Tag: hiking

Off on My Own

ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

My travelogue has taken a different direction as of last Tuesday. I have gone north and west by plane to Seattle for a two week visit to my daughter and her husband (Esther and Ryan). It’s been a while since I’ve been here so it is good to have this time. It’s also a little strange to have left the man I just agreed to marry. Backing up further, after 50 years in one marriage it’s pretty strange to be thinking about another marriage at all. With all these strange things in my life, I do appreciate some quiet time to think and write. 

One of the “trains of thought” that keeps popping up is the effect of our announcement on our families. Some things are going to change for them too. They have been used to thinking of us as single people now for a couple of years. We’ve interacted with them in regular, predictable ways.  As a couple, we are pretty much unknown to them. We love our kids and their families and want to be part of their lives. How do we best get used to the way things are going to be?

Kevin and I took several hikes before I left for Seattle. The first day after our exhausting Lone Palm escapade we didn’t do anything but rest and think about it. The next few days we did out and back sections of the River Mountains paved trail. Those were very safe trails but still had good views of Lake Mead and the desert. There were lots of bikers on those trails, one of which is a 40 mile loop. In the evenings we watched his grandson’s baseball practices. I like watching coaches teach little kids. 

The backdrop is not fake. Real mountains.

Now, for a whole week I have been in Seattle, WA visiting my daughter Esther. The weather has been the limiting factor all week – rain, rain, clouds, cold and more rain. We had one less wet day at the Arboretum and saw some parts of it that I had not seen before. The Japanese Garden was special and a great place for photos. 

Esther and Ryan

Another discovery that is perfect for Seattle in any weather, was the sauna and swim afternoon at Alki Beach. It’s only a short walk from Esther’s house. Not everyone chooses to swim in Puget Sound after their 160 degree bask. I got halfway in before my legs were numb. I was surprised how many people were there. It was a congenial community. 

Just walking through some Seattle neighborhoods can be entertaining, as we found out. A very kind lady came out and explained her yard to us. People leave random things for her because they like her creative displays.

Presently, I’m in a typical Seattle coffee shop (West Seattle Grounds) doing work with Esther across the table from me. We are avoiding the distractions of home. Getting things done…

Lone Palm Trail

Shirleyjdietz3 Comments

Every year March 4th hits me like a command. March forth and be brave, explore, do something new! That spirit was definitely in play last Wednesday. Gary and Jeannie were gone for a couple of days so Kevin and I decided it was a day to hike. After looking at so many hills and canyons from the truck I wanted to get out there and touch the ground. Kevin and I have bonded over hikes numerous times in Wisconsin and it is one of our favorite things to do together. We chose the Lone Palm Trail. Kevin saw it rated as a moderately difficult path from the trailhead down to the Colorado River. There was a spring at the end, and palm trees. I knew nothing about it but it sounded lovely. 

Doesn’t look that hard, right?

We took some water in my Camelbak, had our heavy hiking shoes on, hats and long sleeved shirts for sun protection. We felt relatively compliant with the scary warning sign at the trailhead. There were no clouds in the sky, no flash flood warnings. What could go wrong?

One thing I have learned about the desert and surrounding mountains is that they look much less rugged than they actually are. Sometimes the landscape looks actually flat, because it’s often the same color and texture. You don’t see all the ups and downs, only the tops of features. As we started down the incline and got deeper into the terrain this was the case. The trail wound around the most impassable places. Much of it followed the path of water and was like walking on a dry river bed. High cliffs rose on either side of us. Canyon walls were sometimes close enough to touch on either side, with huge boulders to scramble over. Going over the boulders was not that hard and we continued. 

Decisions – up and over or find a way around?

At one narrow point, there was a drop of perhaps six feet that took us by surprise. To aid hikers, someone had taken some sturdy tree branches and propped them into a crevice, like a ladder. It was a little challenging but we got down it. A short while later there was another similar drop, only it was deeper. Not only were there branches to help, but a tire at the bottom for cushioning and a rope fastened in the rock face. Kevin was not too keen on going down this one. I thought it couldn’t be as hard as it looked. Going down always seems easy, especially when I’m still fresh and full of energy. Since this path was a loop, we didn’t have to worry about going back up either. I went down and Kevin did too. 

About a 10 foot drop. The sticks were marginally helpful.

