Nature

Mr Handsome and I went for a walk in the woods yesterday. It was a perfect day for it and the nature preserve was not crowded at all. We started out and it felt like we were the only ones around! The light was so soft and green and the trees still have all their leaves. It was just beautiful.

We found lots of mushrooms, all different colors. There were some that were so white they looked lit from within. There were some purple ones that looked satiny, all dressed up for a ball. The hot-orange ones really stood out. And there were some magenta ones, too, like the purple ones poor cousins. Here's a red-topped one.

We both used to be really into the outdoors, knew all our trees and birds, went wilderness camping, stargazing, lots of fun stuff. Now we stay inside, eyes glued to the computers. Not good. Mr Handsome couldn't decide if this was a white pine or not. I think it is, he doesn't think so. We'll never know for sure....

The nature preserve has all kinds of different ecosystems in it, from dunes to swamps. It's wonderful! There are former farm fields that are being reclaimed, meadows, mixed deciduous stands..., it's a beautiful, peaceful place to be and there're always things to look at. There's even a boardwalk to get across the swampy area.

And that's where I found an owl pellet! Look carefully; you can see a little, tiny bone in there! COOL!

I really started to get tired and sore about 30 minutes into the walk. And we were kind of lost at that point. It's not a huge preserve, but it's got different trails that loop around and the trail markers are pretty discreet.

Anyway, we got a little turned around, a little farther out than we'd planned on

After another 20 minutes, I was starting to think the path would never end.

But, finally,

light at the end of the tunnel!

It was fun and felt great, though, to get outside, to be together, to feel the sun.