Thursday, or Thereabouts - December 10, 2015

How GREEN is my Valley

Soft rays of warmth bid me come out and wander through grasslands...

...and forests.

No tuque. No scarf. No mitts. No boots.
Summer hiking shoes, fleece jacket, sunglasses.
And still I broke a sweat on our hike through the forest.

Even Sophie needed to cool off.

And she found a stick, of course.

If I didn't know for sure that it was December, I could well believe it was early Spring. Only in the early Spring do I see such vibrant greens.

A glance upward through the mighty oaks and poplars tells a more seasonally appropriate story.

Coming home, there is "don't make me get the lawn mower out" green.



And mint green...

And fresh lamium

Then...
 OMG yellow!

How green is my valley? More green than usual, more green than it should be in December.

But with a flourish of yellow life in my valley raises a triumphant shout, "Joy to the World."

©2015 April Hoeller

Thursday, or Thereabouts - June 4. 2015

Over the river and through the woods

We took the furry beast out for a hike in the forest this morning. It was a lovely tromp along the dirt paths, through the long grasses and by the streams. Truly an over the river and through the woods kind of trek, without the snow and sleigh of course. (Well I should ruddy well hope so - it is June)!

The play of light and shadow, the waft of warm and cool, the fragrance of earth and flower, all accompanied by birdsong was calming, restorative, and stimulating. In short, it was idyllic.
Even Sophie thought so.

Stop. Look. Listen.
Go take a hike!

©2015 April Hoeller