speaking of Fall...

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I took Laurel (age 7) for a hike up to Lake Clara on Sunday. The trail head is adjacent to the parking lot at Mission Ridge. It was a perfect length hike (3.5 miles), with not too much elevation gain for a pumpkin her size.  She's such a great little hiking partner. It's a treat to have her along. 

 

Sometimes I feel inadequate as a field guide. I even feel a little foolish, like "Is it really safe to be out here alone, with my child, roaming about the wilderness, with no cell phone service, and in the company of wild beasts? Should I be carrying a gun or a whistle or something?" (You have to read this book!)  I wish I could identify mushrooms, cloud formations, weather patterns, trees, and tell her which berries are safe to eat. I can't exactly. So we just walk together and soak in the surroundings. 

We chat about things like the difference between a squirrel and a chipmunk. I ask her questions like "If we stay to the left at every fork in the trail on the way up, which way would we go at every fork on the way back?" We guess our direction by the position of the sun, and have fun estimating our elevation gain using mapmyhike. 

At some point we usually make a wrong turn and have to backtrack. (I was not born with a sense of direction. It is literally missing from my DNA.) It is for these types of setbacks that I usually tuck some candy in my pocket. Sour Mentos can really help you rally if you are 7. Or 35. Note to self: always bring sugar to ward off a mid-hike slump.  

It's all about being together, and being outside. Perfect combination. And, I'm learning along the way too. I may eventually give Bear Grylls a run for his money.  (You can totally see me feasting on a completely raw/bloody chunk of wild game that I killed with a slingshot fashioned from my ponytail holder and some random sticks. Right? Um probably no.) 

Autumn really is pretty. Seeing the chairlifts made me excited for ski season, and taking in the scenery with Laurel Bird made it all the better. 

Hurry up to Lake Clara before the snow blankets the trail!  

embracing autumn

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I admit that Autumn is not my favorite season. It seems everyone is all giddy about their pumpkin spice lattes and Frye riding boots (okay those ARE really cute) but I just want to be back on the beach soaking up the sun. Summer is my favorite. It's typically hard for me to let it go. Winter just feels so long here. I'm not sure I'm ready. (Crock pot dinners, wearing socks, scraping windshields, darkness at 5pm, closing up the windows, buying tomatoes instead of picking them out of my garden? Already? Ugh.) 

Sometimes I guess I just need a little nudge. Enter my friend Clara who always knows how to throw a good party. 

 

It seems all I needed was a Snowdrift cider and some banjo to bring me along. Well hello Fall. I think I'm on board now. Thank you Clara for helping to usher in the season so tastefully. We always love your parties. And maybe, just maybe, I'll learn to embrace Autumn. 

Maybe.

Let's continue shall we?

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 Thank you for your emails and inquiries about my well-being and whereabouts. It's nice to be missed. 

There are times when it just feels right to be quiet. The last several months have been that way for me. I've been hesitant to write much of anything. 

Then it occurred to me the other day that life doesn't have to be perfect to be lovely.  (How did I let myself forget?) I am learning that in even in the midst of trial and uncertainty and hurt there is still beauty to be found. There will always be good. I need to look for it, and I need to write about it. It's who I am. 

So, as flawed or raw as some of my words may be, they are mine. I am claiming them. They belong to me, and this is my place for them. It is a vulnerable feeling to have your words out there for everyone to read... but this form of expression is so vital to me, and I will continue to grow into it. 

It is my intention to make my way back here to continue our conversations (we've had so many over the last 7 years!). Let's pick up where we left off ok?