Sunday, September 16

Cool Morning Hike - Hot Sunset and Music

Today was a great day, and we rejoiced in it for sure!



Started off with a hike at Linn Run State Park, just SE of us about 20 minutes.  It's amazing how there are beautiful woodlands and scenery so close by.

We hiked Grove Run first, a long steady and gradual uphill leaf layered loop trail.  We only went about a mile in, a light rain started to fall, it was eerie and then we came across a log across the trail.  Not sure if it intended to keep us from going but we turned back.  The thought of bears crossed my mind as we hiked and  that may have influenced our early departure from this trail as well as the downed tree!  The next was Adam Falls, a pretty flat, sometimes rocky loop trail which led by a waterfall, along the creek for a ways and through the woodlands.  Here we encountered a few hikers and the trail was more open and not as wooded as Grove Run.   As you will see by the picture below, not currently much of a waterfall, but during spring I am sure it flows abundantly.  This area is open for hunting during the established season and common game species are deer, turkey, bear and squirrel.  When is bear season anyway??


Getting ready to hike Grove Run trail

What, no bikes?


Really enjoyed the morning hike and although the trails are nothing like we encounter in the desert, they hold a beauty that can't be compared.  This is Pennsylvania.

After church we headed to the Walnut Hill Winery where we had read there was entertainment, a bonfire and food! 

The setting was laid back, an eclectic venue with mismatched chairs and tables set up on the front lawn.  The band played beneath a white tent, and the view overlooking trees and house tops was amazing!  We stepped inside to the tasting room to decide on the wine for the evening.  We settled on their Cab, got some grub and found a seat.  The music was a bluegrass, sorta rock band and they didn't disappoint. 

The band, Sugar Mountain under the tent, the star sunset beyond

But, the sunset stole the show for sure.  One of the most colorful and beautiful that we've seen since we've been here.  You'll have to take my word for it as my picture didn't turn out so good.  You can see a little of it behind the band, but you will have to use your imagination!

You can see the winery in the background here beyond the bonfire

After the sun went down, we moved over by the bonfire and finished our wine.  We chatted about what we would do differently next time; definitely bring our own food and smuggle in better wine!  It was definitely a great night though.  We headed to the car and I said I wanted a coffee, and so did O.  It seems we both had a craving for a Starbucks.  We searched on the GPS and we were on our way....in the opposite direction 13 miles!  Otto said, "what else are we gonna do, go home and watch TV?", so off we went to Indiana (the city of course) for a cup of joe!  A java lovers gotta do what a java lovers gotta do.  If nothing else, Otto and I have lots of laughs about living in Pennsylvania! 
It's been a few weeks since I've blogged... hope all is well in your neck of the woods.  Things here seem to be cooling down a bit, especially at night.  It's been in the 70's during the day and the evenings are nice for sitting on the balcony, enjoying the breeze and watching the leaves tumble to the ground.  I do love the change of seasons in the east.


Speaking of change, someone at bible study the other day said something like "one thing is for sure and will always remain, there will always be change".  Our discussion had veered off a bit as they sometimes do, and  we took a side road from our discussion on how Christians answer the call today differently than earlier in our spiritual walk, which brought us to 'change'.

Change in society, change in technology, change in family dynamics, well, change in general.   What God wants from us hasn't changed though.  Here's what I see, religion has changed throughout the years, man-made rules have changed, but God hasn't changed, He is the same God.

I guess it is true, that change will always be, but it is nice to know that the One who created us will never change.