We began to question our map. We would follow what seemed to be the trail, only to find it not passable by normal humans. We backtracked, looking for the arrows spray painted on landmarks. They sometimes took us in directions that seemed wrong, and GPS would show that we were off the trail. But we were still going down so we continued. We started drinking our water. 

I will now skip to the part where I was getting somewhat tired. We had been hiking for a couple hours and were close to the river. We could glimpse it below us down some steep cliffs. We heard running water and could see a stream and some palm trees. Kevin, up ahead of me, came back and said “We can’t make it down that way. This is the end of the trail for us. We’ll have to go back the way we came.” Not what I wanted to hear. 

Not going down that way
Not that way either
So close, yet so far

I was resting on a flat place above the spring and palm trees, trying not to feel dizzy. Kevin joined me. I don’t remember everything he said, but one sentence I remember. “Will you marry me?”

In my head was, “and if I say no are you going to push me off this cliff?” Coming out of my mouth, “Yes, especially if you get me out of here.” I’m sure we will joke about this for the rest of our lives. Maybe he remembers it differently than I do. But the result was that we turned around and hit the trail again as an engaged couple. 

We were in the canyon for over five hours. The return trip was pretty slow with frequent rest stops and water breaks. I was seriously light headed. Kevin was beginning to get leg cramps. Prayer for direction and strength was constantly running through my head. I was dreading the rock climbing places, especially the one with the rope. With very little strength left, I did manage the climb. Kevin said it was the scariest part to watch. 

The depth of gratitude we felt upon reaching the trailhead is hard to describe. We sat in the truck, drinking water and enjoying the AC and safety. Later we were talking to Kevin’s son-in-law who is a firefighter/paramedic. He said they frequently had to pull people off that trail. Looking at other descriptions of the trail we saw it ranked as challenging/difficult. We agree.

So, we’ve had one more bonding experience. That feeling of being in stressful conditions, but together with someone who has your back was real. We verbally encouraged each other and grabbed a hand when needed. And, like I said, it’s going to be one of our favorite stories to tell.

We thank God. All is well.

The Joys of Hiking with Friends: A Personal Reflection

Shirleyjdietz1 Comment

I’m not sure why hiking with friends seems like such a novel activity for me. I’ve always liked hiking, and taking walks with people but it didn’t used to happen very often. Now that I am retired, on my own, and motivated to stay active it’s different. It’s more frequent, of course, but it’s also more vital. It serves so many purposes.

I’m reflecting on this topic as I’m wrapping up posts on the Door County hike. One night at dinner I had to tell our group that I appreciated them. I appreciated all the planning that went into making the trip a success. I didn’t have to do any of it, and that was a new vacation experience for me. I appreciated visiting a new and interesting place and not having to do it alone. I appreciated the length of time we spent, the many conversations, the shared interests in nature and hiking (and eating…). I appreciated having women friends who were willing to spend time, effort and money having fun together. I appreciated that we were all healthy enough to walk a few miles at a time without complaining. It was great. I wanted them to know it was a blessing to be with them.

Every new hike, out would come Sue’s selfie stick
I was standing nervously on the edge of a cliff
Amazing, we are all still smiling.
Brr, brr, brr…

And then I started thinking about all the other times walking filled a need. Needs for friendship, family connection, inspiration, comfort, and relaxation can all easily be met through a walk with a friend. Walking and talking go together so naturally. The pace can be adjusted for reflection. Periods of silence are comfortable (especially when climbing hills). And since I usually walk in quiet places, I’m not struggling to hear conversation. I can concentrate on my hiking partner.

I can’t ignore how wonderful hiking is for my physical health either. I would even hike alone for that reason, but it’s more certain to happen with friends. On the days when I get my 10,000 or more steps in, I sleep better, think better, and worry less. I wish everyone could walk a distance, and I feel sorry for those who can’t.

The five women who went on the Door County weekend with me are members of the Birkie Girls hiking group. The group is much larger, with a variety of ages, stages of life and physical abilities. They meet every Tuesday at 10 am for a hike somewhere chosen by the planners for the month. Two hours is allowed for hiking. By noon they are usually at a restaurant for lunch, or doing the bag lunch thing. Fellowship is a big part of the plan. The special trips farther away are open to all, but only happen a couple times a year.

