2nd Snake Sighting of the Year

Second Snake Sighting of the Year.
And this time, I caught it!

Meet Bacon, the Texas Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi texana):

Mason J., one of my students said he had a surprise for me.

And I thought to myself Oh shit. Because when one of MY students says this, it’s either going to be super awesome....or super AWFUL.

He calmly lifted up his backpack and out slithered this tiny little six inch snake.
Which I squealed with delight and promptly caught.

Definitely as super awesome surprise.

 

I opted to keep Bacon for the day and then transport him to my apartment and let him go by the creek that runs behind the apartments. I’ve caught Texas Browns here previously, and the place is stocked up with earthworms and slugs and plenty of leaf litter for him to hide under.

Totally awesome. :)

Interesting

So Robin just sent me a friend request on FaceBook.

At one point, I would have called her my best friend. We were thick as thieves.

She was also my first experience in a more open relationship and a “almost” girlfriend in that regard.

And she was spoiled as shit and a very, very shallow and needy person.

Needless to say, we had one hell of a falling out and haven’t even spoken a single word to each other since 2003.

So yeah, getting a friend request from her out of the blue? *narrows her eyes and is very wary*

I’ve decided, what the hell? Why not? Let’s see what tricks she has up her sleeve, or even if she’s changed? It’s simple enough to unfriend someone, so I’m not too terribly worried.

Damn Hippies

The more I work with the Harpy, the more she surprises the utter crap out of me.

A friend of mine here on line was attacked a while ago by a pack of hunting dogs running off leash. It’s looking like she might finally get some justice out of this whole situation.

And someone posted how they hope she doesn’t get to speak at the legislative session because most hunting dogs are good animals and that it’s the owners’ fault, not the dogs’. Blah, blah, blah. And then continues on to basically accuse my friend of supporting Breed Specific Bans because sometimes rotties and pits are harmful as well.

Damn did that get my hackles up. And yet, the Harpy simply asked, “Is this your fight?”

And I stated, “Well, no. But....”

She cut me off and asked again, “Is this your fight?”

Me grumbling “No. But....”

Her: “But nothing. Your friend is an adult. She is more than capable of handling the situation quite well on her own as she has thus far. If she requires your assistance, I’m sure she’s more than able to ask for it. But until then, it is not your fight.“

I muttered she was a damn hippy, preaching all this peace and love bullshit.

Never heard a Harpy belly laugh like that before.
Not sure if that’s a good thing.... * chuckles * We shall see.

Sharing the Truth

I am not a Christian. And as such, a large portion of the Christian population take it as their SOLE (soul?) MISSION in life to make my life a living hell. Those are the ones I loathe. Those are the ones I have no respect for. Those are the ones that I delight in shredding their Illusions.

But there is another group of Christians. Ones that I am blessed to call friend and ally.

Damon is one of those. And I just have to share the beauty he wrote today:
I am a Christian. I will walk the path that He has laid before me on my journey to meet with God. I will treat my neighbors as my equal regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or faith. I will strive to live in harmony with my fellow man, fellowshipping with those that share my truth, sharing my truth with those that will listen, and understanding those who’s truth differs from my own, for we are all Gods creatures. I will treat those around me with kindness and respect regardless of their attitude toward me because that is His way. I will lift those less fortunate than myself above me for that is His way. I will stand to represent the oppressed, for that is His way. Though I strive to live if dying is ask of me I will face the fate of my path because that is His way. Love, Respect, Humility, Tolerance, Compassion, Caring, Understanding, Learning, Teaching, Acceptance. This is His way, and His is my way.

My response was simply I honor the Truth in you, as you honor the Truth in me.

Because, even with my gift of gab and my witty remarks, I was left speechless and humbled.

Thankful Thursday 03.26.15

I am thankful...

1. awesome Western Ribbon Snake I almost caught yesterday -- gorgeous little snake!
2. mini-daffodils I bought at Wal-Mart this morning for less than $3.
3. hilarious antics of my students I get to enjoy daily.  Love these guys.
4. my daily walks in the woods and all the awesome wildlife and nature found in this tiny niche.
5. Leviathan being super active here recently.  I just wish I could give her a larger and more mentally stimulating enclosure.
6. getting to see Dusty (a good friend) live out his dreams -- he and his family are living in Puerto Rico.  It's just so awesome and I am so very happy for him!
7. gorgeous weather we've had recently (not counting today). 
8. really honing in on what it is I believe in and what makes up my own personal customs (as opposed to the term "religion").  I finally feel like I'm beginning to have solid ground beneath my feet in this realm.
9. simplifying my art journaling.  I figured out I was getting so bogged down in painting pages and all that jazz that it was keeping me from actually journaling.  I've gone back to just including things I've cut out of magazines, printed from online, or just doodled around on the pages and am loving it.
10. coming to recognize my personal hot-button topics and my knee-jerk reactions and am working on taking the venom out of them.  I'll always have topics/situations that really get my hackles up, but I'm striving towards pausing and choosing the best course of action.  If that's scorching the earth, then so be it....but I at least want to be able to pause and weigh my various options, instead of always going to the scorched earth policy right off the bat.  *chuckles*

First Snake of the Season

I was out walking Holly and something caught my eye. I honestly have no idea how I managed to spot this lil serpent in the brush.

