Throughout my adult life, I've used running to help me through the tough times. When the pandemic hit, and there was nowhere to run, I discovered the trails, both near my house and up in Wisconsin. The trails have become a refuge for me, a place to escape from the heaviness of life and to soak up nature, appreciating the simplicity of listening to birds, watching the deer, and looking for mushrooms. I like to go early in the morning, while it's still peaceful. Instead of feeling fearful about being alone, I savor the solitude.
Every time I run the trails, I see something new. Nature is always changing, and that keeps things interesting for me. On Wednesday this week, I didn't see any deer and very few mushrooms. But as fall approaches, the sun is a little lower in the sky, and this year we have smoke from the Canadian wildfires, which has kept things interesting, at least from a photographic perspective. Imagine my surprise when I came upon this spot on the main trail! I thought it might make a pretty selfie, so I set up my tripod and used the 10 second timer. I jogged down the trail, waited for the fast flash, and ran towards the camera. One take was all I needed.
One of my Trail Sisters once commented that I am very observant. When I run on these trails, my head is on a swivel. I'm looking for tree roots on the trail. I'm looking for deer, of course. But while I'm looking around, I spot a lot of good stuff. This year, it was the mushrooms. And sometimes, the good stuff is the angle of the sun on the trail. I always leave these trails feeling content and calm.
What will I see next week?