Gwen
Elizabeth

I have other friends who love to get together to be active. Among them is my friend Gwen who hiked the Birkie Trail with me a couple years ago. I’ve started hiking it again with another friend, Elizabeth. Truth is, I’m always thinking of people I’d like to invite to hike with me – people I’d like to get to know better. Hiking with friends is so worthwhile. I have to say, it is one of my greatest joys.

Door County WI: Leaving Ephraim

ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

We had a good two night stay at Pine Grove Resort in Ephraim. After breakfast, we packed up and left for the other side of the peninsula. This morning’s hike was in Newport Bay State Park on the Lynd Point Trail. On the way there were many nice farms, orchards and vineyards. The cherry trees were in bloom, as we had hoped.

Taken out the window of a moving car. Aren’t they pretty?

Newport Bay State Park is on the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula, near its tip. It is a long park stretching down the coast quite a way. The wind gets pretty fierce on this side, coming off the lake. Our hike started out on the leeward side of a point where the wind was not bad. We rounded the point and it was a different story. The rocks and beaches were magnificent. The forests are mostly cedar, hemlock, beech, and maple. The wind and waves made a lot of noise which diminished quickly when the path turned inland. The end of our path was a very long board walkway through a fern grotto, and was easy walking. The other parts of the path were rocky, lots of roots, and some fallen trees to step over. All in all, a nice adventure with a lot of variety.

We are on the way to the beach
Water, rocks and waves
The caves stretch along the shore
This poor rock may soon join the ones in the water.
Boardwalk for half a mile over a fern bog

It was too early for lunch when we finished so we went further south to Caves County Park. This park is in the middle of Whitefish Dunes State Natural Area. The lake has worn away rock outcroppings into cavelike features along the shore, which are very interesting. From what locals say, it is almost always windy on this side of the peninsula. There are always waves. We took some selfies of our group, being careful not to step too close to the edge. It was a tiny bit scary, at least for me, because I have an imagination.

We went just a little farther to Whitefish Dunes to sit and have our lunch. It was windy but there was sun and it was pleasant. The beach here is suddenly wide and sandy, a marked change from the rocky bluffs.

They were putting in a ramp down to the beach from the level where we ate our lunch.

Tonight we are in Bailey’s Harbor at the Beachfront Inn. It truly does front right on to the beach. It is a quaint, older style of motel. The doors have real keys tagged with the room number. I was parked about three steps from our door. There are so many things on the peninsula that make it look like New England. The many cottages and Victorian houses have lush green lawns and flowers. There are boats in the harbors and gulls in the sky giving a definite nautical feel. Bailey’s Harbor is a little less choppy and there is a small breakwater that shelters our waterfront. For a few feet the water is almost still, which is something I haven’t seen all day.

Nautical blues and whites, a door with a real key, and the car is literally on the other side of the door.
But we have a nice view of the fire pit and breakwater.

Our dinner destination is just across the road from our Inn. Chives, a fine dining restaurant, is said to be a “homey eatery with small, medium and large plates of upscale New American eats amid rustic-chic digs.” When did restaurants become eaterys? What is a New American eat? How do you upscale it? And what should I expect of a rustic-chic environment? I’m looking forward to learning a few things tonight. I would like to know who writes descriptions like this too.

Have you ever eaten fiddlehead ferns? Ramp? Yeah, me neither until this meal.

We are hoping to come back to our “sleepery” after dinner and sit out by the gas fire pit. I hope the wind dies down a little so it isn’t so cold. The rocking chairs out there are rocking all by themselves.

It was just too cold to stay here even though it was very picturesque.

Door County Vacation

Shirleyjdietz2 Comments

Yes, I get to take a vacation. It means I get to travel someplace of my choice, for the express purpose of seeing a place I have not seen before, not staying with relatives and on a budget that is predetermined and saved for. It’s so nice.

Door County is in my home state, Wisconsin, but on the opposite side from where I live. I’m still getting the geography straight, but in general I know that it’s on a peninsula with Green Bay on one side and Lake Michigan on the other.

It took us over 6 hours to travel here from Hayward. We started at 9 and stopped for lunch at Rib Mountain State Park. The sign at Rib Mountain said it was the highest point in Wisconsin – 1940 ft. above sea level. That doesn’t seem very high, but at the top of the observation tower the view was WOW! This was in spite of the rain, and the wind gusting to 40 mph every now and then. I say lunch, but what I mean was that I ate an avocado and a yellow bell pepper, in the car in the parking lot. We did stop at Starbucks at the bottom of the mountain. We needed to warm up. It’s cold, in the 50’s, uncharacteristic of this time of year.

