Magic Woods

When we first drove into the woods in Washington Jeremy told the boys that these are the kind of forests that trolls live in.

Everything is green and damp and covered in moss.

The forests in Washington reminded me of the forests in Germany.  Deep, dark and full of secrets.  You can understand Grimm’s fairy tales when you walk through these forests–it’s only to easy to imagine a trio of goat brothers traveling down the trail, or imagine a hobbley old witch finding a small clearing in which to build her candy house.

And your eyes play tricks on you –an enchanted cat is surely hiding above curiously watching your course.

Indeed, certain sights in these woods seem to defy logic and the only explanation can be. . . magic!

These are the woods I want my boys to play in–woods where their imaginations will run free.  Where they can gather snails and moss, search for fairy rings, and walk the soft mulched paths in search of gnomes or even a will o’ the wisp.

It seems like childhood just wouldn’t be complete without it.

Late Spring Walk

We visited this hike for the first time since winter.  I really love seeing the same area in different seasons.

Last time the vegetation was all but dead.  This time

We had mallows,

Prairie roses (we’ll come back in the fall to harvest rose hips),

Along with more mulberries for wild foraging, and plenty of poison ivy for avoiding.  The water level was higher, and we’ve discovered that the map indicates there is another loop to the trail that we haven’t been able to locate yet–next time we’ll be on the lookout.

Winter Walk

After Jeremy and I spent most of Friday in the car, and the boys spent it cooped up  inside with grandpa–the first thing we did when we got back was get coats on everyone and head out of town a wee five minutes to get out into real nature.

We haven’t been on this hike since it was all green early last summer.  It’s a hilly little hike in the trees by a river that *almost* makes me think I’m up in the mountains (once we walk through the prairie grasses to the wooded portion, of course).

I love visiting the same hike in different seasons.  It’s amazing to see the transformations that take place through the changing year.  And it’s always fun to revisit favorite spots on the hike–like the tree with the roots you can climb under.