The Perfect Way to Unwind

How do you unwind?  For me, it's being outside, away from everyone and everything.  A walk in the forest, listening to the birds, breathing in the fresh air and watching for wildlife is the best de-stressor there could possibly be.

I was the sole soul on the trail today except for a few forest creatures.  Watching for them this evening was like looking for Waldo.

I heard some rustling in the tall grass at the beginning of the trail.  Two white tail deer were wading through it.  As I rounded a corner, I heard some branches snapping.  I strained to see what was making the sound and noticed that I was being watched by a moose.  

The little hares raced through the underbrush; keeping still as could be until I passed by. 

When I got to the end of trail, the rays of the setting sun lit up the yellow aspen leaves.  They took on a hue that looked like they would glow in the dark.  It was more prevalent today than even yesterday.  At 7pm, the sun was almost down.

The air was cool and the leaves on the trail were becoming damp from dew.  The forest smell was amazing.  I took a few slow breaths.

By the time I got back to my starting point, the sound of the ringing phones was forgotten.  The crunching leaves and the bird calls took care of that.  The autumn colors and Mother Nature's creatures took my mind off what I was viewing on the computer screen all day.

I didn't want to go home yet, so I took the scenic route back.  It was a good thing that I did.  The deer were grazing at the top of a hill.  The sunset behind them was amazing.

It was the perfect ending to the day.  The forecast for tomorrow is looking pretty good and I plan to spend the entire day outside; just me and my camera in the woods.

 
 
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."  ~John Muir