Decided to go for a drive today. Checked my tank and it was full. Cell phone charged up. Off I went to explore the back roads. I feel adventurous on days as beautiful as this one. I actually had planned to find a trail a friend of mine told me about this week. Just a few miles from my door, I turned off the main road. Winding past vacation homes and trailers alike, I rolled down the windows and cranked up the music. Ahh, wind in my hair. The farther down the road I went the narrower it became, until it turned to dirt. I came around one curve and was delighted to see two calves playing chase with my car as if they were dogs. Meanwhile the mama cows stood and stared at me. I swear I have had that same look in my eyes before that says, “Sorry if they are bothering you, but kids will be kids.” It made me laugh out loud and call out to them, “It’s okay. I fully understand where you are coming from.” I realize that anyone nearby would think I was crazy for talking to cows, but it just flowed right out of me before I could stop it.
The open pastures gradually gave way to the beauty of the woods. Most of the early risers of spring, the pear trees, were still clad in their lacy white gowns. A few have begun to pull their dresses of green on over their heads. They are changing clothes to get ready for the cool evenings. The forsythia was as bold as ever. Announcing that spring has arrived with a bright yellow flare that waved like a tango in the wind. The willow’s purple hair seemed to be waving me to come deeper into the forest, which of course I could not refuse. The tulip trees turned their pink blossom faces towards the sun, as if to draw my eyes upwards to the clouds before the canopy of trees blocked my view completely. Clouds in the shapes of angels and dogs pursued one another across the blue sky. Soon the dragon swallowed them all, until it transformed into a bunny. Behind the cloud show, a gray thunderhead threatened to overtake all their fun, but the sun would have none of that. The trees soon blotted out the sky, as the road became narrower still. A recent shower had left a map of puddles along the road in all the potholes cautioning me to take care, but drawing me to find the treasure. Sunbeams reached down to the ground creating paths for the glittering dust to travel. The cool breeze, left behind by the rain, blew into my window causing a grin to slide onto my face.
My curiosity and hunger for adventure had my brain scheming to walk the trail…once I found it. Well off the beaten path, I argued with myself to walk or not to walk. When I am on my own I usually choose trails with people all around, but this was such a beautiful day and there was a creek bubbling right beside my window…calling me to come and play. Just a short walk. Just to check out what is beyond the next bend. I could do that…right? Check it out and then bring a friend with me next time? Surely, it wouldn’t hurt to do that. Soon the rocky ground became harder to navigate in my little car, and I was wishing I had the jeep. The road was more like a path, with the woods encroaching upon the sides of the car. I crossed the little creek and listened to the water bubbling down in small cascades over the rocks. I breathed in the beauty, and it filled my soul.
Just as I had made the decision to walk for a minute, I came upon a large puddle in the road…all the way across the road. More like a small pond really. I found myself wondering how deep it was, and how much farther to the end of the road where the trail began. A small rumble of thunder warned me not to proceed. Today was not the day to take a risk…and that is okay. I inched the car around the tiny narrow road and headed home, my heart lighter than when I started out.
Another day I will allow the explorer in me to be free to roam the trail. Today, reason won out over the curiosity that takes hold of me from time to time. That, and my front porch was calling me to come and swing.