spot. Did you make it down the trail to the Hocking River? From time to time you can hear the kids on the Zip Line.

Jo said...

What a beautiful trail. I just LOVE the fiery maple trees, first time I see one and know what it is. Thanks to you Besty and blogging that we can share each others worlds. The last photo of the four of you is one to treasure... Wrap up warm (can't imagine it sitting here in the air conditioned house in shorts and tee!) and enjoy your weekend. Hugs Jo

Sharon said...

Sometime in the near future, I've got to get to this area. And yes, I've been thinking about a nice roaring fire myself!! Do you actually have a "real" fireplace....we do!!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

That natural bridge is just amazing! So glad you had such a fun time w/ your friends!

RoeH said...

That's what I think. You get out into nature and marvel at what has been created for all of us and start to be so thankful! It's really amazing out there.

Snap said...

A beautiful spot made even more so because you were with friends! Thanks for the joke ... too funny!

Anonymous said...

Life doesn't get any better than being in a beautiful place such as this with wonderful friends.
Have a warm weekend by the fireplace snuggling with your sweetheart.

Neal said...

Your pictures are great...of course you had great scenery. :) Seriously, that is a very beautiful area and we truly enjoyed getting together with you and George.

Shug said...

Good Morning sweet Betsy. The canvas is just absolutely gorgeous! The leaves this year are just bursting with color and I'm so glad that you are sharing these photos with us. The natural bridge sure looks like a fun place to hike to. Enjoy today!

imac said...

Wonderful show and most enjoyable post, nice to meet friends too.

Donna said...

I can see that you had a great time visiting the area and with your friends! Such a beautiful place to see!

Serenity Cove said...

Glad you got to see some of our gorgeous fall colors here in Ohio. It was the best year ever in my opinion.
I wanted to stop at this bridge when we were at Hocking Hills earlier this year but it got too late.
Wish we could have come down to meet you but Oct is crazy around here!!

Connie said...

That is such a beautiful area of our state. Sounds like you timed your trip perfectly to see all the fall colors. Wonderful photos, Betsy!

Dorothy said...

Gorgeous photos, Betsy!! I know y'all had a great time! Scary looking under the bridge!

Sylvia K said...

Such a beautiful park and the autumn colors are breathtaking!! Marvelous captures as always! And it's always wonderful to share the fun with good friends!! Hope you and George have a beautiful weekend and a warm fire in the fireplace!!

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

Oh, how beautiful. The colors in the trees are just fabulous. The trail looks so pleasant. And the rock bridge is amazing. The area seems worthy of a more significant designation than "nature preserve."

Nellie said...

Such beautiful scenery! It is easy to see why you enjoyed being there!

TexWisGirl said...

the reason for its name is fantastic!

Out on the prairie said...

very nice to look around more, loved your color shots also

LV said...

Should you or George ever get to where you cannot hike, just think what wonderful pictures you will have to enjoy. You can take another trip through your lens. I do not know how you do it, but I like the way you are always changing up the appearance of your blog. I would not know where to start. Take care and stay warm.

MadSnapper said...

i love the view UP from under the bridge, it shows how amazing it is that it is there. and patty is really tiny.... beautiful colors and time spent with friends, nothing better

Small Kucing said...

I had no idea the bridge was that large till you snap a photo of Patti standing under it. I thought it was something of the size of a fallen tree but when you snapped the photo...wow...it's truly amazing.

Love the photos of the four of you in front of the maple trees

Christine said...

The maple trees are beautiful and that rock bridge is truly amazing! Your friend Patti is such a tiny little lady! Love the photo of all of you together.

Anonymous said...

I agree,jaw-dropping beauty!
Love those smiling faces best!

Dee said...

Dear Betsy, thanks so much for the link to the information on the park and the natural bridge--over a 100 feet long and 20 feet wide. Wow! and Double Wow!
I've never seen anything like it. Peace.

Grandma Bonnie said...

You pictures are awesome. I have got to ask my husband if we can take a trip to see the natural bridge. I hope you have a great weekend.

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

It's so gorgeous. I like th fact that you enjoyed the time in a fall setting with some friends. That just adds to the joy:))

Rohrerbot said...

Love the natural rock formations here. Beautiful area. Wet colory scenery:) And I imagine it was nice and cool. Love having blogger friends nearby.

Ruth Hiebert said...

As I'm scrolling through the pictures,I wonder just how many memory cards I would have filled up in that place. I get a little trigger happy when there is so much beauty around. I love each and every picture. Have a fabulous weekend.

Chatty Crone said...

Okay and now you have gone to OHIO!!!!!!!! My goodness you too go off a lot.


I LOVED the red maples. So pretty.

sandie

Ann said...

totally gorgeous. Last year I took the time to snap some pictures at a rest stop. You can find pretty scenes no matter where you are

Wendy said...

