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, March 14, 2014

An ICY Waterfall Birthday Trip

George in front of some of the massive ICICLES at OLD MAN'S CAVE at Hocking Hills, 3/10/14
As most of you know,  my Sweetheart  (GEORGE ADAMS) had a birthday on Sunday, March 9.  In order to celebrate that birthday,  we took a trip north to one of our favorite state parks,  Hocking Hills near Logan, Ohio.  WELL---we knew we might see some snow in that area since we all have had such a wickedly cold winter.  What we didn't anticipate was seeing ALL ICE (almost no snow --but tons of ICE)...  Unbelievable---but gorgeous (even though trying to walk on it was dangerous)....

BUT--my goal was for George to get to see water coming over the 8 waterfalls in that area which we saw... (We had been to Hocking Hills twice before and loved the area --but when we were there,  there was VERY little water coming over the falls.)  We did accomplish that goal --plus much more!!!!

Today and Monday,  I will share with you some birthday photos of my Cutie Pie,  and also a few of the many photos we took while there this week.  Be sure to click on the photos to see enlargements.


George standing in front of the huge ice mound at the bottom of ASH CAVE FALLS, 3/10/14
The Ash Cave area of Hocking Hills State Park was our favorite place to visit this time.  The water coming over that 90 feet high waterfall was fantastic!!!!!



The trails were TOTAL ICE at Old Man's Cave (looks like snow --but it was all-ice) --and dangerous! (Snow would have been alot prettier --and not nearly as dangerous... Oh Well!)
Here is a photo of the Birthday Boy trying to walk on the ice in order to get photos.  We both FELL once --and I was the unlucky one,  twisting my right knee!!!!!  Fun Fun...  However,  I didn't allow that pain to get me down--but was MUCH more careful the rest of the trip!

Our weather when we were there this week was AWESOME --and quite warm, despite all of the ice still down in the gorges and shady areas at the state park.


The next day (3/11/14) --when we visited CONKLES HOLLOW
This is another of our favorite areas of that state park.   This year though,  George got some fantastic photos of 3 different waterfalls there... We had never ever seen ONE DROP of water coming over  2 or the 3 falls before ---so this time,  it was GREAT seeing those waterfalls...



One of George's awesome waterfall photos at CONKLES HOLLOW
This is one of 3 beautiful waterfalls at CONKLES HOLLOW (3/11/14).  This one is named Lost Falls and is inside a small cave at the end of the Conkles Hollow trail.



George inside the cave at ROCK HOUSE,  Hocking Hills State Park, 3/11/14
Another area of this state park which we enjoyed was the Rock House area.  We love being inside that cave since the colors are so gorgeous.  However,  we couldn't even get away from the ICE even inside the cave ---since there was ice inside also!!!! ha



George's birthday cake this year was a Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake  (YUM)
You will have to pretend that there were 72 candles on this cake!!!!!   (I didn't want to burn the room down!!!! ha)



A happy man getting ready to make a WISH!!!!



And he HUFFED and he PUFFED ---and managed to blow out all 72 candles!!!!  (What a Guy!)



Cards are always special on birthdays.  This one was from his sister!



And this one was from his 'bride'..... 


Us at Lower Falls at OLD MAN'S CAVE (3/10/14)
I'll close with one of my favorite places at Old Man's Cave,  LOWER FALLS.  We were thrilled to see so much water coming over this waterfalls this time.  BUT--you wouldn't believe how hard it was for us to find a way to get down here to see this waterfall.... We had to go through a tunnel --and down some ICY steps in order to get here... BUT--we made it!!!!!! (Pictures of that climb down that area later)....

All in all,  it was a fabulous trip --and one we will be talking about FOREVER.   I wanted it to be a great 'waterfall' trip for George for his birthday --and that definitely happened...

Hope you had a wonderful week.  I'll share more photos from his adventure on Monday.  Have a fantastic weekend.

Hugs,