Category Archives: Nature and Outdoors

Life’s Storms

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Southern Ohio was smacked with a bad storm last night. Rain came down in torrents and thunder shook the walls. We aren’t out of the woods yet. It’s calm and quiet this morning but a tornado watch is in effect till 11 am.

There’s flooding throughout the county and trees down, making the morning commute challenging if not impossible for many.

But if you go in my backyard, you’ll find that the storm that literally uprooted mighty trees had little impact on delicate flowers.

These lilies still stand. These lilies that I didn’t even plant, that showed up one day and grew without my permission, continue to stand without a petal out of place.

These little flowers came from starts given to me by a neighbor. The rain did beat some of them down but I suspect, with a little support, they will stand again.

Nature is an incredible thing, isn’t it? From its healing powers to its beauty and ability to withstand and adapt to whatever is necessary, nature is amazing.

These flowers are a good allegory for us today. Like these lilies, there are some people who can weather any storm. They come out on the other side with not even a hair out of place.

And some people will get knocked down but you don’t need to worry about them. They’ll get up again, especially if they have a little help. They’re resilient and will be fine.

Whatever storm you have to weather, remember if the flowers can do it, so can you.

Lighting The Darkness

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I saw lightening bugs last night. Perhaps you call them fireflies where you live. Whatever you call them, they were prolific.

It had been a long day. A work function kept me out later than normal so I was over caffeinated and excited to kick off my shoes.

I live in very rural, forested area where people show affection by reminding you to watch out for deer. There’s a reason for that as we probably have more deer than people. I wasn’t looking forward to dodging them in the darkness and was excited to just be home.

And then it happened. A flash of gold in the darkness and then another and another and another until the entire landscape was illuminated by these tiny flying beetles.

They kept me company much of the way home and I was glad. It seems that I see fewer every year. Loss of habitat, light pollution, pavement, and short cut grass are all contributing factors to their decline.

I was reminded of catching them as a kid. I don’t recall wanting to keep them but did like catching them in cupped hands and then releasing them back into the night.

In a world that seems defined by so much loss these days, it was reassuring to see they’re still hanging on.

I appreciate the natural world and especially like things that shine a light into the darkness. Would a lightening bug prevent me from hitting a deer? No. But I sure did feel less alone in the darkness with them lighting the way.

Want to help lightening bugs (or fireflies) thrive in your backyard? This website has some great information. Maybe if enough of us try, we can keep them thriving for future generations to chase and enjoy.

A Saunter Through The Woods

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Naturalist John Muir hated the word hike. He famously said “I don’t like either the word [hike] or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains—not hike!”

He believed that nature shouldn’t be treated as something needing conquering or to be endured. Instead he thought it should be experienced and approached reverently. Nature and the mountains in particular were a Holy Land to him and walking through them should be peaceful.

It should be a saunter.

And that’s exactly what I did today. I sauntered through Lake Katherine State Nature Preserve, stopping to admire tree bark, to watch squirrels scurry up their trees, and to admire tiny little wildflowers no bigger than the nail bed of a toddler’s pinky finger.

I ran my hand across many kinds of moss and admired the texture of rock walls that were here long before humans and will hopefully withstand us for many generations to come.

It was wonderful.

And despite going slow, I still worked in some nice cardio on the long uphill stretches. Here in Ohio, we tend to avoid the switchbacks seen in western outdoor spaces and send hikers straight up steep hills.

It will strengthen the heart, knees and lungs!

My hiking companions all seem happy going at their own pace so that makes it easier for those who need or wish to keep their own pace.

Since it was warm and humid I was quite happy going a little slower. All the same, it was a good day for a saunter and a good day to be outdoors.

I hope you made it out for a saunter too!

Butterfly Visitor

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Google image search tells me this is a Great Spangled Fritillary. It was perched on some clover in the jungle that is my back yard when I came home yesterday. Seriously people. Rain plus heat plus no time to weed when it’s not raining is caused the weeds to take over.

Nonetheless, isn’t it beautiful?

I tend to see more moths than butterflies at my home for some reason so I was thrilled to find this visitor. Here’s hoping she brings friends and they hang around!

Silent Sunday: Lake Hope

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Into The Woods

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I finally made it back into the woods today. Our last hike was in April and the time before that is a fuzzy memory. Mind you, I live in the woods but this is different.

Hiking is different.

Stepping out of the grass and onto a trail softened by pine needles is different than the loud crunch of a stone driveway. Reaching out to touch the rough bark of a tree, eyes following the trunk as it reaches toward the sun is different than just glancing at the tree line of your yard while you carry in groceries. Closing your eyes to appreciate the texture of that bark beneath your fingertips generates strength and energy.

Listening to the sounds of the forest change as you follow a trail away from civilization is one of life’s gifts. The variety of birds, insects, bees and frogs chattering amongst themselves is unbelievable if you stop and really listen for it.

The aroma of honeysuckle mingled with decomposing wood and leaves ought to be bottled and sold because there’s nothing like it.

We need the textures and sounds, the beauty and smells of these places for our own mental health as much as the creatures who live in them need these spaces for their survival.

People who work to protect these public places are heroes in my story and those who aim to destroy them are the villains .

If you are like me and live in the woods, I hope you are actually doing something to enjoy the experience. There’s nothing like it and you will feel so much better. If you’re aren’t sure where to start, Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County, Ohio is a good place to hit the trail!