You take such wonderful trips, Betsy! And thank you so much for sharing. I've learned a lot from you and this blog. There are so many places I'd like to visit!!

Nice to see you and your friends looking so happy under the maples. Maples are so colourful in the autumn.

Today was warm (somewhere in the low 70's), so I planted bulbs with the grands. Rain is predicted all weekend complements of the hurricane. I hope your cold spell isn't too cold.
Take care,
Hugs to you both.

MTWaggin said...

What a lovely place BUT that last photo is just SUPER!

Rose said...

Beautiful pictures, Betsy. Even that big brother of mine looks good!

Mary said...

Gorgeous leaves! What a wonderful looking place. Such pretty rock formations and leaves. Looks like it was a great day all in all.

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

Beautiful park--love the natural bridge.
We had a fire in our fire pit last night. Enjoy the cool weather.

Carletta said...

From the smiles on your faces I know the four of you had a wonderful time surrounded by all that beauty!
Those maple trees are stunning!

Our cold front hits tomorrow. We are expecting a 30 degree drop in temps and rain with snow by Tuesday. You can bet my fireplace will get it's first workout! :)
Have a great weekend!

diane b said...

Golly there are not enough words to describe this beautiful place, The colours are just stunning, awesome and every other adjective you can think of. How lovely the hiking trails look, I would love to wander along there. It is great to see friends having fun together.

Unknown said...

Hi Betsy,

Stunning photos, such beauty!
Enjoy your weekend!

Hugs,
Eva

Anonymous said...

Finally caught up on your blog posts--I've been on a blog break. Hope you both are doing well.

Jeevan said...

That’s amazing natural bridge! The maple trees produce a picturesque background of images... the autumn colors are awesome and charming.

Wonderful photos Betsy! The Ohio rocks :)
Have a great weekend

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Ok, this one is going on the list...gorgeous!

HolleyGarden said...

Oh, my goodness - I thought the natural bridge was so incredible. Then I saw those maples and my jaw dropped. Gorgeous!

Lynda said...

I like the angle of the picture under the bridge. How tall is that little woman? Praise God for the wonderful time and memories you had and have! The neat thing about the pictures is they really transport you back to the emotions you felt when they were taken.

Annie Jeffries said...

Omigoodness, Patti really is tiny. Very pretty area.

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, Wonderful pictures of your hike and friends and the beautiful surroundings you were in. We are in for a chill here I am afraid. Button up! Have a nice Sunday in spite of the chilly weather.

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, Wonderful pictures of your hike and friends and the beautiful surroundings you were in. We are in for a chill here I am afraid. Button up! Have a nice Sunday in spite of the chilly weather.

mudderbear said...

Hi Betsy...I haven't been here for a long time and I miss talking to you. But it's good to see you on facebook. You are looking great. I'm happy to see that you are generally well.
justmeRosalie

Linda G. said...

What a gorgeous place! The colors on the trees are wonderful. I liked the natural bridge. I saw one in Kentucky a few years ago. Your pictures reminded me of that trip.

I am so far behind in your blog posts. I will never catch up, so I am not even going to try. I know the posts are there, for when we decide we will go to Ohio or out west. Your posts will be the first that I look at to plan our trip(s).

Please note that I have a new blog (yes another one :-)). I didn't delete Linda's Photo Journal, but it is set to private for now. Anyway the address for my new blog is http:daysremembered.wordpress.com

Karen said...

Such breathtaking pictures, I love to go on nature walks, in mild weather. Best Wishes Karen.

Anonymous said...

What wonderful vibrant colours!

Catherine said...

Gosh - you are seeing some terrific colors and lovely sights! It's snowing here again. We are completely white. But it's a good day to stay cozy inside and catch up with blog friends! :)
Hope you are having a happy weekend!
xo Catherine

happyone said...

Such beautiful park and what a great place for hiking. Fabulous photos.

Faye said...

I'm glad you and George have friends who share your passion for the outdoors and it looks like at least one enjoys photography as well. Kentucky has a natural bridge as well. I've been thinking it would have been a good place to hike a bit in this month. Your photos prove that! Have a good week, Betsy. I'm worried about some of our blog and Facebook friends in Sandy's path--as I'm sure you are as well.

Karen said...

Hi Betsy, I love your roses you do have some very pretty ones, and I really like the quotes and the side bar too. Sorry I didn't do my profile properly, I live in a small suburb in NSW Australia, I am actually in the greater west of Sydney, we have more extreme weather temperatures compared to Sydney which is quite mild most of the year. Best Wishes Karen.

Janie said...

The forest scenes are just lovely, Betsy. You picked a great time for your Ohio visit, at the height of autumn color.