Around this time every year, I start to reach my fill of winter. The cold is no longer cozy; the snow is no longer magical. So I thought this month, I’d live a bit vicariously and share photos that represent what I’m eagerly awaiting with warmer temperatures.

I love hiking. (I’m not always very good at it and I need lots of breaks, but I still love it.) My favorite part? Finding the unexpected. Whether it’s a dazzling spot of sun reflecting off a stream, or a strangely colorful mushroom, I love those moments when you have stop trudging through the leaves and climbing over roots, and take out your phone and snap a picture. Last year, my husband and I came across an area that felt as though some of the ocean had been dropped into the middle of Ohio. First, we wandered past a wall of rock that curved like waves above us. I felt like I needed a surfboard. And then, when we turned a corner, we found what we could only call Whale Rock. Thar she blows!