I am traveling with my friend Lisa, and four other hiking buddies from the Birkie Girls Hiking Group. We are in three cars, trying to keep each other in sight on the road, and not get too separated .

This dog statue was at the distillery, I don’t know why. I didn’t have permission yet to post pics of my friends, so you get the dog instead.

Further up the road we stopped in at Door County Distillery, which is famous for beverages made with cherries, or maybe just tasting like cherries. The countryside here is full of wineries and distilleries and restaurants that serve local fare. Since the big lake is here all around us there is a nautical feel about the place. Lots of fish themed places, seagulls sitting in the fields, and boat decor.

We arrived in Ephraim around 4 pm and checked into Pine Grove Resort just in time for chocolate chip cookies, cheese and crackers and wine in the front lobby. They are generous and the rooms are very nice. We have a small balcony with a view of the bay.

After a brief conclave in our leader’s room, we set out for a nearby eating place in Sister’s Bay. It was recommended by our hotel manager as being reasonably priced and well liked by locals. Sisters Bay Bowl had a small bowling alley with half a dozen lanes. No one was bowling but the restaurant was full, as was the bar.

My steak meal. The waiter was nice and I gave him a good tip.

We had a great meal, with pleasant, friendly service. I think everyone liked their food. We were hungry. Lisa and I split a piece of cherry pie with ice cream. I have made a goal of having something with cherries in it every day because this is cherry country if nothing else. The cherry trees do have blossoms on them even though it feels like winter here.

Back to our rooms for a few minutes of watching news before bed. I was hoping for a better weather report for tomorrow, but no. It will still be cold and wet, but we are here to hike – outside if possible, inside galleries and shops if not.

More tomorrow.

August 9, 2024 Friday and the Weekends

Shirleyjdietz4 Comments

There are many words that I say without thinking too hard about what I am saying.  The word “weekend” is one of those – most everyone knows what that word means.  Since I have been studying a new language (Spanish), I think more about what I’m actually saying in English. If a weekend is really the end of the week, it can be only one day, not two. Our two day weekend is actually weekends, one being on the front end and the other on the back. The first day and the last compromise the two ends of the week. Just thought I’d share that for no good reason. 

The days in between the two ends have gone so quickly. Wednesday, hump day, started with a bed headache and a poor night’s sleep. But it quickly got better because on that day I was reunited with my car. The auto body shop called early in the morning , and said it was ready. I walked (of course) to the auto body shop and picked it up.

Driving was a bit like meeting someone I haven’t met for a long time. I felt nervous, kind of shy and afraid I might accidentally bump into someone, or get in someone’s way. My clean, undented car was on the road, vulnerable, at the mercy of other drivers and my own stupidity. 

That Wednesday was also the day I got the letter of renewal from my auto insurance company. I can’t express how relieved I was. They hadn’t been going to renew my policy. It wasn’t because of the accident claim, but because of a speeding ticket back in 2022. I emailed an explanation, and begged them to take me back. I also had an agent willing to go to bat for me. They reconsidered and decided just to charge me more. I know all of this makes me out to be a really scary driver, but I’m not. Not yet. 

Work in progress. I’m hoping deer don’t like the taste of coneflowers.

I’m literally digging into my new garden project. It’s the small corner plot I mentioned before that I’m going to decorate with perennials. I like coneflowers. Since they were on sale, I bought a couple plants and put them in the sunniest part of the garden. I found a few others, already in the garden but needing to be moved into the sun. Now they are a group, and if they like each other, I think they will look really pretty, some day. That, and pulling weeds and grass, took up a lot of time on Thursday. 

This morning Gwen and I went to Henks Park for a walk. It has been quite cool all this week. Today, it was still only in the low 60’s, which meant no deer flies following us! It was so great and the woods were beautiful.

We go to Henks Park for the hills and ravines. Some good climbs.
Recently forested, there is a lot of new growth on the paths, and there is also Gwen, on the path.
The woods present some beautiful arrangements. That’s why we go out there.

