Seeing Green

Despite growing up in a suburb that was surrounded for most of my youth by farms, I am a city gal. I love to travel to and explore cities. I don’t mind camping and hiking but I’d much rather be exploring a farmer’s market or sampling treats from food stand. Growing up we went on a lot of camping trips and I remember myself as very much the unmotivated hiker. There was one trip where my mom walked in front of my holding a piece of candy behind her back so that I would keep following for the candy. I was about 12 when that happened.

My friend Delicious embraced his urban self long before I did and I watched him tire of cities and transition from vacation in big cities to national parks. (He lives in a tiny town now so might be transitioning back to big cities for vacations.) I didn’t understand very much why he was making the switch. I think I am starting to get it.

I still love cities. I like the fast-paced life and having access to everything within a 1-2 mile radius. I can’t imagine a long commute or not being able to walk to a place for dinner or a drink. I love that Cincinnati is doing a ton to keep things lively, busy and safe.

But, seeing a little nature is a nice thing, too. Over the course of four Thanksgivings, Wonder Boy and I took a break to go hiking in the Charleston Falls Preserve in Tipp City, Ohio. It was a really beautiful spot and a nice break from the over-eating mayhem of Thanksgiving.