Monday, May 28, 2007

The Deep Green Woods of Whidbey

I've often written about the Whidbey Island beaches, lakes, and meadows. Today I've been walking with Zuma (above) on some of the numerous trails through the nearby woods. Many of these trails are used for riding horseback, but they're great for walking too. Mostly when I walk in there I see nobody. The woods are silent except for the numerous bird calls from high above in the trees; the tapping of woodpeckers on old wood; the occasional snap of a branch under my own foot. Otherwise, the silence is complete. No car or airplane noises, no voices, nothing. I feel safe in here. Unlike many places where a walk alone in the woods can be unsafe for a variety of reasons, in these woods I breathe deeply and feel my body relax. The pathways are soft beneath my feet. As I gaze into the deep greens that spread out in all directions, I feel peace and serenity and a sense of timelessness. Zuma, on the other hand, feels frisky, adventurous, and excited. With her tail wagging, she races down the trails, only looking back at intervals as if to say "can't you hurry up??!"

3 comments:

Daniella Woolf said...

A gorgeous shot. What an adorable pooch!

Anonymous said...

looks like a great place to gather plants for a terrarium, ala Anne Sliker. Also see possibilities for basket materials. Get to work!!

robin andrea said...

Looks like a great place to walk. It's one of the things that Roger and I notice when we are out on our favorite hiking trails too, we are almost always alone. It is always a surprise to us that no one else comes to walk these beautiful trails.