The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower

I used to be very passionate about the outdoors–getting out into the woods, lakes, parks, and so on.  Those of you who have followed my blog for years will remember many posts showcasing trips I made to various wilderness spots, posts full of photos and appreciation for the solitude (or camaraderie with fellow enthusiasts) that the outdoors brought me.  Not that I have ever been a serious outdoorsman–I’ve never really camped, per se, or hiked more than 6 or 7 miles at a time, and I don’t own one of those serious hiking backpacks or anything, but I did used to have a novice hiking backpack, with essentials like ponchos, matches, compass, a whistle to let bears know people were entering the woods, etc.  Anyway, sometime on my journey from 2010-2015 (when I moved from central PA to Erie to New Jersey to Philadelphia) I kind of forgot this particular passion of mine.  It was healthy and alive for much of Erie–there are plenty of pictures on this very blog to prove it–but by the time I landed back here in Harrisburg I’d fashioned myself into a “city man” and, although I was once again in close proximity to the trails and parks I fell in love with, hadn’t actually visited any of them in the year-plus since returning.

Today I went back, for reasons I don’t know.  I went to King’s Gap, to an old standby, the Rattlesnake Trail (which has been renamed the Scenic Vista trail!).  I was not prepared for how much I had truly missed the experience of being in the woods, especially alone, in the middle of the day.

It’s a shame I have come back to this passion in late summer, but I have no plans of forgetting again.  The refreshing it does for me, the reflection it enables–it is literally like refilling my tank with fuel.  Not to mention, all the spots around here that I frequent come with their own memories of the many times I’d been there before–the people I’d been there with, the eras of my life, my autobiography spelled out in the leaves.

Just like the old days, I have included some pictures here (blog exclusives! will not appear on Facebook!).  Like with any entry on Notes From the Fire, this is best viewed on a desktop or laptop computer–enlarging photos to their optimum size dramatically increases their power.  :)  Thanks for reading!