Our Walk In The Woods

The day before leap-year-day, Larry and I took Jackson and Mattie Grace for a long walk in Weetamoo Woods here in Tiverton. The East Road entrance is about a half-mile past Gray's Ice Cream. We are making a point of touring local sites, and trying new (for us) local restaurants to get a better "feel" for where we retired. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

We took a short trip to Bristol for a little shopping, then we ate at The Beehive Restaurant at the recommendation of my trainer. It's a small place on Franklin Street that serves mostly breakfast and lunch. It does serve limited dinner on specific days too though. Larry got a delicious meatloaf sandwich and I had a salmon BLT, both on flax toast. We shared a curried spinach soup, and each sandwich came with a small, "dressed" salad. They were really very good, but pricey. The desserts were recommended and looked really delicious in the case, but I ran out of there before succumbing to temptation. I settled instead for a small, non-fat caramel latte to go. It was really, really good...tastier than Starbucks; so creamy and sweet.

Once we got home, we grabbed the pups and headed to woods. There's something different about walking in the woods versus walking along the beach that I just love. Once you are enveloped by trees, babbling brooks and silence, I love just hearing the sounds of our footsteps on leaves and birdsong in the air.

Winter can be just as lovely there as other times, but our uncharacteristic winter did not spare us from ticks. Larry found one crawling on his laptop keyboard while the pups sat on his lap after we got home. Consequently, both pups were dowsed with Frontline and got their heartworm pills. Whatever it takes to remind me works just fine.

There were old stone walls throughout the woods. I love them. These acres must once have been farmland whose territorial boundaries the walls delineate. Now, they are grown over with trees, shrub and vine, but never lose their beauty, even when falling apart. The stone walls around here remind me of those on Martha's Vineyard. I love the way they make me feel safe and grounded. And I love appreciating the way they hold the history of a place.

There was an old saw mill that has been gone for many years, but the ruins remain along with human's ingenious talent for making arched-bridges over running water. The little arches in these woods reminded me of the same style of arch formation that support Echo Bridge in my hometown of Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts. They are really beautiful, and leave me feeling in awe of raw human talent and ingenuity.
More beauty of winter woods lies in the moss and lichen growing on everything. Looking at all this growth reminds me of when I went scuba diving in Aruba and saw all the sea-life growing on submerged sailing ship lines and masts. Nature will just take over when humans and done playing. This IS the "Circle of Life". We just have to learn to live with it instead of trying to control it all the time. I have learned to fully appreciate its beauty and am grateful to have it all so close by our home.

Tree Ribbon Sculpture

I also love to look at bark on different trees. There are lichen and moss-covered tree trunks, and bare trunks revealing lovely markings underneath. Some look like Jackson's "cow spots" on skin that can only be seen when he gets his short "spring" cut. God is an incredible artist with an unlimited pallet.

 My favorte part of "winter into spring" season is all the new growth peaking up through dead leaves and branches. The green birth of new plants gives me a loving feeling of "New Beginnings" in my heart every year. I am so grateful for the opportunity of so many beautiful landscapes to walk through. Their beauty never ceases to amaze and move me.