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| Ready for hiking: feet in boots with crampons, hiking poles in snow |
As I hiked with John on Saturday morning, up the canyon where snow blanketed the trees and the quietness was interrupted only by the crunch of our boots on the ice and the rushing sound of the creek, I remembered Robert Frost's poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," and I knew I had a theme for this week's Ten Things of Thankful post. (Bonus thankful that the poem is now in public domain!)
STOPPING BY WOODS ON A
SNOWY EVENING
WHOSE woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
1. I am thankful that I can access hiking trails from my backyard.
2. I am thankful that we have the time to go hiking several times each week.
3. I am thankful for the moisture the dry earth has been receiving recently.
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| A ruler in the snow measures 5 inches |
4. I am thankful for the sound of the rushing creek.
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| An icy rushing creek tumbles over stones |
5. I am thankful that hiking is not only enjoyable, but also good for us.
6. I am thankful for the views from the canyon.
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| The trail heads down the canyon, with Utah Lake in the distance |
7. I am thankful for hiking equipment that allows us to navigate slippery trails without falling down. (Video below of me crossing the creek by walking on logs. I feel much younger inside than I appear, but am learning to use caution in situations where falling might be a bad idea.)
8. I am thankful for the beauty of the colorful fallen leaves against the snow.
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| Red maple leaves on the snow |
9. I am thankful for a warm house to come home to.
10. I am thankful for John.
Even though this is a busy time of year, and it might seem like there are miles to go before we sleep, following Robert Frost's example and taking time to pause in the woods for a moment is rejuvenating and allows me to think about the things I am thankful for.
What things make your thankful list this week? Go to the Ten Things of Thankful blog and see what others are thinking!
Your hikes are lovely, i'm so glad they are refreshment to your soul.
ReplyDeleteThey really are.
DeleteI'm with Mimi on this. Your skill with the camera adds a dimension to the post. (Except... need I say it? Is that five inches of snow?! ok it's appropriate to your area and calendar... but still. lol)
ReplyDeleteExcellent 'oT this week.
Thank you. Yes, that is 5 inches of snow, or I should say was, because it is all melted away now. However, there is the possibility of more snow on Wednesday. The mountains are likely to get more, which is really a good thing, because we need a good water year to help combat the drought we've been in for a while.
Delete