On Today’s Walk: Two New Trails

Gravel walking trail next to a lake, with part of a metal barrier (to block cars) in the foreground.
Starting the first walk

After a solid week of gray skies and rain, the sun came out today. My son agreed to explore a new-to-us walking trail in the area. The Philips Lake Trail seems fairly new, and looks as if it was put in as an amenity to nearby businesses and apartment complexes. You don’t feel like you’re out in the country, but it is a nicely built walking path. A map told me it’s 1.4 miles around the lake.

The first 0.4 or so, we fought through swarms of gnats. But we finally found the point where the wind was blowing them away from us, and the rest of the walk was pleasant enough.

We even saw a spot where the city (I assume) recycled some Christmas trees to help promote fish habitat (I assume.)

Lake with old Christmas trees partially submerged

After we finished with this path, we decided to explore another area literally right across the road. Because we are both gifted with stamina and a sense of adventure, at least in moderate amounts.

Gans Creek Recreation Area has a cross country route laid out, with facilities for events. But nothing was scheduled today. It was a little soggy in places, so we didn’t traverse every bit of it. But we got another mile and a half or so covered, for a pretty respectable amount of ground covered in one day.

Notice the lack of a single cloud in any of the photos. Beautiful blue skies all day. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for the needed rain we received. But nothing puts me in a funk like several days with no sun.

Time spent outdoors really is a remedy for whatever ails me. Outdoors is where hope comes alive for me.

We even got to hear some peepers loudly announcing the approach of spring.

On Today’s Walk: Harmless Mischief and Whimsy

I feel like I can’t write anything these days without acknowledging what heavy times we are experiencing. But when things are most bleak is when we most need to look for little joys.

Small clay figure, yellow and beige-sh, of an unidentified creature, in the corner of two moss-covered walls.
Surprise!

This morning I began decluttering what is supposed to be our sunroom but has slowly turned into storage, and I came across several clay objects my children created in the wayback years. I used to take them to a local arts center for ceramics and weaving classes. Some of the things they made were impressive. Little bowls and vases, mostly, that I want to keep.

Then there were a couple of items none of us especially believe need to hang around anymore. Yet I couldn’t bear to just throw them out. These would be two small creatures of unidentified type, that are cute in their own way. I was pondering what to do with them when inspiration struck right along with the realization that I needed to get outside and walk before a predicted winter weather front arrived.

I love it when I come across something unexpected or a little mysterious while I’m out walking. Why not turn the tables and provide that bit of delight for someone else?

When I described my idea of harmless mischief to adult son in residence, he agreed to go along. It’s great when your kids are old enough to be your friends. We set off for a nearby park where our family has always spent a lot of time. This isn’t a playground type of place. It’s more fields and wooded areas, with a footbridge, a stream, and lots of wildflowers and native plants.

We took the two tiny figures with us and found them new, perhaps temporary, homes. Creature one is standing guard by the wooden bridge.


The other is hanging out in an interesting tree that has been growing sideways for years.

If someone takes them home, that’s fine. And if the creatures stay where they are for a while, they can watch out over a part of the earth that has been a huge part of my kids’ lives.

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