There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:
I love not Man the less, but Nature more,
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the Universe, and feel
What I can ne’er express, yet cannot all conceal.
Lord Byron, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
Our winter thus far has been so mild, even calling it winter is sort of insulting to the season. We had snow for like three days and we had some frigid temperatures for about a week. This week has been sunny and in the forties and fifties, confusing my internal clock and making me think it’s March.
Yet the weather has successfully made weekend hiking difficult. Torrential rain or frigid temperatures seem to hit every single weekend. While I have enjoyed being cozy at home, I have craved time in the woods.
There’s just nothing like it.
So I made a point of leaving work on time yesterday and went outdoors for a while with my fella. We didn’t go far and weren’t even outside for that long since it’s still getting dark kind of early. All the same, it was exactly what I needed.
Luckily, there’s a spot nearby and the tourists were mostly absent last night so we had the place to ourselves for a while. We marveled at the muted shades of greens, greys and browns in the trees and the variation of colors and textures in the rocks. The sound of flowing water was the soundtrack to it all and shadows cast by the fading light created an air of mystery.
When you stand in nature with your feet on soil, the sky overhead, and trees, rocks and birds all around, it’s impossible to not feel a kind of reverence. I call it going to church.
I’ll never understand those people who march into the woods, talking loudly and looking at their phones. They miss so much simply because they don’t connect to their surroundings and appreciate the bounty that only nature can offer.
My hope for you is that you can find time this weekend to spend in nature. Even a few moments of peace in nature can lower your blood pressure and bolster your mental health. A little fresh air can change your perspective. It can give you curious things to look at and consider. It can bring you joy. You remember what joy is, don’t you?
Don’t worry. I’ll practice what I preach.
Want to see some pictures from my evening in nature? Visit Make The Journey Fun on Facebook!!
Anytime I travel, I make an effort to hike one of my usual trails soon after returning home. It’s one of my rituals and is as important as unpacking, doing laundry and restocking the fridge.
It’s a way to ground myself, to settle my mind and reconnect to my surroundings. It’s the perfect way to find myself again.
That’s exactly what I did last night, hitting a familiar trail with an old friend and a new one. Ohio’s heat wave has broken so it was a perfect temperature for an almost six mile loop through pines and past a lake.
This was exactly what I needed before returning to work and to the stress that seems to naturally come with life lately.
I’m grateful for the time away and for the adventures that came with it but am glad also for a chance to engage with the natural world.
Come back tomorrow. We will talk Michigan adventures!!
Last night, I revisited a trail I’ve hiked countless times. While it’s a heavily populated tourist area here in the Hocking Hills, most of the visitors were gone by the time I arrived after work. It was blissfully quiet.
I did encounter a woman who stopped for a moment to gush about the magnificence of the area. She had studied at nearby Ohio University but hadn’t been back since graduation fifteen years ago. I envied her fresh perspective and told her so. Everything was new and beautiful for her while it’s just another walk in the woods for me some days.
This particular trail is one of my favorites because there are areas where the dirt path turns to boulders that you must scurry over or through.
This trail parallels a beautiful stream.
A chipmunk stopped to say hi. This photo is not sharp but it was the best I could do with my unreliable phone.
This is a favorite spot on the trail. It’s a little steep for a short chick but I make do.
The views really are magnificent.
There’s a waterfall too.
I’m grateful to have these park trails so close to home and should probably try harder to appreciate them. But isn’t that human nature? We often don’t appreciate what we have and too often take for granted the things we value most.
I’ll try to do better.
It’s a pity that the longest day of the year is also usually one of the hottest. I spent my work day worshiping the central air but ultimately decided to brave the elements and enjoy an early evening hike.
John Muir said “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
It was that kind of day.
I donned my best sun hat and headed to my closest trail for a four mile trek along a mostly shaded path. I walked alone but was never lonely as I was in the company of dragonflies, squirrels and birds.
It was somewhere along this trail that I managed to shut off the work day and allow my mind to wander to my surroundings. Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t miss my calling. I once had a chance to be a park ranger but passed on the opportunity in favor of clinging to the known and comfortable.
Maybe that was a mistake. Then again, maybe not. That’s one of those questions that cannot be answered but I trust that things have worked out for the best.
Here’s another question that cannot be answered. Do we think fairies live in this tree? I’m leaning toward yes!
Whether or not I chose the right career path is irrelevant. The good news is I can still enjoy an evening on a different kind of path and marvel in the freedom of feet on the trail and head in the clouds.
Isn’t that one of the things that make life great?
There’s a great new vintage shop in downtown Logan, Ohio. Vintage en Vogue is a neat boutique packed with antiques, vintage items, art, decor and even some clothes and accessories.
Everything seems to be good quality and the prices are fair.
It’s also staged so beautifully that I wanted to linger a while. I’m saving for some upcoming adventures but wanted to support them so I bought a cute sunflower T-shirt with the promise to go back again soon.
The owner was delightful and so very welcoming that I imagine there will be a return trip in my near future. You should check them out too!
Find Vintage en Vogue at 45 West Main Street in Logan and be sure to follow them on Facebook too. While you’re in town, check out the other downtown shops as well as the Logan Antique Mall on Rt. 664.