Nature's Treasures

We spent this last weekend on a trip to Eastern Missouri, Hawn State Park, and then visited the soon to be State Park of St. Genevieve, Missouri, which is one of the oldest settlements west of the Mississippi. It was a wonderful trip, very remote in the middle of 5000 acres of pristine woodland and river. Many of the leaves there are already starting to change. I was near giddy at seeing the golden leaves flutter to the ground along the river's edge.

It was beautiful and peaceful there, parked close by the slow running tree lined river. I scoured our campsite to see what was indigenous to the area, so here are a few pics of some of my "nature" treasures from along the river valley.

These ferns were growing all along the bluffs next to the river.

Can you see the trees growing out of the crevices in the bluffs?

We had on our tennis shoes, not our river shoes. My feet were soaked, despite my best effort to work my way through the stream on top of the rocks.

This is Goldenrod and I'm not sure what the other yellow flowers are.

These Post Oaks (larger leaf) were starting to change and the acorns are from these. Not sure what these smaller leaves are, but these little yellow ones were the ones that fluttered down like snow. I think they were some sort of River Birch, but not sure.

These acorns are too cute, with their little hats on. 

The deer love these and we could tell they'd been near our campsite.

Don't you love that "nature's color" of green on the acorns?

This little branch is from a Chokeberry Bush.

I photographed these on the rustic picnic table that was at our site.

I really enjoyed this little project of collecting nature's little treasures. I'm going to have to get an airtight bag for the goodies. I left them out overnight in a paper bag and the next morning it was filled with teensy crickets or grasshopper type little fellas. Glad I had the sense not to bring them inside.

We stopped along the way home at Meramec Springs near St. James, Missouri

We saw a Muskrat busy doing whatever Muskrats do, 

lot's of Hummingbirds, and deer.

The blue of the water is amazing. 

They say it's the minerals coming up through the rocks that causes it.

this is also a great fishing area.

Here are some pics from St. Genevieve, 

which is a little over an hour south of St. Louis. 

Love the sign and the iron fencing.

 Oh these window boxes...

Old wheelbarrow

This is an old Catholic Church

I wanted to show you the relief statue in the inset niche.

so lovely.

So, this was how we spent last weekend. Some of these photos may look all the same to you, but we want to keep a little diary of where we've been and what we enjoyed. This was a beautiful little trip. You can go back through and enlarge the photos to get a closer look. just click twice.

I have a treat for you coming up next week. I'll be hosting a Give Away with my favorite Pillow Artiste, Heather, from Elliott-Heath Designs. Shhhhhh...she actually designed this original for me! Get ready, you'll LOVE it! (you can have one too!) She has so many great Fall and Halloween Designs!

Joining in here:

The Scoop at Stone Gable

Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo,