Wandering Blog

Years ago, shortly after I moved to Minnesota, I discovered the state’s North Shore, and immediately fell in love. I’ve tried to make regular visits to Duluth, Grand Marais, Gooseberry Falls, Tettegouche State Park, the Gunflint Trail, Sax Zim Bog, and the many other wondrous areas along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Until this year, I believe about three had passed since my previous trip north, and I was feeling the yearning to go back. When my sister came for a visit, she provided the excuse I needed for a short trip to Duluth – a day and a half is better than nothing!

If you have never been, I strongly encourage you to visit Hawk Ridge, located on the ridge above Duluth, providing expansive and breathtaking views of the town and Lake Superior. If you go in the autumn you’ll have the double benefits of brilliant fall foliage and the awe inducing sight of hundreds, sometimes thousands of migrating birds flying by. Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory maintains an observation site there, and they are always happy to answer questions. The Ridge is well worth the trip to Duluth, even if you go nowhere else… but of course there are plenty of other great spots to visit!

This trip, as I mentioned, was a short one. We did stop for a while at Hawk Ridge, and were rewarded with the sights of Broad-winged and Cooper’s Hawks, a couple of American Kestrels, Bald Eagles, and a silent V of around 50 Pelicans. The day was cool, but the lake sparkled in the warmth of the sunlight. So we decided to make Brighton Beach Park our next stop.

We didn’t walk far, but it isn’t often I have the chance to walk along a beach, so we took our time… watching gulls, looking for agates and driftwood, climbing rock outcroppings to get better views along the shoreline. It was peaceful and energizing at the same time.

I’m actually not sure how long we walked – we were so enjoying ourselves, and time seemed not to matter. The summer was not a relaxing one for me, as I had worked nearly every day from mid-May through mid-September, with virtually no time for wandering or taking it easy. So the time we spent at this beach, walking, gazing over the lake, watching the waves rolling in… it was just too delicious to rush through. We savored every single minute.

The park above the beach was grassy, cool, and inviting, and had attracted a few people jogging or picnicking. But they were few, and we really didn’t see many other people while we were there, and only one or two along the beach, which only added to the sense of peace. I certainly don’t mean to be selfish, but it’s always nice to not have to share special spots like this!

On one of the paths I took, leading from the grassy park down to the beach, I noticed a brightly colored caterpillar slowly moving up a stem beside the trail. Upon taking a closer look, I found it was a Spotted Tussock Moth caterpillar. I only had my phone, so none of the photos I took were anything to write home about, but I did get a fairly good shot of this handsome, fuzzy guy!

Alas, all good things finally come to an end. Our time around Duluth went by far too quickly, but we definitely enjoyed it! If you have the chance to go – I encourage you to experience the area for yourself.

Some might have noticed I haven’t posted for a while… a long eight months, to be exact. I could chalk this absence up to a busy work schedule, short bouts of illness, preparing for presentations, caring for family members, etc. And while all of these might technically be true, they aren’t the real reason I haven’t posted. As difficult as it is to put into words, I’ve come to realize that I will be better off just getting it out, rather than continuing to internalize it. So… the fact is that I’ve been trying (sometimes successfully, other times less so) to deal with depression. I have dealt with depression on and off throughout my life, and with me it has always been situational. This time, however, it’s been going on for much longer than ever before. Much of it has to do with the state of the earth. I recently read an article written by an environmentalist who outlined, painfully, the difficulty he has had maintaining equilibrium in a world where our planet seems to be, quite literally, dying, because of us. Battles have always had to be fought, but wins used to be much more frequent. These days most of what I learn, what I see from day to day is more destruction, more death, more greed, and more hatred. All too often I find myself thinking how much I don’t want to be a part of this. I would never actually try to end my life, but these days I very much despair of my own species. Whenever I read about poaching, or animal trafficking, or any sort of abuse, or forests being burned and indigenous people being marginalized and even murdered for the sake of greed… some days it’s just too much for me to take. Even the thoughts of so many species dwindling to extinction feels like someone is slicing away pieces of me, bit by bit. The things I do to try to turn the tide seem so woefully inadequate, but I continue to try. And I continue to look for additional ways to make a difference.

I have been walking, whenever I’ve had the chance. But my work schedule actually has been quite heavy, so my opportunities have not been as frequent. I do realize, though, that one of the best ways for me to overcome these feelings of hopelessness, despair, depression, is to get out and spend more quality time with nature. To that end, I will try harder to get outside, and to post about it. My owl banding season is coming to a close soon, which will free up more of my time as well. So… I will write again, and I promise I will make future posts more upbeat and in line with the goals of this site!

