The Beauty of a Walk

There are few things in life that can create a peaceful heart, lift one’s spirits, and make one feel connected to something greater than themselves. For me, it is taking a walk in nature.

As I travel this vast land of America, I have found a sense of peace in the beauty of our National Parks, National Forests, State and City Parks, desert trails and mountain overlooks, city streets and county fairgrounds, private property and public lands. Sometimes a natural setting is not available to me, and I am obliged to see the beauty in artful man-made structures that often mimic nature. A walk through a small town can surprise and inspire me to dig deeper into the local culture, and to even see beauty in the mundane.

This month’s blog is a photo journey of interesting things that I have seen while on my daily 4 mile walks. As usual, there are lots of photos of my trusty companion, Gemini, who loves to explore as much as I do.

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On the left is a deer that lives in the campground at Poole Knobs Recreation Area in LaVergne, Tennessee. Poole Knobs is an old Corp of Engineers park built on J. Percy Priest Lake south of Nashville. The Big Horn Sheep on the right pauses for a photo op in the Badlands National Park, South Dakota.

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Ganoderma applanatum is a class of fungi that is used as a medicinal in Chinese medicine but is also used to etch or paint on it’s tough rubbery surface. They are found on dead and dying hardwood trees during all seasons of the year. More information can be found at themushroomforager.com

On the left: A statue of Sacagawea stands above the Missouri River at a rest area off of I-90 Eastbound between Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She was instrumental in the charting of the the Louisiana territory with the Louis and Clark Expedition.

Middle Picture: I was surprised to come upon a percussion park being created in the park next to the Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth, Minnesota (eh?). Percussion parks are popping up all over the world as a way of engaging communities to connect, celebrate music and spark creativity.

On the Right: A Labyrinth is at the center of the downtown Sculpture Park in Ely, Nevada. The large sculpture on the right represents Ore tipples use to load ore from the local copper mines, and to the left are stylized mountains signifying the Basin and Range areas surrounding Ely.

Trains played an important role in the western expansion and growth of industries like mining. Caliente, Nevada was once a thriving Union Pacific railroad town but because of the change to diesel engines from steam locomotives. It still maintains it’s connection with the past with a museum located in the refurbished railway depot.

These last 2 photos have nothing to do with walking but I found them to be interesting and fun and wanted to share them.

THAT’S IT FOR THIS TIME. STAY SAFE, WEAR YOUR MASK AND DON’T FORGET TO “GO WITH THE FLO”