I’ve been feeling separated from the earth lately. There’s no doubt that I’ve been spoiled the last few years to own such a generous parcel of land that I could enjoy in whatever way I saw fit.
The apartments are on the edge of town so we are within a block of a vast, smooth, emerald field of winter wheat. The girls and I soak it up, our heads cocked to the south as we jog by it, ignoring the suburban neighborhood opposite it. The only problem is that that isn’t our land so we can only admire at a distance.
We stumbled across the Woodway Arboretum while exploring our new surroundings. The weather outside was perfect so we skipped naps and decided to go for a walk to commune with nature.
It was pretty quiet when we arrived. The only other people there was a Hispanic family taking photos of their daughter in a flashy ballgown for her quinceañera invitations.
At first I was disappointed that the exploration appeared limited only to the gardens. Just as we were about to head back, we spotted the sign: Nature Trail.
Though not exactly equipped to go off-roading, we trekked ahead anyway. Evelyn insisted on pushing Claire so I soaked up the scenery while she leaned into the stroller and grunted. We discovered a beautiful gazebo and I have decided to build one whenever we settle down. We overlooked the gorge and collect some bleached snail shells before heading on our way. It’s a good thing Evie’s a country girl too–there is no emergency when there’s no restroom around.
By the end of our hike, I was carrying Evelyn while driving Claire’s stroller. Nothing like tired children to turn you into a pack mule. That’s alright: I want to get back into shape anyway.
The hour we spent outside was rejuvenating and I feel a little more normal, either from the ample amount of Vitamin D or the fresh air or the strangely dense population of robins twitting about the forest (those are usually a springtime treat where I’m from). Whatever the reason, skipping a nap was worth it.