Please bear with me as I try to ditch this weight.

In lieu of quality wandering opportunities close to home lately, I’ve opted to refer back a couple of years to a trip I made with a group of friends to India. We made good use of our time there, exploring many areas of this beautiful country, so I’ll be including more photos with this post than I normally do. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed exploring such a beautiful and varied country!

We began our wanderings in the southwest of India, exploring Kerala. The photo here was taken during a walk several of us took in the countryside around Munnar. The area was lush and green, and abundant birdlife could be found all around. The town itself was bustling, but the outskirts, such as this area, were fairly quiet and very peaceful, with wooded hills surrounding us in every direction. It was a lovely start to our visit, and we took our time strolling along the paths we found here.

From Munnar we drove through the Kerala countryside taking in acre after acre of tea plantations, rocky cliffs streaked with glittering waterfalls, rushing hillsides covered with trees. It was almost a visual overload, and we were all spellbound. This photo depicts one of the many tea plantations we passed or visited during our stay. They are quite impressive. Along the road that bordered this plantation we met a woman picking up trash. She was the only person we saw actually cleaning up the roadsides the entire time we were there – and, unfortunately, there was plenty of trash along every road we travelled, no matter how remote it seemed to be.

The next several nights were spent in the village of Kumily, near the eastern border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which we explored at a leisurely pace. Our inn featured a lovely open courtyard that seemed to attract much of the local wildlife… this Malabar Grey Hornbill landed in a tree just outside our room, giving me ample time to watch and photograph it. I never realized what impressively long eyelashes a hornbill has!

Bonnet Macaques were plentiful in the area, and seemed to especially enjoy spending time around our courtyard in the mornings, during breakfast. The morning meal was served in a dining area bordering the courtyard, opening onto it over a low wall. On our first morning one of these crafty primates snuck along the courtyard wall, popped up and grabbed a croissant from my friend’s plate, then ran off with it before we had time to react! Once we recovered from the start of it, we had a healthy laugh – but these monkeys can deliver severe bites and the staff does not encourage them to loiter. No abuse was witnessed, however. The locals seemed to generally respect the local wildlife, even when a critter had to be shooed away from the breakfast table!

During our ambles, even as we explored the town, we were honored to see much of that wildlife: huge fruit bats streamed past overhead each evening at dusk, by the hundreds; the muntjac pictured here I spotted near a stream across the road from our inn; cows, considered sacred, wandered the streets and roadways, leisurely grazing and seemingly unaware of the sometimes hectic human activity around them. I was fortunate to spot and photograph many birds, such as the Pond Heron below. Some were familiar, but most were new to me and I was overjoyed to see so many unusual species.

As we wandered and explored, we also visited a number of plantations, farms, and botanical research stations. Each was unique and fascinating, and offered a huge variety of plants, some bearing colorful flowers, others contributing to the deep greens that surrounded us no matter where we went. This is a photo of a black pepper vine, which was often grown as a secondary crop. Southern India is considered the black pepper capital of the world, so these vines were a fairly common sight to us after a while.

While still based in Kumily, we spent a day on a side trip into Tamil Nadu. Our first sight of this state was a wide green valley with a river snaking through it, spread out below us as we crested the top of a mountain pass. Our day was spent primarily at open air markets, our goal being one of the flower markets the area is famous for. On our way we stopped to witness what looked like a festival, but was actually a wedding – and we were invited to join in! We watched the procession, listened to the music, and spoke to a few of the many smiling wedding guests for a bit, then continued on our way. It was such a happy introduction to this lovely part of the country!

Once back in Kerala, we made our way to the coast, and spent a day wandering around Fort Kochi. This area seems geared more toward western visitors, but it was fascinating and we found many examples of gorgeous local artistry in the forms of statuary, embroidery, architecture, and food. We found a place that made iced cardamom coffee (made with mineral water) that I’m still trying to replicate! It was one of the most flavorful and refreshing drinks I’ve ever tasted! I had never seen a Banyan Tree prior to this either – I was quite impressed by the size of this beautiful tree.

