My Sweet Things

Last Sunday I joined the Trail Dames for another fun adventure! We hiked Cheatham Hill to Kolb Farm Trails Loop at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. The 2,923 acre park preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. The park hosts 17.3 miles of walking trails and along the way you will see historic earthworks and cannon emplacements.  There were many runners along along the trail and often you would hear a dame shout “runner on the left!’ With that said, we moved on over to the right of trail so the runners could move right along. We were pleasantly surprised with a call of “horses on the left!” and sure enough two beautiful horses and their riders made their way along the trail. I was delighted to meet the Park Ranger and his lovely horse as well.

Our group hike leader Cheryl sharing trail information and getting all the dames signed up and accounted for.

The Illinois Monument is the largest monument on the battlefield. The monument was created  in honor of the 500 men from Illinois who died during this battle.

Stopping for a snack break!

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

For more information and to see if there is a Trail Dames Group near you click here. Click here and here to see more photos and read more of my Trail Dame adventures.

It’s all good. ~ Donna

New Year’s day, we went for a hike through Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest located about 15 miles from Robbinsville, North Carolina. It is home to a magnificent forest with enormous yellow-poplars that are over 200 feet in circumference and stand over 100 feet tall! The Memorial Forest is a tribute to WWI war hero Joyce Kilmer whose poem “Trees” inspired many.

Trees

I think that I shall never see,

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

~ Joyce Kilmer

Photo above taken by my brother-in-law Adam who hugged that tree for this awesome shot.

It’s all good. ~ Donna