Just Moseyn' Along: The Corner of the Forest

Monday, September 21, 2015

The Corner of the Forest

It felt good to accomplish one of our family goals. David and I have often talked about how we are not one of those "going and doing" families. We are much more inclined, when faced with the actual reality of packing up and going camping or hiking or to the lake, to shrug our shoulder and say

"Nah, it looks like rain."

But this time we did it. Rain was in the forecast and the clouds were ominous but we hiked onward and upwards.

It was completely worth it. The air was cool and fresh. The woods were dark and green. The soil was moist and fragrant. The skies cleared and the birds sang. Elsie stayed close to her daddy the whole hike. I don't know if the vast expanse of woods scared her or if she just instinctively knew that if danger struck, he was her best chance of survival, but she only let go of his hand for a minute or two at a time.

We ran, climbed, observed, sang, snacked and pondered. And came face to face, time and time again, with the wonder and beauty of God's creation. We had fun spotting different rocks, moss, plants and bugs. Even Elsie joined in, chiming "Fungi! Fungi!" every time we spotted a new type of mushroom.

Everyone we met on the trail was courteous and friendly. We passed lots of dog walkers and even a couple of professional hikers with hiking poles. We also learned a new fact. We spotted several piles of stacked rocks and the hikers we met told us they are called cairns. They have lots of historical significance but now are done to either mark a spot on a trail or for decorative purposes.

The view along the way was breathtaking. We even spotted the church steeple behind our house.

This photo of the oldest two is by far my favorite. I would have loved these woods as a child and it made me very happy to see them exploring with abandonment. You can't help but walk through this place and think of Christopher Robin and Pooh.