One of the highlights of the trip for many in our group was a visit to the beach, and it was one of the few days we spent with no set agenda. We had a lovely afternoon lounging on the sands overlooking the Arabian sea, taking long walks along the shore, and chatting together as the sun sank into the ocean. It was a magical, and very relaxing afternoon, punctuated by a spectacular sunset. I’m usually a mountain and woodland gal, but I too loved walking along this beach as the hazy blue sky turned a rich magenta. What a lovely day!

Before our group scattered to make our various ways home, we spent a day on a houseboat, cruising the many inter-weaving back channels of Kerala. It was another chance for relaxation and easy conversation, and we all enjoyed the sights, the peaceful pace, and our last precious hours together. The boat moved slowly, and we were able to catch leisurely glimpses of the people who live along these waterways: clothes hanging out to dry, dogs snoozing on thresholds, vast unused rice paddies punctuated with lotus blossoms, small boats ferrying families across one channel or another, a group of men fishing off a dock, children playing, a man swimming out to retrieve a wayward canoe… catching these little snippets of rural life here was all a special and wonderful gift.

After the group disbanded, three of us travelled north together to visit Jaipur, the “Pink City.” Compared to the mostly rural locales we’d spent the previous ten days or so in, the hustle and bustle of this city was a little overwhelming. But it’s an impressive and generally friendly city, with some incredible architecture, such as the Amer (Amber) Fort, the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), and the Jal Mahal (Water Palace) pictured here, which can only be reached by boat. It was my last stop before heading home, and the three of us made the most of our last few days together. It was an amazing trip to a beautiful and incredible country filled with color and noise, lush countryside, a complex and varied culture, and warm, friendly people. This was an all-to-short synopsis of my time in India, but hopefully it succeeded in providing a taste of the wonders you might also find there!

Ok, I admit it… I’m a fair weather walker. I mean, I do enjoy walking in a light rain, and I love watching the snow fall around me, and I don’t mind cool weather. But when the trails are covered in ice, and the temps are well below zero… well, that’s pretty much where I draw the line. Minnesota, so far in 2019, hasn’t been the most hospitable in regard to what I would classify as “fair weather” conditions. However, my husband and I did take a short trip to warmer climes last week, and did a bit of walking while we were there. Our trip was primarily to visit my father, as he was spending most of January on his own. He and my step-mother live in a large gated community in West Palm Beach, Florida. Their home is bordered on one side by a slow-moving stream, and along the back by a wide channel. And, despite the area being a fairly large community, all the water winding around buildings and streets attracts a fair amount of wildlife, particularly birds. This, along with the lovely Florida weather, made walking quite a pleasure! On our first night, the waning moon cast a beautiful soft light through palm fronds, and rippled gently on the stream’s surface.

Most of our wandering took place around the community, which is crisscrossed with channels that connect a couple of good sized lakes. Due to all the interconnected waterways, the opportunities for spotting wildlife are considerable, and walking along all those lush green embankments was quite soothing. In past years an alligator could be spotted, alongside several turtles, lounging on a wildlife raft on the channel, but we didn’t find any alligators this year. Instead, we wound up following the antics of an otter as it cavorted through the channel and along the shoreline. What a character!

But by far birds were the most abundant. Our wanderings brought us within fairly close range of White Ibis, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, several species of duck, Fish Crows, too many Turkey Vultures to count, and mockingbirds, to name a few. Some of these I will post photos of here.

We were only in Florida for a few days, but we tried to make the most of them. The weather was mild, though we had little sun, and the relative warmth felt heavenly to us northerners! So we walked often. My father isn’t able to walk well anymore, so we were never gone for long, but we explored as many of the channels as we could. As we strolled long the stream one day, we spotted a soft-shell turtle, neck stretched long, cruising slowly through the languid water. Everything there seemed to move with a casual ease that we tried to fall into step with.

In the evenings the frogs came out in force, gossiping loudly from one bank to the other, pausing to draw breath, then beginning again. It was wonderful! There’s nothing like listening to frogs in January!

The sound of the wind in the palms was quite peaceful as well, and I enjoyed standing on the bridge over the stream, soaking in the mild evenings, just listening. I love the soft hush of falling snow, but there is something so very restful about the sound of a warm breeze moving through greenery… leaves, palms, grasses. I feel it all.

But now we’re back in Minnesota, and the temperatures have plummeted to nearly -30, with a wind chill approaching -50. I don’t recall it being this cold for many years. I understand the polar vortex has shifted due to climate change, and we can expect this kind of weather to be our new winter norm. ((sigh)) I don’t really want to think too much about that at the moment, though, so I’ll just post a final photo of a Tricolored Heron here, and remember the warm winds, the movement of water, the calls of birds, the antics of otters, and the feeling of re-connecting with family.

