The past several days have been truly hot for us here. The sun is beating down from the sky and the cities are suffering. But it is on those days that I am always drawn to a place that has a special magic: the forest.
It is incredible the difference in temperature when I take my first steps under the cover of leaves. A pleasant coolness suddenly washes over you, a gentle breeze lifts through the tops of the trees, and you smell earth and plants. A real blessing on a hot summer day!
I quickly grabbed my camera and lost myself inside this place of nature to try to capture it peacefully and beautifully. It is fascinating seeing how light breaks in through the tall trees and places splashes of green across the forest floor. There is not a shortage of sprouting and growth anywhere you look, despite our current drought.
It's the relentless force of nature that continues to leave an impression on me. How life persists, unfolds, and flourishes, even in the most challenging environments. It could be a mass of lush ferns are hugging the forest floor or the fine new shoots growing towards the light surrounding the base of aged trees, the forest never ceases to constantly create, during vigorous conditions. It feels like it's saying, "Don't give up, keep unfolding no matter what."
Sometimes it is the small, insignificant details that move us: a delicate flower with courage or a concealed insect. Such stillness and focus can feel rare in our hectic world. These occur when we approach nature and let it and the experience help us draw in a constant breath and our relationship with nature.
The forest is more to me than a place to cool down, but also a place for reflection and inspiration. It reminds me that we also have the capability to constantly evolve, expand, and pivot from our current circumstance. A place where you can take a deep breath—inhale and smell the fresh, cool air of the forest and exhale the burdens of daily life.
I hope sharing some of my forest hike has generated a bit of inspiration or at the very least mental respite.
The Poisonous Side of Nature
In this and the last photo, you can see a tick bite I caught last weekend. And that's certainly not something to be taken lightly. I make sure that whenever I go outside, I at least wear long pants. Yes, I know, it's summer. But I won't change that when I'm out there. The area where I live is already classified as a high-risk area for the FSME virus and Lyme disease, which ticks transmit. I don't think I've been infected, as there have been no other negative changes so far, apart from the erythema migrans around the bite. The doctor prescribed me antibiotics, and the blood test results will be available on Friday. Everything will be cool. I'm sure. No matter how beautiful it is out there, just take a little care!🙃✌️
