Fall Outings: I Love to Hike and Talk With My Partner
The lake at Hudson Springs Park is seen from beneath the
changing leaves of a tree. The park is off Stow Road in Hudson. Corey and I
hiked there this October. The park has a wide gravel trail that passes around
the lake and cuts through the trees. There are benches throughout.
By Anna Krejci
I am enthused to hike at public parks this time of year.
Combining a visit to a park with a trip to a restaurant or ice cream
stand makes a great outing, and it could be less expensive than other forms of
activities, like attending concerts or going to the cinema. In recent times,
Corey and I have visited Hudson Springs Park in Hudson, Harpersfield Covered
Bridge Metropark in Ashtabula County and the South Chagrin Reservation of the
Cleveland Metroparks near Chagrin Falls. When I visit a park, I love to
converse with a companion while hiking. Thinking about the following topics
usually makes me very happy.
Yard Improvements
I love to talk about ways to make our yard an enjoyable
space. This could include dreaming about major improvements, like installing
more seating and an outdoor canopy, or simpler things like starting a container
garden around the patio. If we did not have a yard, I would be discussing ways
to showcase a collection of indoor potted plants. I love to talk about the
things I see in magazines regarding home improvement concepts. Such ideas are
the sort of things we talk about while walking around parks, like the time we
visited the Harpersfield Covered Bridge Metropark.
The Harpersfield Covered Bridge in Ashtabula County makes
the landscape picturesque. Corey and I visited the park named after the
bridge almost five years ago, and we enjoyed it and its proximity to the Grand
River. There is a passageway for walkers on the bridge. This photo was taken
prior to when improvements were made to the structure. The year we toured
in Ashtabula County, we stopped at a winery to bring some products home.
Pumpkin Carving
October truly is the month to talk about pumpkins! Halloween
is always the finale to the month, and I usually set a theme for pumpkin
carving. Corey and I will buy two pumpkins and sometimes we carve them
according to where we have recently traveled. For example, after we visited
Maine, we carved the face of a bear on one pumpkin, and we carved the outline
of a pine tree on the other. We thought bears and pines represented Maine. Being in nature is a wonderful time to think about decorating with
squash, so discussing the pumpkin carving complements the views that we find at
places like the Cleveland Metroparks in the fall.
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A footbridge over a stream in the South Chagrin Reservation
of the Cleveland Metroparks makes a tranquil scene. Corey and I visited this
spot in the park within the last 10 years. We often stop for ice cream after
visiting parks.
Recalling Travel
When we hike, we often discuss travel plans. We brainstorm
places in Ohio that will be the destination of our next short trip. It is fun
to think about. As a person who enjoys journaling and photography, next time
we travel, I might consider publishing my journal entries and photographs in a commercially
produced custom photo book. Such a photo book would be a perfect personal
memento, and it can be satisfying to create your pieces with attractive fonts
and photo layout. I would look at such a photo book often. Discussing
plans with your partner on how to organize the information gained from a past
trip into a photo book would make an enjoyable topic to introduce while hiking.
Voting
Fall is a beautiful season in Ohio, but it comes with the
responsibility of voting. Walking in gorgeous settings and discussing new ideas
for how to order society and carry out voting is something we do. We love our
friends, family and neighbors, and we want to make responsible choices that
lead to a nation, state and locality where we all can co-exist while enjoying
personal freedoms and taking meaningful care of each other at the same time. This
is possible.
More Trails Ahead
I find it so fulfilling to visit the parks with a hiking partner who I can talk with about the things that interest me. It is fun to become absorbed in one another’s passions. I am very grateful for my health, my time in nature and my spouse. For me, fall creates some of the best memories.
I found information about the parks I visited by visiting the following websites.
Harpersfield Covered Bridge Metropark
https://www.ashtabulametroparks.com/harpersfieldcoveredbridge
Hudson Springs Park in Hudson
https://www.hudson.oh.us/1355/Hudson-Springs-Park
South Chagrin Reservation Cleveland Metroparks
https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/parks/visit/parks/south-chagrin-reservation