And right now it is sunny and pouring rain at the same time! Nature does funny stuff, and we just have to go with it. 

Wishing everyone happy weekends!

August 6, 2024 Tuesday Teeth

Shirleyjdietz1 Comment

Tuesday is hiking day for my new bunch of friends, the Birkie Girls. Today’s instructions were to meet in the Walmart parking lot at 9:20 am to car pool to the trailhead some 20 miles away.  I was there early, because Walmart is in my backyard. Of course, I walked – still no car.  When no one showed up I started wondering if I had the wrong day, or the wrong time, but no. The email was clear. Apparently no one needed to car pool, and I hadn’t communicated that I needed a ride this time. So, no hike for me. Not to worry though. It’s evening now and I’ve gotten my 10,000 steps in doing gardening, and walking to the dentist.

This was the long awaited day to get the veneers on my top middle teeth. I have nothing good to say about the temporary set that I’ve had for two weeks. It was like my childhood nightmare of my teeth being loose and falling out come true. They were plastic and not very toothlike, hard to clean, and had to be re-glued once. The second time they fell out was yesterday so I put them back in and didn’t chew anything until my appointment this afternoon. The permanent ones are on now, and what a process. It must be very good glue that they use because it took a good hour to clean the residue out, and now my gums are sore. But they will heal.  My teeth look and feel normal again and I am glad to be done with it. I have spent way too much time in the dentist chair in the last month or so.

Now if I could just refurbish the rest of me…

I feel like teeth are important or I wouldn’t have gone through all this repair and refurbishment. I’ve seen too many unhealthy mouths, especially on the elderly, and I just don’t want those problems as I continue to age. 

I’m struggling with a gardening issue. I want to have a better perennial garden in the corner of the yard, but the deer keep eating the lillies. There’s a lot of Sweet William and Oregano there already but grass and weeds are prominent. A lot of the weeds are invasive species and have to go. Invasive weeds are a metaphor for a lot of what goes on in life…

I am serious about fixing these problems because I want it to be a memorial garden. It’s a garden that Mom started and has always loved and I want to keep it going for her. I also want to put the husband’s ashes somewhere in that space.

The corner garden. This will be my “before” picture.

On the other side of the fence from this corner garden is Walmart. And that will be a story for tomorrow. What on earth are they doing over there?

Small, Useful Fire: #3

ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

A series of memories around a fascinating subject – fire

Two days of hiking in the rain, with temps in the 30’s, just above freezing. We had spent the previous night in a small shelter with 20 other hikers and about that many mice, so there hadn’t been much actual sleep. We were tired, and tired of being cold.

We crawled into camp in the last few minutes of daylight. Tents were going up. I could hear people thinking how nice it would be to sit around a nice, blazing campfire for a while. Some kind trail angel had left large pieces of dry wood in the shelter and it had been arranged in the fire pit, There were obvious signs of attempts to get it burning, but there had been no success. Now it was getting damp.

You can’t hold a match to a large piece of wood and set it on fire. It’s too big of a jump. You must start small, with kindling, and add progressively larger pieces of fuel until the heat load is enough to start the burn in the large piece. It’s a simple principle. But there is a major deficit when any available kindling has been rained on for two days.

I admit to being prideful when it comes to starting fires – one of my many faults. That was part of why I decided I would have a fire that night. The other reason was that I knew people could die of hypothermia and I didn’t want to be one of them. I was hoping this potential blaze would feel my affinity for fire and respond.

Looking in sheltered places, I did locate some less damp sticks and leaves and took my stash to the fire pit. My hope was that a small flame would dry out more of the kindling, if I could keep it alive. It takes getting close and intimate, and it takes patience. I knelt and started tending “the baby”. That’s exactly what it is, a baby fire. It must be given another leaf, another twig, another blast of oxygen, and never allowed to die.

No one wanted to help with this and some probably thought I was crazy to waste time trying to burn wet wood. I was too cold to do anything else. My daughter was setting up our tent, leaving me free to be crazy. I put my face close to the flame and blew gently until I had no more breath, then turned and got a gulp of fresh air, over and over. The dampness was creating a lot of smoke, but that gave me hope that things were drying out a little.

The end of this story is, of course, that the fire progressed as I had hoped. As the larger pieces of dry wood caught and turned into a healthy blaze. It was lovely and it was regarded as near miraculous, which added to my pride, but I knew. It was no miracle but rather persistence, motivated by need. We all enjoyed getting warm again before getting in our sleeping bags for the night.

