Retired Worm Hunter

As I took Leo for his walk on this lovely, wet autumn morning, I saw three big, fat earthworms.

I had a tiny moment of excitement and a flood of memories around days just like this one. On a rainy day, when it was just a little chilly, Sophia and I would go out with a container and our eyes open for worms. If you look closely at the bowl she's holding, you can see at least one earthworm getting saved from being squished on the sidewalk. Whether the bowl of mud and being handled by a small human are preferable, I wouldn't know.

As I had a moment of excitement about the worms, I realized that our days of going out in rain jackets to hunt for and "rescue" worms are probably over.

Sophia still loves being out in the rain. She still loves getting dirty. And, as a matter of fact, I could probably interest her in a worm or two. So maybe my worm hunting days are not completely behind me. I'll let you know.

Pickle Springs Hike

Last weekend was such an idyllic fall weekend. Crisp, overcast but not gloomy, and very cool. Our little family is pretty active, but a majority of us hate being hot. One of us hates it to the point of intense whining. (It's not Erick.)

So when the weather creates the perfect opportunity for being outside without boiling, we take it. Pickle Springs is down by Hawn State Park, between Farmington & Ste. Genevieve. Beautiful area.
We hiked and hiked. Sophia climbed, which also kept her entertained.

Another reason for the hike was to test out our puppy sling. Once Leo got past the point of being able to get over all the rocks and such, I carried him. Yes, I carried him. And he loved it, so I will definitely do that again.