Category Archives: Nature

#ranch #texas #travelTexas #HillCountry #dirtroad

New Years at The Ranch

Last August, I may have found one of my top three favorite places in Texas. This ranch in the middle of the Hill Country is amazing. Beautiful, relaxing, peaceful. It’s my perfect getaway. I have way too many photographs to share in one post so I’ll start off with some of my favorites.

Cows. I have a soft spot for these herefords.

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There’s also these African animals. Wildebeests, kudu, oryx… amazing.

The wildebeests and the cows, well it turns out they’re friends. They were hanging out peacefully. (I’m still trying to figure out if I should or shouldn’t be surprised by this.) Wildebeests are pack animals. Turns out you can be exiled from the group. We saw a solo wildebeest who was out on his lonesome.

The kudu (the animal with the twisty horns below) were terrified of us. It was hard to grab a photo of them up close. Maybe next time.

Its so amazing to see these animals roaming around. I’m pretty certain this was a day in paradise to photograph and watch.

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Then there were the turkeys simply taking a stroll.

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Now I’m really excited – the elk! (I’ve saved the best for last.) This past summer, I saw one or two elk from afar hanging out in a lake. This visit, I was in for an incredible surprise. Our tickets were front row and center. First off, there was no fence between us and elk. And they are so beautiful. We had stopped to take some photos of the African game and the elk followed us over. They were ready for their photo-opp and to photobomb. How many can say they’ve been photobombed (or taken selfies) with a herd of elk? I’m fairly certain that we could’ve just grabbed some chairs, opened a cooler and sat and watched them all afternoon.

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I couldn’t have thought of a better place to be at the start of the new year. The perfect company, beautiful scenery and the best place to enjoy the outdoors.

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Cheers for an amazing 2016 to you and yours!

Well Hello Vermont, It’s Time For Winter

Amazingly enough, this week is Thanksgiving. I’m not even sure where 2014 went but we’ve only got a month and a half left. Last week, I was in Vermont for a few days. The fall air got a little colder, the daylight became a little shorter, the snow became a little more noticeable but the sunsets and landscapes were just as gorgeous as usual. Always a surprise in the air.

During my visit, I was able to grab a few shots to share with you my beautiful home state of Vermont.

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Richford, Vermont. The mountain is called The Pinnacle which is in Canada.Vermont, Sunset, Richford, Vermont, 802 Vermont, Sunset, Richford, Vermont, 802 Vermont, Sunset, Richford, Vermont, 802

Vermont, Sunset, Richford, Vermont, 802

Jay Peak, Vermont.

Vermont, Sunset, Richford, Vermont, 802

Jay Peak, Vermont.

Today I’m linking up with Communal Global, Photography Essentials and Create With Joy for {Wordless Wednesday}.

River Legacy Park

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

Spending time outside is my ultimate escape from the busyness of the everyday world. It’s a huge part of my life and some days I can’t get enough. Whether it’s running, hiking or biking, one of my favorite locations in the DFW area is River Legacy Park in Arlington, Texas.

Took a break and went for a hike today. The weather couldn’t have been better! #LiveLifeOutside

A photo posted by Diana Bockus (@downhometraveler) on

This past weekend, I took a little break from all the things that need to be done for a little me time. I hit the dirt and went for a little hike. The weather was perfect, the sounds of the trees and animals relaxing and it was just what this country girl needed.

River Legacy encompasses every aspect of what one may be looking for in a park. Situated next to the Trinity River and Lake Viridian, River Legacy spans 1,300 acres. The options are endless and there’s something for everyone. Parks, grilling, a playground, athletics, paved and unpaved running trails, mountain biking trails, hiking paths, canoe and kayak launches, an educational center and so much more! That’s just recreation.

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

Nature has so much to do with this. How lucky are we to have an escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of the city life into a place that makes everyone feel as if they’re a thousand miles away from all of that. And you never know what you’ll see. Birds, armadillo’s, snakes, I’ve even seen a couple bobcats sunbathing. (Visit my Instagram page for some pictures of creatures I’ve seen along the way.)

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

The people are friendly, the trails are lengthy and you get options of whether you want to hit the paved trail or get off the grid a little bit more and hit the dirt! If anything, it seems as if there’s something new to check out or see on each trip.

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

Have you been to River Legacy? Where’s your favorite place to hike in the North Texas?

River Legacy Park / 701 N. Green Oaks Drive, Arlington, TX 76006