Croatia: Krka

During our stay in Croatia, we wanted to see waterfalls, and this country has plenty of them. Probably their most famous park for waterfalls is Plitvice Lakes, but since we were in Croatia outside of high tourist season, it wasn’t the easiest place to get from where we were. I definitely would like to get there someday, though. Instead, we went to Krka National Park for a day, and we were not disappointed. If anything, we were surprised and delighted by how much there was to see. We took a morning bus from Zadar to Skradin, a tiny town that hosts one of the entrances to the national park. After purchasing park tickets, we hopped on a boat for about a 25-minute ride to the waterfalls and hiking trails.

Krka is a massive conglomerate of cascading waterfalls. We had a delightful picnic at the base of the lowest falls, enjoying the view with our salami, gouda, bread, and pears. We then followed the pretty easy trail around and over the falls, working our way up into the hills and down again. Every lookout point had a worthwhile, gorgeous view of another part of the falls. There is also a large portion of the walk in which you take a boardwalk out over the streams and little waterfalls, and it is so peaceful and relaxing. The water was a spectacular color and so clear. If it weren’t for the water’s chill, we would have thought we were in the Caribbean! We only waded in up to our ankles, but there were some brave (crazy?) people who swam in the pools of the falls. Krka is a great day trip, and the trail we took is manageable for families.

I mean, just LOOK at this place!

The water was so clear! It was quite chilly, but for any of you who have ventured into the Great Lakes in America or the northern Atlantic, it was tolerable.

This is the waterfall and pool in which we waded. It’s about halfway through the walk, and it was refreshing to our feet as well as our spirits.

Here is my view from a large rock on which I sat and just observed and read a book. We also shared Oreos and watched the crazy few who ventured out into the pool.

This is the view of Skradin from the town’s ancient fort. This successful day was my favorite part of our lovely vacation in Croatia.

Camera: Natural Falls State Park

Another adventure in hiking……

Camera: Devil’s Den State Park – Yellow Rock Trail

I don’t know about the rest of the state, but northwest Arkansas is just beautiful, and this state park is no exception.

Dad on top of the world

Camera: Autumn

 

 

 

 

All images captured along the St. Joe River in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I don’t care what anyone says: the Midwest is the best place to experience autumn.

Tearful Trees

My favorite tree on my parents’ property, and probably one of my favorite trees in general, is the weeping cherry:

I love the weeping trees in general.  If I could be married under a weeping willow, I would do it.  What a romantic tree the weeping willow is, even if its name sounds so sad and melancholy.

Today, I just really loved the way the light played through all of the weeping cherry blossoms:

May you experience light today!

Warmth from the Badlands

After a while, winter begins to wear me down with its constant grey skies, freezing temperatures, and cold and flu season.  My family often takes this opportunity to reflect on the warmth and sunshine of our previous summer vacation.

Lately, when I become so cold I cannot warm up, I remember the Badlands.  It was 102 degrees when we were there last summer, though we also experienced ping-pong ball sized hail and a torrential downpour, all within three hours of one another.  We had a blast.  If you’ve never been there, the Badlands feel like the desert, only far more beautiful.  The caverns and small canyons are filled with stunning color and the lighting is just incredible.  Be warned: the temperature can become stifling, and there is nowhere to find respite from the sun.  However, once winter returns with its frigid embrace, you’ll be thankful to have experienced such warmth.

Maria’s Adventure in Paraguay

Before moving into their “full-time” mission work, Team Paraguay is visiting one of the world’s natural wonders:  Iguazu Falls.  Larger than Niagara Falls, Iguazu is a massive semi-circle of 275 cascading falls!  This will be their one respite during their trip; a stunning reminder that in the big scheme of life, each one of us is incredibly small.  As a photographer and lover of nature (waterfalls being a particular favorite), I am quite jealous of my little sister and her team, but this is the experience of a lifetime, and I am happy she will get to experience this before beginning her work.

Just how gorgeous is this place?  See for yourself: