One of the advantages of living where I do is having nature right here. The other evening, I took a walk by myself (Mr. K had taken one earlier when I was occupied with a task I wanted to finish up). I headed out from our front door and just a few minutes later was looking at huckleberry bushes to see how they were doing at this altitude—I found some proto-berries forming on bushes in places that are getting some sun.

 

A little ways down the road I ducked onto a trail next to a stream rushing with snowmelt.

 

I saw the seasons facing off: winter lingering on the left, spring in the form of a trillium on the right.

 

There were ferns curling up out of the ground looking rather alien at this stage:

 

I walked up the hill a little ways and crossed the stream (on the board bridge that can be seen upstream of the tree in the earlier photo).

 

On the other side of the stream, I happened on some mushrooms, apparently happy with the shade and moisture.

 

I headed back downhill and onto the road home, then ducked into a vacant lot which is in no way ready to be built on. I weaved through bushes and over snow in the shady areas and stopped to snap a photo of a tree budding.

 

I emerged from the vacant lot onto a condo building’s driveway and strolled the rest of the way home, refreshed from my outdoor break. I know that as the mountain gets built out, some of these spaces I now enjoy will disappear, so I’m enjoying them while I can.