It was really hot outside today, but nevertheless, I felt like hiking. I wanted to work hard, move my body and sweat. (And sweat I did, in fact I looked like I had taken a dip in the river when Bracken and I returned.)
I wanted a challenge. I wanted to be outside. I wanted a foraging adventure.
So we waited till later in the afternoon to avoid the intense midday heat. Then Bracken and I grabbed a bucket and off we hiked up into the woods, with Satcha and Sweetie by our side. It was humid, even in the woods where it’s usually cool. Along the mountain trail we were surprised to see a bunch of purple huckleberries already ripe (because of all this heat.) Bracken had his first taste of one and liked it. We ate a few, put a few in the bucket, and carried on.
Then we spotted four lobster mushrooms! We happily put those in the bucket too.
When we emerged from the forest, we found the motherload of blackberries! We were hot, but the juicy berries were so ripe they were practically falling into the bucket, so we were inspired to brave through the sticky heat.
Everywhere we turned there were more! Sweetie and Satcha were having a feast, grabbing the lower berries with their teeth. There were elk and deer tracks all around and I could tell from their droppings that they had been dining on blackberries too.
On the way back down the trail, I spotted this winter chantrelle! I had been hoping to find one and even though it was tiny and I only found one, I was elated and so excited! We worked hard to get to it, even crawling primal-style underneath moss covered brush (yes, with Bracken in the pack on my belly, he loved it.) I emerged, with twigs woven in my hair and moss sticking to my brow, victorious! Bracken would have shared in my excitement a little more if he hadn’t been so annoyed that I didn’t let him put it in his mouth.
Sure, we could buy these mushrooms from farmer’s market, but nothing compares to finding one yourself!
After our foraging we came home feeling satisfied.
Well, almost.
There was just one more thing my Spirit was needing. Bracken and I were hot and I was craving the river! So we showed Jeff our bounty back at home and then inspired him to take a break from working. We jumped in the truck and drove to our favorite spot along the river. (And it’s less than a mile from our home- awesome!)
We arrived at the Siuslaw River (that you can just barely see from our house.) You can hear it year round (that’s one reason why I love having the windows open so much.) When we come to this spot on the river and breathe the view in, we truly feel we live in paradise.
We took off our shoes and enjoyed the smooth feel of the rock against our feet.
I admired the unique flow of the rocks, shaped by the water over time.
And then the best part………ahhhh! We dipped our feet in the cool, flowing water. I thought “Now this is what I needed!” It was balancing, energizing, invigorating, delightful and grounding all at the same time! The algae felt soft and soon little tiny fish were nibbling on our feet and toes. Let me tell you, it’s really hard to keep a straight face while they do it (it tickles), which is why it’s so great. And if you can stay still and let them do it, they actually exfoliate your feet. A good ol’ fashioned spa treatment at the river. Now that’s livin’!
It was Bracken’s first time at our favorite river spot. He loved it. Although, he didn’t feel like dipping his toes in. He just sat on Jeff’s lap and watched our faces light up with glee as we dipped ours.
As we sat in river bliss, looking at all the beauty around us, I remembered how badly I craved dipping my feet in the river during the end of my pregnancy with Bracken. He joined us before I got a chance to do it. It felt good to be doing it now.
With river water in our hair, we felt refreshed amidst the hot day.
(If you’ve been feeling overheated and in need of refreshment, I highly recommend finding a beloved water spot!)
We left wet footprints along the rocks and headed home.
My Spirit was satisfied.
Can I come live with you???
what a wonderful day you had, yesterday. we, too, had a hot day and spent it near and in cool water.
best wishes,
heike
Wow! What a fantastic day!!
i love that…we have a very similar river spot for hot days–the rocks worn into wonderful shapes by the water.
http://oldgatesfarm.blogspot.com/2011/07/out-and-about.html 🙂