The Woods Are Lovely

This morning I was thinking about our late Saturday hike. We left the house at about 6 p.m. so we knew that the time we had left to hit the trails would be dusk. One thing that struck me about this early evening hike was how different the woods sound and smell as darkness falls.
It had been years since I had been hiking as night fell. With children, you just don't seem to do that. But in my early days, this was the time when we would start looking for a place to set up camp. The woods feel a bit more damp this time of day and your stomach starts to remind you that its meal time. You begin to hear different critters calling one another and seeing animal tracks heading towards the water.
The dampness of the air carries with it the scent of pine and cedar trees, soil heavy laden with old leaves crumbling and rotting. Your senses seem to become quickened and you are aware of all around you.
It was a total delight this past Saturday experience this once again. I remembered so many past hikes that had long been filed away in the creases of my gray matter.
Its no doubt a good thing to heighten our senses from time to time. To get out beyond the ordinary day to day sights, sounds and scents.
Think next week a camping trip may be in order.
Next month I will be hiking some trails with Melissa in Vermont, in real woods, with tall pine trees and underbrush that will remind me of 30 years ago.
Can't wait !