Summer Wind

by Joy Slesinger

Summer.

The air is heavy and warm, saturated with the sweet earthy scent of pine, moss, and flowers. The rhododendrons give the trail a jungle-like feel with their glossy dark green leaves. This deep green backdrop creates a beautiful contrast to the muted green of pine needles, the serene blue-green of lichen, and the impossibly bright lime green of moss. The light streaming through the trees is green, too. Green and gold as it filters through leaves rustling in the wind, creating magical light shows across the forest floor.

I walk for hours over cool, gray rocks, dotted with rough patches of lichen and soft, thick carpets of moss. The ground beneath me is soft and springy, thick with soft brown pine needles, crunchy fallen leaves, twigs, stones and the strong, sinuous roots which hold it all together.

Read more on Mindfulness in Mountains here.

Summer Wind is written by Joy Slesinger, Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Guest House 2022 cohort.