First Baptist Church of Herndon

Nature Walk

Linda Soller | Jul 02, 2018

My four-year-old granddaughter likes a “nature walk” after dinner. In fairness, she really loves being outside, but I think most of these walks are delay tactics to avoid bedtime. She and her mom head out, with Molly skipping ahead. Her grandmother, that would be me, has recently been avoiding my morning walks. Between weeks of rain and my burn mishap I’ve not lacked for excuses. So last Wednesday, as I watched Molly joyfully start her walk, I thought maybe if I considered my morning excursions as nature walks I’d look forward to them. It was worth a try. 

That next morning came close to perfection. As I walked down my street I was careful to observe all the blooming plants which erupted after our spring rains.  There was a light breeze, no humidity, the sun was shining, and the birds were chirping. It was lovely. I turned the corner spotting the black squirrel I’d seen now and then in the past. I noticed a repaired fence where a tree had recently fallen. As I glanced to my left I spied a young buck standing maybe fifteen feet from me. He stood perfectly still (so I wouldn’t notice him), but I could see the tension in his neck. He planned to bolt the minute I’d passed by. That’s exactly what he did. I glanced over my right shoulder and saw him gracefully leap into the woods. On the last leg of my walk I chatted with a neighbor whose Jack Russell looked longingly at two huge cats lounging on their front porch. He wanted to play, and they were taunting him.  Then the neighbor said, “hey our fox!” and he pointed behind me.  A large fox was dashing across the street. He was far enough away to safely admire, but close enough to leave me wondering where he had been when I walked by that spot moments earlier. 

As I entered my house I had to admit, it had been a true nature walk. But the question remained. Was it a nature walk because I had encountered so much nature, or was it a nature walk because I had my eyes open to see and enjoy the nature that’s always there around me? When was the last time you took a nature walk?

Have a great week!  :o) Linda