Growing up and the Grasslands

One of the things my kids and I have always loved to do is hike. We started hiking the back country trails when they were young..... and I love it! 

A place we have discovered along the way is the Pawnee Grasslands. This is such a beautiful place - It is the setting for James Michener's Centennial!! ( which , by the way, I have NOT read - I should!)

This is my kids a few years ago..........

I always seem to be bringing up the rear...

Why is that?

Fast Forward to earlier this month

Sigh

The only thing that has changed is the arrangement

up top it is Kid 2, kid 3 and kid 1

below

Kid 2, Kid 1 and Kid 3

wow!

The very first time we went to the grasslands we were it.

Not another person is sight,

But for some reason this time, they had rearranged the trail head start.

and they added a covered place to sit and eat.

We still found our way to where we wanted to go, 

although there might have been a detour or two.

and a fence or three.

Can you imagine coming across the plains, 

heading west to your new home, 

and coming across a place like this? 

 I might have just stayed here.

based on the number of houses that you see, I guess not many did ....

The Buttes are made of sandstone - I loved the Color Combo.

Hmmmmm the start of a new quilt?

I love windmills!

And of course - there is always a photo op!

Because of natural gas drilling out here, the amount of traffic increased dramatically.

I didn't take any pictures of the drilling, but now wish I had - it is quite sad.

The disturbance of the soil, the dirt blowing due to no ground cover,

the amount of trucks zooming by.... not even at the 25 mph speed limit - 

and it all effects this ecosystem out here.  

 That was quite disappointing to see our grasslands treated that way.

I love this area - its vastness and its beauty. You can watch a storm roll in for miles, and see the whole front. I hope that more people will get a chance to see its beauty.

Most of all -

you realize that time won't stop

children get bigger

and they still let you bring up the rear.