Afew days later

Well I'm really slacking when it comes to blogging...sometimes I have so much to talk about, so it's hard to stick to one subject..lol. I went for another hike, well, I've actually been on several, but just haven't blogged about it. It would be nice if I could keep on doing this and stay committed to doing it. I'm a bit more of a photographer right now than I am a writer, but I guess it goes hand in hand. I went for my first very EARLY morning hike the other day and it was amazing. Very quiet that early in the morning and all you could hear were nature sounds...no loud talking humans, grown-ups or kids, and I loved it.

I'll be back soon to post more on this special morning, plus when I figure out how to get my pictures where I want them. No matter what I do, they all end up at the top of my post. For now, if you want to check out more of my photos, you can go to www.pbase.com/pamelaparton. I hope to have a site up soon where you can order prints.

Drizzly Day at Radnor Lake- Oct 15

Today was probably a terrible day to go out walking for most people, but it was perfect for me. It was only around 46-48 degrees and there was a steady drizzle. Great for walking though, and I tried to get some more pics. I saw lots of deer, heard lots of birds, and of course saw some of the geese, but that was about it. Still enjoyed the walk though, and yes, did the easy trail again....trying to get up the courage and strength to do the strenuous trail..lol.

Now if you're thinking I was nuts for going out on a dreary day like today to go hiking, I did have some company. There were other people out as well, who had the same idea. Just because it's alittle cloudy, alittle cool, and alittle wet, that's no reason to stay inside. Enjoyed my time here and I'm posting some of the pics. The deer pics turned out a bit blurry as they were up on a hill, and like I said, it was drizzling and I was trying to keep my camera dry..lol.


Until next time....and no, didn't see any Owls this time either, but still hoping too soon. Yes, Owls are nocturnal, but there's some here that do their feeding/hunting during the day and often seen by visitors to the park, so I'm not giving up hope of seeing them just yet. Happy Trails! ;^)

Fall Hike At Radnor Lake

Well today was one of those days that I just wanted and needed to take a break and go out "shooting". Now before you get excited, I'm talking about shooting with a camera. It was the perfect day to go as it was cool and cloudy, and then ended up being sunny and mild. I decided to go to a place I had not been in YEARS, and found myself at Radnor Lake State Park. Radnor Lake State Park is located in Davidson County, south of Metro Nashville in the Oak Hill Community.

The park is open from 6 a.m. until dark....dark meaning, if you need a flashlight to see, well, it's time to be gone. :^) I've included just a bit of info on the park and you'll easily see why I chose this place:

*There are 6 miles of trails at Radnor Lake. They range from easy, moderate, and strenuous. There's no jogging, bike riding, or walking of dogs on the trails as they can upset the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
*It is one of the largest pockets of wilderness (1,200 acres!) in the U.S. in close range to a major city.
*Radnor Lake has an abundance of wildlife which includes, songbirds, herons, geese, wood ducks, green snakes, rattlesnakes, frogs, toads, fish, otters, turtles, beaver, wildflowers, blackberry bushes, wild roses, grand oak trees, flowering dogwood, and many others. Approximately 240 species of birds, 26 of those are waterfowl, have been identified at Radnor Lake.

*It is a Class II "Natural Area", which means it has restricted use and highly protected due to it's natural resources.


Needless to say, I chose the "easy" trail since I had not been hiking in awhile...okay, in years..lol, but still eventually found myself on the moderate trail. How that happened I haven't a clue, but I guess that's why they say if you're unfamiliar with an area to not go hiking alone....and I did.
Had an awesome time, saw lots of birds, geese, ducks, some deer, even saw a "almost" baby fawn, lots of trees, and some wildflowers. I was actually looking for owls, who are known to be around in abundance at the park, but no luck here...I was too busy watching my feet as it was wet and a bit cool, but starting to warm up, and I knew I had a good chance of running into a snake...or two. Thankfully, no snakes this visit.

Beautiful scenery as the leaves have started changing colors and should be in full Color within the coming two weeks. This is definitely worth your time if you just want to get away from the city and go to a place full of nature and feel like you're out in the middle of somewhere, and not in the middle of a city. Be prepared to walk, of course, and I would definitely take to the easy trails if you're not used to hiking, or walking weekly. I was there close to two hours, but that was only because I somehow managed to find myself on a "moderate" trail and thought I was lost, but totally my fault as I was too busy watching and following some deer and missed a sign..lol.

Next time I'm definitely going for the next step up....the 'Strenuous trails...Some are gravel, some are not, some are up and downhill and when you get to the peak, you're supposed to have some awesome views. I know this place has got to be absolutely breathtaking in the winter time as well, so I will definitely be coming back often as my schedule allows.

The park also has different programs and events that go on throughout the year, so you can google Radnor Lake State Park for a full Fall/Winter schedule. Happy Trails! ( I swore I wasn't going to say that, but I couldn't resist! :^)