September Walks and Food

Yesterday afternoon we went for a really lovely walk in the Pamet Hills of Truro. Parking near the Youth Hostel, we walked up Bearberry Hill to overlook the Atlantic. It's amazing how the appearance of the ocean can turn so unfriendly without you noticing. What was very recently a playground to frolic, now looks ominous and dangerous, and somehow lonely, as the white caps crash over the steely blue expanse. Sometimes the ocean here looks bigger than the sky, and a lot less friendly. 

We trekked up and down the hills, past bogs and dormant lilly ponds. The air was cold, with just a hint of Autumn chill. Small blue flowers dotted the landscape, along with the goldenrod responsible for everyone's recent allergies. The wind was strong, causing the leaves on the trees in the knoll to show their silvery backs in the breeze. We were the only one's there to notice the poetry of the silvery orchestra of branches.

Soon we were in the forest on a narrow sand path, winding up and down, pushing brush out of our way, past a wealth of mushrooms and faintly scented pine trees. There is something very humbling about being alone in the wilderness. It makes one feel very small, and yet at the same time an integral part of something so massive it fails the imagination. 

My Asian friends believe that walking in pine forests is good for one's health and promotes a healthy respiratory system. I twisted off a piece of tender green pine and crushed it between my fingers to release the scent. Breathing deeply, I felt very connected to everything and oddly at peace. 

We finally emerged from the forest onto a steep bluff overlooking the restless sea. Someone had placed two wooden benches there. How many people have sat there, I wondered? The benches were weathered and bowed, and for all appearances neglected. Yet, there we were sipping hot kukicha tea and having a picnic.

It was a nice way to spend a Friday afternoon.