I sit here today, the first day of 2019, contemplating the year gone by. 2018 wasn’t the best year for us. My husband and I have both been working only part-time jobs and as a result, our cash flow is at quite a low ebb. We’ve had some family issues to contend with, mostly resolved, thankfully. I’ve also not been dealing well with the “state of the world.” Like many others, contemplating global warming, rampant racism, mass shootings, warfare, environmental degradation, species declines, and so many other issues can be extremely depressing, and quite frightening. On top of that, I just didn’t get out to do as much wandering as I’d hoped to in 2018. So I wave a not-altogether-fond adieu to the year we’ve left behind.

This year, I have 365 opportunities to make changes.

There are things I can do (we can all do) to alleviate the stresses we feel concerning the often overwhelming state of the world. Meditating has always been very grounding, very calming for me, and I plan to do much more of it in 2019. I also plan to do more journaling. Along with one of my co-workers, I will be leading a nature writing club starting this month, and I’m so excited to begin! (If you are interested in joining us, please let me know: The first meeting will be January 10th, in the evening, and we will meet once each month thereafter.)

I also recently saw a post on Facebook in which a fellow walker had written down the hikes on her to-do list for the coming year, and I’ve resolved to do the same. The goal of the post, for 2018, was to walk 100 miles during the course of the year. That sounds like a doable goal, although I definitely fell short of that milestone myself last year. An easy two miles each week would do the trick… well, we’ll take aim and see where we land! I’ve started a list, which I can build upon, of the trails I’d most like to take in the coming year, as a way to kick-start the process:

Since a set number of miles is not my primary goal (although it is good exercise), I do intend to continue to focus on my real aims, which have not changed over the course of the past year. In terms of what I seek when I’m wandering in nature, or for my writing, I’ve been blessed to have had so many choices and opportunities. I’ve walked a wonderful variety of paths in 2018, both on my own and with my husband and friends. For me, walking in nature brings calm, clarity, spiritual connection, recharging, inspiration, joy, love. I am a forest bather. Actually, I’m pretty sure its encoded on my DNA. I will always be a forest bather.

I toast to you, my wandering friends… I hope you can find space in your schedule to spend with nature many times in the coming year. And I hope 2019 brings you all that you wish for while you are wandering, and beyond.

As a final toast to the New Year, I’d like to post, or re-post, some of my favorite photos. I hope you enjoy them. Happy New Year!

This is just a short post to wish you happy holidays!  The weather here in the Midwest has been just beautiful, and unseasonably warm, the past few days – and promises to remain this way for a few more days.  I’m definitely taking advantage of this… today I took a good walk around Staring Lake with one of my Barred Owl friends, and it was lovely.  I didn’t even have to wear a coat!

On one of the walks I’ve taken recently (not far from my house), I found some great cat prints preceding me down the trail (photo above).  Very cool – that isn’t something you see every day!

I also participated, for the first time, in Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count over the past weekend.  I chose to go out at night to survey nocturnal birds, but only found a single Barred Owl over the course of three hours.  I enjoyed myself, nonetheless.  There were coyotes serenading me at one checkpoint, and I was treated to the brilliant sight of several meteors from the Geminid meteor shower, which peaked Thursday and Friday of last week.  It was a bit windy, but otherwise it was a clear and star-filled night – and I was very happy to be out wandering under that sky!

I also wanted to mention that I’ve begun to develop a merchandise store front via CafePress, featuring many of the photos I’ve been posting on this website.  I’ve just begun, so there are only a few photos (themes) on the site so far.  But if you’re looking for any last-minute Christmas gifts, take a look… you might find just what you’ve been looking for!  The site is organized by theme, which you will find on the menu bar at the left of the screen.  Each theme features one of my photos, and there is a variety of merchandise to be found under each of the themes.   I’ve added a new page to the blog, under the Trail Markers tab, called Travel Trove, where you can find the link to my shop, and hopefully links to more nature and rambling-related stores in the future.  But you can access the shop here as well, it’s also called Forest Wandering.

I’m going to try to get in another post or two before the end of the year… with all this wonderful weather, I should be able to get out for some good rambles!  But if I don’t, I wish you and your loved ones a very joyous and wonderful holiday season!