Monday Mending And Weekend Musings

We are spoiled to live in California (though judging by the weather forecast, it appears like many places across the country are enjoying a bit of "warmer" weather so cheers to that!)

This weekend's sunny skies were exceptionally beautiful, and I had an exeptional time basking beneath. Saturday was spent catching up with some old friends, and a few new ones, at the Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim Hills.

[Wanderlust]

Wanting to try out a new trail, I picked Oak Canyon after stumbling upon a website with a few glowing reviews. Other than the 91 being closed, causing a considerable amount of back up on neighboring freeways, the center was easy to find and parking was plentiful (and free). And after maneuvering from the parking lot to the nature center, what a gorgeous place! The canopy of oak trees is absolutely stunning.

[Courtesy of one "Sheety33"]

[33 can't be that bad...]

The nature center is a labyrinth of different trails, some leading up hillsides and across bridges, others follow the course of the flat open space. The grand total comes to: 58 acres, three adjoining canyongs, four miles of trails, and one visitors center with a small museum and exhibits featuring local wildlife and the region's natural history. This place is a definite must for the family and is a friendly option for all fitness levels and abilities.

After following our fancies for about an hour, choosing trailheads and pathways at random, we took a break from the activity for a group picnic. Another highlight: the nature center's picnic area is perfect. Underneath the trees, it is shady and the seating is plentiful. The picnic area is located right next to the parking lot and also has a bathroom, with actual plumbing. No thank you to Port-a-Potti's or those bottomless pit toilets (does anyone else harbor an irrational fear that a snake is going to jump up and bite you in the butt? No? Me neither... )

After a full day in the sun, a cool treat was in order. Thankfully I thought ahead and prepared a cool treat - lemon blueberry popsicles! It's nothing fancy, but it's free of processed sugar and extremely refreshing. I used a popsicle mold, but if you don't have one just use an ice cube tray.

[Pre-freeze]

Add a container of fresh blueberries, juice of one lemon, and a cup of water to your food processor or blender. Add to your mold/ice cube tray, freeze, and slurp.

[Post-freeze/Pre-slurp]

As kids my mom would send us outside with a couple of lemonade ice cubes in a cup; we loved it. I guess this was my little homage to my mom! Moms really do have the best ideas.

[Blueberry Bliss]

[Can you tell it's been a long day? And that I have zero shame?]

Saturday also included dinner with my family and a girls' date to finish watching How to Make a Murderer... binge watching documentaries about bizarre characters and suspicious murder cases has become our thing, ever since Jamison's first week of life (for the love of God watch The Jinx. I'm still in shock over the ending of that one). How to Make a Murderer was no less engrossing, though the ending is way less satisfying. Don't expect a happy ending (not that you would expect one from a documentary about a murder).

Sunday debuted with more great weather, perfect for my fabulous mother/daughter date to the Bride World (holy crap, just typed that as "Bird World") expo with my mom. More on that later this week in my 'Journey to Jager' blog post :)