The Sights, Sounds, and Smells of Spring

Ah, springtime. I love springtime. It is my absolute favorite season, Autumn is runner up. For the first time this season my daughters and I finally made our way out of doors for our annual "new life" walk. We headed to Barber Park. This park runs right along side the Boise River. Just after starting our walk we heard a sound that one does not ever hear in apartment living. It was the rhythmic tap, tap, tapping of a woodpecker. We stopped on a bridge to see if we could find the maker of this beautiful natural music. To our delight the bird was not too far off and was easily spotted first by Lydia. We crouched down and quietly observed as he pecked away at the wood in hopes of finding some lunch. One thing I love about nature walks with my daughters is the opportunity not only for adventure but for learning and observing.

Just after crossing the bridge we found some foots paths leading off into various parts of the park that off the paved path. We chose these paths knowing that these paths would take us to parts of the park that bicycles were not allowed, joggers did not jog, and voices were kept in a hushed tone. This is when we really felt close to nature. The trees were just budding, many flowers had opened and the animals were all so alive. There were so many delicious smells in the air. Several times we would stop, close our eyes, and take deep cleansing breaths of fresh air. As our eyes were shut we could hear the cold, newly melted snow of the mountains, rushing over the stones of the Boise River. A few fishermen were silently sitting along its banks and as a pair of mallards flew over head everyone watched to see where they might land.

At one point in our adventure we came to a little inlet completely surrounded by the gradually thickening brush, and silently wading in the inlet was a single mallard, perhaps searching for a place for his mate to lay eggs; you never know. With our stealth like steps and "no talking" moment we were able to observe him for quite a few minutes before he noticed us and took off quit quickly to flight and moving several yards further down river.

Looking in fallen logs for critters waking from a winter sleep, investigating interesting growth on a tree trunk, a "spooky" web filled hole in a dead tree, mounds of dirt thrown out of holes by some unknown creatures, a very large unidentifiable bird of prey that flew just barely over head that we wished would just stop mid air for one brief moment for us to take a closer look but refused to slow down even for us, and enjoying the warm sun and cool spring breeze were all favorites on our walk.

At one Lydia came whimpering to me and said a wild animal bit her. I took a closer look and found it to be a scratch from one of the thorn bushes she had a run in with. I explained and showed to Lydia the "wild animal" that caused her such pain. She said, "oh, I thought it was a wild animal". Apparently the scratch hurt pretty bad. She was really quite enthralled by it and paid little attention to anything else after receiving it. On the car ride back home she poured water on it and said that the water healed her finger and made it all better. She said upon the miraculous healing of her scratch, "I knew Heavenly Father was real! See He healed my finger." I smiled at my daughter's great faith and said, "you should thank Him for thinking of you and blessing you". She did right then and there.

I love nature!