And my personal attraction to a small, useful fire grew. An intriguing, mysterious gift is what it is… just sayin’.

Another Autumn Walk

Shirleyjdietz1 Comment

I have to say that there are some stunningly beautiful , peaceful, quiet, memorable moments available to us, even in hard times. We must chase them down and live in them whenever possible.

This was actually an accidental take but I find it gets me into the walk quite nicely. Come along…
The place, Duluth MN, the Western Waterfront Trail (or Waabizheshikana if you have trouble pronouncing Western Waterfront) along the St. Louis River. At Indian Point Campground the Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a Glow Hike. The half mile trail is marked with glow sticks. It is dusk and light is fading.
The trail is not crowded, but there is a steady stream of couples, families with children in wagons and strollers, singles like me. People are talking quietly above the sound of feet on the gravel and leaf covered path. There is an almost reverent feel to it all.
It is the perfect time to catch the last light as it turns from warm orange to cool blue. Flocks of ducks fly low and glide into the sheltered marshes along the river. The sense of peace and grace is almost overwhelming.
Even the children, decked in their glowing accessories, find a place to sit and watch.
And we all take pictures because we think we will never again see something so beautiful. We don’t want to forget.
Don’t forget, eyes! Stay and look carefully (and take a picture).
At the campground there are fires to roast marshmallows, cookies and treats for all, quiet conversation, smiles, extra glow sticks.
On the darker side of the peninsula, the lights of Duluth in the distance are almost like glow sticks
The wood around us is darkening, but the silhouettes of leafless branches still catch my eye. The trees are like living beings, exposed against the wide sky for the last few minutes of twilight.
But one last gift comes – a crescent moon among the tops of the pines. Could the world be more wild and beautiful in this place? I have to say that I don’t think it could.

Quietude: A Relationship Baseline

Shirleyjdietz2 Comments

My story is not everyone’s story, of course, but some will identify with it. My relationship with my children has revolved around quiet times more than any other type of activity. I won’t say that we abhorred noise (got some stories to negate that) but our household was quiet, and I think we came to associate that with comfort, safety, calm, peace, refuge and rest.

When they were small, the girls did a lot of quiet playing. We read a lot. During their school years, they studied at home so the house was quiet during school hours. They liked being in their rooms, having friends over to talk or play games. As music got more prominent in their lives, there were occasional loud moments but there didn’t seem to be a time when they were afraid of silence.

Sunset silence, on a walk.

This is a very loud world and I’m kind of glad that we adopted quietude as a way of life, a baseline. I still see Julie and Esther doing their best to plan quietude into their lives. I have many memories of morning coffee time with one or the other of them, in a quiet coffee shop or outside on the patio. We take quiet walks, just us and nature. We sit around campfires with only the sound of the flames and some nightbirds. We sit in the kitchen late at night talking, but not always talking, sometimes just being. We like quiet sports, bike riding, hiking, kayaking and horseback rides. It’s not just okay to be quiet, it’s actually healthy and healing.

Kayaking Rainbow River
Walking the Tennessee woods

Quietude is also about calming and bringing peace, and often when I’m bothered about the twists and turns of life, I call or text my girls. The relationships we’ve built help settle me, make me feel known, heard and somehow calmer. A quiet talk with someone who loves me, listens to my story, maybe even prays with me is the best medicine ever!

Quietude in our relationships tells us it is okay to retreat to a dark room with a headache if we need to. We understand when one of us needs to leave the crowd, or get away from overstimulation. One on one has always been my preferred way of interacting and definitely preferred in my relationship with my daughters. It allows for being quiet, personal, and more deeply relational.

My daughters don’t live near enough to have regular, in person quiet times with me, but my mom and my youngest brother do. Most every morning I take the short walk over to Mom’s front door and open it, knowing the smell of fresh coffee will be there inside. Mom will wave at me from her recliner and we will just sit for a while before we begin to talk. A few minutes later we will hear the door open again and my brother will come in and sit down with us. We talk about what we’re reading, what’s on our mind, how our families are getting along, what our plans are for the day. But often we are quiet, just sitting, thinking. And that’s okay.

Just thinking, in the woods where it’s quiet.