Tree hugging

I've been inside way too much lately. This cast on my foot that makes walking a slow hobble has kept me from doing one of the things I love best. This morning, greeted as I was by another glorious SoCal winter day, I knew I had to get up into the mountains, and under a tree.

So I headed up along a quiet winding road into the Angeles National Forest, where I found my tree. My cares slipped from my mind as I let the cool crisp air fill my lungs, and listened to the wind toss the upper branches of the oak. The leaf litter crackled gently. There were no cars on the nearby road. My frown relaxed, my shoulders dropped. Peace returned. Ah, the rejuvenating powers of quiet time under a big old tree.

It was just what I needed. Dare I say, it's what we all need every now and then.