Spring - joy of new life and miracles of nature

     Yes, my grass is shaggy and splotchy.  As usual, there's yard clippings, etc., that got caught in the first bad weather.  The giant reed looks horrible and desperately needs to be cut back so that this year's growth can get through. Then there are the toys and food wrappers that the dogs dragged into the back yard to add to the initial impression of ugliness.  But I don't see ugly.  I see the signs and hope of new life.

     I must be honest that it has taken me some years to get this way. It was never about how much I love nature. It was my attitude.  Let's be honest.  Like an unfortunately high percentage of society, I was a 'glass-half-empty' type.  I would have looked at my yard or my friend's garden and seen ugly and work. Who likes ugly and work?  But I've developed a new appreciation of ugly and, while I must admit I still don't like work,  as a result I see opportunity and new beginning instead of drudgery. Be honest with yourself. What is your attitude? 

     No. I'm not taking any new medications, and I'm not using recreational drugs. 

     I have been an animal loving, tree-hugger my entire life.  My older cousins took me rabbit hunting on my grandparent's farm when I was about 10 years old. I spotted a rabbit and lifted the rifle. I looked at the rabbit in my sights, put the rifle down and have never raised a weapon toward another living creature since then. (Well, that isn't entirely true. I had to pretend to as a part of military exercises when I spent a few years working for Uncle Sam but I fortunately was never in combat.)  I love all forms of plant and animal life.  Family and friends will confirm that I have always contended that there is no such thing as a weed. (A weed is just a plant someone doesn't want. For example, when I lived in Ireland the shamrock was an aggressive plant that drove the gardener to distraction and was therefore dubbed a 'weed' despite its prominence on all things Irish. But I digress . . . . .)  When I'm on a trail run I will stop and take pictures of plants or share a moment with Bambi and his mother. As many times as I've been to Walt Disney World I still spend hours in their gardens, habitats and aviaries every time I go. I have no animosity toward hunters, but I couldn't do it.  Truthfully the animal I find hardest to appreciate and love is the homo sapien. Despite this love for all of nature I had the 'glass-half-empty' mentality.      

     Being the retired psychotherapist, my tendency is to delve into the psychological and philosophical reasons for the 'glass-half-empty' mentality. However, also because I'm a retired psychotherapist, I understand that people don't change because they're told, but because they experience and want to change.  So allow me to direct your attention to some signs of new life ... signs of spring, that you might have overlooked and that might help you see that the glass is really quite full.  Two favorite quotes: "hope springs eternal" and, from the movie Jurassic Park, "life will always find a way."

     According to Buddhist philosophy and psychology, being mindful of all that is around us and going on around us is a good way of finding peace, joy and eventually enlightenment.  Being mindful of what is around you isn't particularly easy.  It requires a minimal effort which most of our modern North American society doesn't care to expend. Heaven forbid that one might miss something on their iPhone because they are looking at the world around them or listening to its sounds.  (Please excuse my sarcasm!)

     In any case, even when we don't have out attention focused on a smart-phone it is easy to miss much of the new life which heralds spring.  Here are some of those signs. As you look at them, remember what they went through in the past week -  snow, freezing temperatures and people who never look down.

Here is a shot of a patch of "shaggy, weed" near a lawn swing. The weekend gardener is often anxious to get out and cut or pull this "stuff".  But there are beautiful flowers here that are our first signs of new life and spring.

For example, in this close up of that same patch three tiny flowers can be identified - Henbit, Harbinger-of-spring, and Birdseye Speedwell.  If we take time to look at them, as tiny as they are, we see tremendous beauty and unbelievable complexity.

When I was in Versailles, KY I was waiting outside of a college building and noticed how at least 20-30 people exited the building without ever noticing the lovely Birdseye Speedwell under foot.  The bloom on this flower is not 1/4" across.  It's probably in your backyard or near your sidewalk.

The Crocus are at least a spring flower that most people know. They often demonstrate the tenacity of life by pushing up through the snow as they did last week.

These daffodils are the largest of the early spring flowers but I wonder how many people walk right by without noticing them.

And we can't talk about flowers that are labeled 'weed' without thinking of the humble Dandelion. This flower, which people pay outlandish prices to buy toxic chemicals to kill, is full of vitamin A,B,C and D.  It also contains iron, potassium and zinc  The leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches and teas. The root is found in some coffee substitutes and we've all heard of Dandelion Wine.  The Dandelion has been used throughout history to treat a variety of illnesses. Today the roots are used to stimulate appetite and for liver and gallbladder problems. The leaves are used as a diuretic.

Source: Dandelion | University of Maryland Medical Center http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/dandelion#ixzz2xZOrS2q6
University of Maryland Medical Center 

This pretty little purple flower is the Henbit.  While many people spend a lot of time, energy and money trying to get rid of Henbit it is an edible member of the mint family.  Humming birds are attracted to Henbit and it is an important factor in erosion control in croplands of southern US.  

