a walk in the wetlands

since i've been a wee bit stressed lately, i decided to walk about the fern hill wetlands which is a few minutes from school. it was crisp and cool, but the sun was shining through the foggy sky. it was beautiful. the only sounds were the birds, the crunching of the path around the wetlands, and the ever so faint sound of far away construction.

it was really lovely, and just what i needed. i even took the binoculars from the car with me to birdwatch. i took a mental note (and later a notebook note) of what i saw. the usual: geese, mallards and their mates, a few mergansers, a giant looming hawk - i'm thinking a red tail, although he was rather puffed up from the cold, and a bunch of american goldfinches as i was leaving.

along the path, i snapped off a few dying thistle to dry and even found this little fella hiding in the grasses..

it really gave me some time to think. school has been so stressful and while i am trying to finish this last year, it is definitely a struggle for me to keep on. it was really grand to get out and appreciate the wonderful things that nature has to offer. after all, it is usually the small, most simple things that bring me such joy. afterwards, i stopped in to get a vanilla chai latte, another one of those small things that bring me such joy.. i took the time the get warm and make a list of the birds that i saw.

i think i'll be taking a little more one on one time with nature again soon. even though the weather is getting quite a bit more chilly, i really enjoyed my time. next time i'll bring a real camera. the one on my phone isn't too bad, but i'd love to take more photos.

luckily, i was raised in a family full of wonderful people who love and respect all that nature has to offer. my whole life, my papa has been pointing out the little things that i may have never noticed otherwise. things like a tuft of fur on a bush branch from a passing deer, squirrel tracks in the snow, and little bees stopped in the middle of the sidewalk just warming themselves in the sun - when i see them, i always kindly move them to the side so others who don't pay attention wont squish them. i can't wait for it to snow again so that we can take family walks at night while it is calm and quiet.

hope everyone is staying warm!