The Lure of the Trails Calls Me

There's an old Girl Scout song about hiking called The Happy Wanderer. The last verse in the song goes like this:

"Oh, may I go a-wandering
Until the day I die.
And may I always laugh and sing
Beneath God's clear blue sky."

That song speaks out to me about the joy I feel when I'm out in the woods. I grew up a tomboy and love being outdoors, especially on the trails in the woods. There's a peace you find in the woods that you just don't find anywhere else.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love the beach and would live there if I could. But the woods, well, they just fill me with peace deep down inside. If you love the woods too, I don't have to explain to you what I like to much about being there.

As kids, we spent a lot of time hiking and playing in the woods. We climbed trees, built dams in creeks, caught tree toads to take home and had fun. The kind of fun that doesn't require batteries!

I try to get out in the woods still as often as I can but life's obligations makes it not often enough. But when I do go out there, I take pictures to savor the memories. It's too bad that the camera can't really catch the essence of the woods but it does an okay job.

So here are some pictures to share with you of various hikes in the woods. Sometimes I find wildflowers, sometimes a squirrel or deer will pop out, and a few times, I've been super excited to see bear or bobcats. Often the prettiest sight I see is the sky peeking through the trees or the sun setting. Enjoy!