The white flower in this picture is Harbinger-of-Spring.  Bet you can't figure out how it got its name.  The Harbinger-of-Spring is a member of the carrot family and the bulb is edible.  The Cherokee are known to have chewed the plant for toothache.  It is a tiny flower and generally unknown to most people.

Aren't these flowers magnificent and beautiful? Take time to realize how full your glass really is. These are just a few of the wonders of nature that await your discovery if you just allow yourself a little time to look.  As the old adage goes, 'take time to smell the flowers.'  

Hiking: a great time even during a nasty winter.

One of the most exciting and yet least expensive recreational activities today is hiking. I don't want to scare anyone off by adding that it improves your health and is environmentally friendly. All you need is a good pair of shoes and a staff, which you can make yourself.  (I prefer and encourage trail poles but they are an added expense and not absolutely necessary. Just better.)

I won't take the time here to talk about shoes and poles. I sang the praises of my trail poles in a 2012 blog entitle "Me and My Lexi" (6/12/2012).  Yes, you can go hiking in any shoe but if you really want to get the greatest enjoyment from the experience you should invest in a good pair of shoes.  The subject is too extensive for a single blog. Besides, the best thing to do is to go to a good outfitter and tell them the type of hiking or backpacking you plan to do. They'll do the rest. I'm sure that you all know a hiker, backpacker or fast-packer who can direct you to someone who knows what they're doing.

I had just returned from doing the 2014 Goofy (a 39.3 mile back-to-back at Disney World) and was faced with the horrible winter weather everyone north of the Florida state line was experiencing.  So all of you, except any Florida readers, know of what I speak.  My friend and companion in adventure, Pamela Smith, suggested that we might try some nearby Kentucky state parks and a natural bridge that is located on private land.

Pamela is a full-professor at Madisonville Community College where she teaches biology, anatomy and physiology. She's also a "retired" triathalon athlete (forced to retire because of arthritis), outdoor and camping enthusiast,  who is a fellow 'tree-hugger'.  Seeing what I've been able to do despite severe arthritis we decided to explore the world of "fast-packing" together. Fast-packing is slower than trail running but moving faster than backpacking.  Fast-packers are generally "retired" trail racers or racers who have discovered trails. For example, the Eagle Rock Loop (2012 blog) was a fast-pack trail run where the average backpacker takes 40-45 hours to cover the distance I did in 15 hours. (Doesn't make us better ... just different.)

Not wanting to wait for "good weather", Pamela introduced me to some fantastic, rugged and beautiful country in western Kentucky.  Below are some pictures taken at Pennyrile State Park, the natural bridge near Apex, Kentucky and Land Between the Lakes (KY).  These pictures were taken Jan. 18th.,19th., 25th. and 26th.  The weather was sunny with temperatures in the low 40s. ,

Here is Pamela in front of one of the many ice formations. She is wearing hiking shoes.  It was cold but she was dressed in layers and quite warm. We used trail poles which don't show in either photo.

Here I am. Our hats may look at bit funny, but they are very warm and help preserve body heat loss which is greatest from the head -- especially a bald head like mine. I too am dressed in layers. The coat came off a short while after this picture was taken.  I am wearing trail running shoes.

     Below are some pictures of  the beautiful country and interesting rock formations in Pennyrile park. 

  

The picture below isn't pretty.  It is of the scum we found below a dam.  Obviously someone accidentally or purposely dumped some detergent into the lake. This is the deadly result.  If you want to enjoy a clean lake or river the next time you visit, please don't use detergents near a lake or river. Either take your grey water with you and dump it in an appropriate place like a dump-station, or use sand or other natural means of cleaning dishes, pots and pans.

Following are pictures of the natural bridge near Apex, Kentucky.  It was a good 1/2 to 3/4 mile from the main road to the site, but it was well worth the effort.

This is the Pennyrile lodge from across the lake.  If you're not campers, do check in to staying here.

The next weekend (1/25-26) we did a rails-to-trails trail in Greenville, KY.  It was in the 50s. Here you see Pamela with her poles.  She's again wearing walking shoes. I'm wearing the trail shoes.  We were both layered.  I included these pictures to show our trail poles. Pamela actually has her poles in position showing the proper angle of the arm.

That same weekend (last weekend in January) we took our "new" vintage camper trailer, 'Trailer Willie', to Nichol Creek Campground, Land Between the Lakes, KY.  We had a great campsite right on the lake and did several miles of trails

The picture below is of the island across the inlet from our campsite at sunset. We had that type of view in almost every direction.  The next picture is of 'Trailer Willy'.  This was his 'maiden voyage' with us.