Weekend Adventures In the Woods
Interesting animal encounters
Weekend Adventures in The Woods
I love to go on weekend adventures. Often, they involve spontaneous road trips to a mountain, lake, or forest where I can immerse in nature. I love to walk in silence — no music or podcasts. I consider it a walking meditation where all of my senses are fully engaged.
I love it when the universe sends me little messages, gifts really, like feathers and leaves or clouds in the shape of hearts. Even more remarkable are encounters with animals.
Squirrels & Chipmunks
In the forest, I am reminded of how small I am. It is humbling, particularly in the PNW with the giant pine trees. It is funny how loud and big the sound of a small squirrel or chipmunk can seem. Your mind immediately has you on the lookout for a bear when you hear the rustling of the leaves, and I can’t help but laugh when I see the cute tiny fellow scurry up a tree. Squirrels and chipmunks are fascinating to watch. I find them both adorable. Have you ever seen one that looks like it has something to say to you? I used to have a chipmunk who would visit me daily at my home in Ohio; it was quite comforting. Have you ever hand-fed a squirrel or chipmunk?
Raccoons
One time, I was on a trail and had not seen another person. Suddenly, I saw the absolute cutest baby raccoon. There were two problems. One, it was mid-day, and raccoons typically sleep during the day. And, where there is a baby, there is a momma. So I slowly turned and walked the other way after admiring the youngster. Well, there was a lot more than one. I looked over my shoulder, and there were now five following me. I walked faster. And, now, momma and dad raccoon were chasing me. I was in a full sprint, and they were closing in fast, with their children close behind. I was terrified. I started talking to them, apologizing and telling them I was never a harm. I looked over my shoulder again, and they were gone. I wondered if I had imagined the whole thing, but I knew I hadn’t. That was by far the craziest hike. I made my way back to my car and headed home. Has this happened to you?
Deer
I prefer to see deer. They are so elegant and peaceful in the woods. They move so swiftly and yet so quietly. They stare so inquisitively. It makes me wonder what they think of us as humans. I cannot imagine hunting them for sport. I could never look into their beautiful eyes and pull a trigger or a bow. The babies with spots are especially sweet.
Final Thoughts
I am not a fan of spiders at all, but when I am in the woods, I remind myself that this is their home and I am the visitor. Snakes, I do not love, but they don’t bother me. I have seen quite a few snakes hiking. I have seen marmots- they are actually adorable. The forest is full of so many amazing creatures, and our ecosystem relies on all of them to stay balanced. It is quite a gift to witness animals in their natural habitat.
When you are mindful and alert, you see many things others miss. Cute fluffy bunnies, turtles sauntering by, beautiful birds, tiny bugs of many varieties, gophers, and, depending on the part of the world you are in, other amazing creatures. Life is full of miracles. They are unfolding around us every minute of each day — it is up to us to notice.
This was inspired by Sahil Patel’s wonderful and creative prompt: “Picture yourself in a forest. Write about an interesting animal you see and what it’s doing. Describe its colours, size, and how it moves. Tell me why you find it fascinating.” I absolutely loved all the photos he chose, so I decided to do something similar.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. If you enjoyed it, I hope you will give it some love and comment to tell me what your favorite forest animal is.
Peace & Light, Libby
Dr. Gabriella Korosi wrote a beautiful poem I would like to share where she posed a very deep and wonderful question. Feel free to come back and share your response with me, too.
Dr. Preeti Singh wrote a lovely article with a unique perspective on aging with a healthy perspective.
