2010 May 04 « Hike Our Planet – Lee Hiller Nature Photography

Sunrise, Squirrels, Butterflies and Little Birds

Upper Dogwood Trail Yellow Butterfly

I do not claim I can heal the Earth, because it is Nature which has healed me.

I decide to hike up North Mountain this morning and on my journey to the Floral Trail I am greeted by a pair of playing squirrels. It is a cute game of tag including paw to tail tapping as they head up and down the Tree to my side. Their antics makes me smile and my spirit feel lighter as I begin my morning in the Forest.

As I reach the Hot Springs Mountain Road I see a House Sparrow in the clover and I can hear a Black-Capped Chickadee. Scanning the leaves above me I see the Chickadee’s sweet black and white face above me. It’s song fills the air as it flits gracefully from branch to branch. When I near the Floral Trail I see a lace like gray Moth resting on the vibrant green clover. It is not until I get closer it becomes apparent that this beautiful creature is deceased.

As I reach the Floral Trail the Sun is cresting the Trees on Hot Springs Mountain. The new light is casting a rose glow over the Trail, I am bathed in its tranquility. When I reach the top of the Floral Trail I continue along the Lower Dogwood Trail and connect with the Upper Dogwood Trail. I feel a soft flutter on my temple and see a yellow Butterfly fly past landing on the leaves in front of me. The sunlight illuminates the detail colors and textures of it’s fragile wings. So glorious is even Nature’s smallest creations.

From the Upper Dogwood I continue my hike along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail. It is a peaceful flowing hike dipped in the green of the Forest surround by bird song. When I reach the Honeysuckle Trail I can see a pretty brown Butterfly moving from leaf to leaf. When I pass the Wedding Chapel the brown Butterfly lands on a Leaf looking down at me.

From the Honeysuckle Trail I connect with the Peak Trail. I stop to admire a wall that has been in the Park over a century. I wonder what the park was like prior to 1914 when many of the stone, brick and concrete structures were added. At the Tufa terrace I can see a Squirrel peeking out from high in the Tree above me. I stop for a moment and watch as it cautiously moves to a lovely branch to get a better look at me. As I exit the park via the Tufa entrance ramp I see a small Chipmunk ahead of me, unaware of my presence it runs straight at me, on to my boot, jumps though the railing vanishing into the ivy below. Another amazing morning, thank you for sharing it with me.

How can I not be healed when Nature embraces me in the park each day.
Love to You ALL!
Lee