Apple Orchard Falls and beyond

We went hiking the Apple Orchard Falls - Cornelius Creek loop this morning. We got started later than we intended; the trail was longer than we had originally thought; emotions ran high and then smoothed out. We saw a bear, brilliant and beautiful mushrooms, and of course the majestic waterfalls.

Hiking is a good space for me.
Afterward, we ate some amazing burgers, picked up a movie at the library. Somewhere, written and directed by Sophia Coppola, is absolutely brilliant. I am glad I saw it, and the conversation along the way was just the right amount of accompaniment. Highly recommended, especially if you are able to watch it with like-minded individuals who are seekers leading or wanting to lead purpose-centered lives. By the time the day was done, I felt centered and whole.

Life is good.

Devils Marble Yard Gallery 2

Devil's Marble Yard - Belfast Trail

We went hiking up Belfast Trail near Natural Bridge this morning.
It was a lovely time, and there were no newts. There was a was a gorgeous butterfly and plenty of rocks, and a waterfall pool that just needed to be lounged in.

Afterward, we stopped at Natty B's for a roast beef sandwich which really knocked my socks off. The cole slaw was pretty good, too.
A good time was had by all.

A walk

Ended up craving more time walking, so I headed down the Greenway toward the swing where I used to walk every morning.

It was just over 2 miles to the swing, 4.25 round trip, and the bath afterward was exactly right. There is a little free library at the sidewalk near the swing, and I might have to make more use of it. The selection wasn't great, so that's all the more reason to put better books in there.

That's probably a walk that needs to happen again in my life, possibly often.

After the bath, I headed to the library to renew a book, print some stuff and basically recharge my library batteries. I suppose other folks might not have those, but I certainly do. The project for the library school class has entered the next phase, round 3 of 4, and life is good. I like my team.

Tonight is As You Like It at the Lime Kiln, and I'm looking forward to a play. La Boheme was nice, but opera is different, and Charlotte's Web was excellent, but not quite the same thing at all. I know I know: I'm splitting hairs.

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to it.

Read Mountain Hike

Went hiking Read Mountain this morning before it got hot and the trip was lovely.
Ended up coming home and having a lovely afternoon reading and writing and more reading. I'm not saying that it had anything to do with the name of the mountain, but I'm not saying it doesn't, either.

The rocks at the top always make me think a dragon has come out of his lair and is looking down the valley.

The leg did just fine, which was a relief. There was some aching initially, but it wore off, and the stiffness afterward wasn't bad at all.

Turmeric and hot baths.

Bottom Creek Gorge

Went hiking Bootom Creek Gorge today, and had a delightful time. It has been too long. I was enjoying the heck out of myself on the rocks in the river, doing yoga, adn then saw a flower and tried to go get it. I wiped out on some moss, and I'll probably be taking it easy for a couple days.

More reading and writing in my near-future, I predict.

Library day