the magic of the woods

may apples

dutchman's britches

mossy log

mr. toad

miss snails's home in the woods

stacked toadstools

mayflower gathering

as she stepped from her car she could smell the rich, wet forest floor. it flooded her senses with nostalgic memories of innocent childhood days spent frolicking and collecting and losing herself in the magic of the woods. she smiled as she recalled the games she and her brothers had played so many decades ago. the wide open woods beckoned her, a siren's call of images and scents and sponginess beneath her feet. she followed the call and entered the magic kingdom.

she delighted at the vast gatherings of may apples, like delicate ladies at a hat convention, each wearing a simple frilly white hat upon her coat of spring green.  toadstools of every variety and color and shape sprouted everywhere, just waiting for their moment of fame, their chance to be photographed. her eye caught a slight movement on the forest floor and to her surprise and delight she spied a toad. he patiently paused in his afternoon foray, posing as if to say 'yes, i'm part of the magic and happy to participate in your excursion'.

she meandered over the hill, dodging low-hanging branches and climbing over fallen logs, long dead yet alive with all manner of forest growth and fungi. she wondered when someone had last walked this woodsy way. was it an indian maiden hunting and gathering mushrooms and herbs? or had it been a squirrel hunter hoping to feed his family during depression times? she chuckled at how the woods spurred her imagination, making her feel so alive and creative.  she sat upon an old stump to rest, her eyes turned to the vast canopy above her head where she could see the sun streaming thru a few clouds. as the sun hit her face she soaked in the knowledge that this was the best free therapy she could ever ask for. gone were the aches and pains, the money worries, the restless questions about what to do next. she was at peace, one with nature, happy in her skin and content beyond measure.