Into the Woods

Weekends without plans are counterproductive. Yesterday I connected with my sister Priscilla, who had mentioned needing a walk in the woods, and we made a plan to go hiking. She planned the destination and I drove the getaway car.

Although we met early, we didn't go far from home. In the town of Victor, NY, a short drive from Priscilla's house, is a place called Ganondagan State Historic Site. The Iroquois people once lived here, before the white man came. Ganondagan is their way of preserving a bit of their history. It is a beautiful place full of learning.

We took our shoes off to sit and listen, eyes closed, bare feet against the forest floor. Did you know it's hard to sit still? Priscilla, never being one to traipse about barefoot, put her shoes and socks back on before continuing down the trail. I, on the other hand, soaked in the different sensations of the changing path beneath my soles.

At the end of the "Earth is Our Mother Trail" (or the blue trail), we found Great Brook, a shallow creek with steps of waterfalls. If you think I kept my bare feet out of the water, you would be wrong. The woods and water take me back to being ten. I'm not as sure footed as I was as a child, but I don't like to hold that inner child deep inside if I can let her out to play.

It was a very nice morning. We both enjoyed ourselves very much.