It’s a crappy cell phone photo, but a photo of the season’s first snake:

It’s a slender, striped snake. The head is in the lower right corner. It’s a Western Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus).

Here’s a photo I pilfered from the internet to give a better idea of what this little guy looks like:

Tiny guy. I’m guessing about 2 feet long and slightly thicker than a pencil. And quick as shit! *laughs* I tried to catch him, but he won.

Capt'n Pissy Pants

And, Capt’n Pissy Pants has returned! *grumbles*

This is the nick name I’ve given my husband when he gets his little panties in a wad.

What are they currently in a wad about you may ask? Oh, let me tell you.

We have huge cracks in the ceiling and walls of our apartment due to foundation issues that the apartment complex refuses to acknowledge. I had to pitch one hell of a bitch fit to even get them to come look at them. And then I had to pitch ANOTHER to get them to fix them.

So, we knew last week, that maintenance would be coming by today or tomorrow to patch the walls.
And maintenance had the audacity to show up at the ungodly hour of 11 am on a day my husband took off. (Yeah, lots of sarcasm there)

And maintenance has the audacity to start FIXING it right now. * rolls her eyes *

And I had the audacity to tell him this at 11 am. Saying maintenance was going to start on the balcony (as it’s the worst off), and that he might want to get his punk ass out of bed and move the two guitar bodies that he’s painting off the balcony to somewhere they would be safe.

And THEN, I had the audacity to take HIS fucking dog for a goddamn walk, so he wouldn’t have to deal with all of that. Geez, what a cunt I am.

Now, granted, it’s not like he’s saying any of this shit to me. He’s smarter than that. But listening to him stomp around, cuss at the dog, and slam crap around in the apartment is just bullshit.

Yes, I am sorry that you didn’t get to sleep in past 11 am for the FOURTH DAY IN A FUCKING ROW.
Yes, I am sorry that you had to get up and move your shit to protect it.
Yes, I am sorry that your dog is old and a dumbass.
Yes, I am sorry that we are having to spend another year in this apartment complex that we hate.

But for fuck’s sake. It’s not like this came out of left field.
We knew for a little over a week that this was going to happen.
Dogs get old. That’s just what happens. I know you are terrified at the thought of her eventually dying, but how about not being a total jackass for the last years of her life?
And how about dropping this stupid nonsense of getting a fucking Mustang when the lease runs up on your Beetle? How about getting a fucking sensible car so we can save money up so we can get the fuck out of this goddamn apartment?????

Conversations with Celaeno

from a conversation with Celaeno.

I was angry/wrath-filled from a conversation with an acquaintance over the dismal current state of our Nation.

John, a dear friend, aptly pointed out that we are a nation that exalts violence and continues to fail to teach empathy for others. And another, the acquaintance, gave the pat response of “it’s all due to us turning away from God/Christianity”.

And fuck, did I ever see red. I was near blinded in my utter disgust.

I do not make secret my distrust in Christianity. I’ve read the Bible cover to cover more times than I can count. I’ve questioned it all. And I turned my back on it to seek MORE when I was just 14 years old. And I haven’t looked back since.

Oh, how I wanted to tear this woman apart. How I wanted to shake the earth with all that I’ve learned about Christianity. I wanted to be the Lion that devoured the Lamb so very, very badly.

And yet, Celaeno bade me stop and hear Her words.
And when a Harpy tells you to listen, you shut your mouth and open up both ears. Let me tell you. *laughs*

This is the gist of Her conversation.

• Vengeance has its time and place. It is not now. It is not here. And it is not this woman.
• Remember the teachings of the Serpent. Illumination and personal Evolution are just that.....personal. Each person must discover their own gnosis. And what is the Path for one, may not be the Path for another.
• It is not my place to attempt to force Illumination on another. That is akin to spiritual rape. I did not like it when Christianity was forced upon me....likewise, I should not force my Path on others. They will simply fight it tooth and nail, as I did, and curse me the entire time they do. This is counter-productive and will drive them further from Knowledge.
• War is not glorious. Do not seek it out.
• Chose your battles wisely. Attack when necessary and only when necessary.

And, in true Harpy fashion, at the end of it, She grinned a sly grin and spoke “Besides, seek not to make all the world into Wolves. We need Sheep to eat!”

Which, besides the obvious metaphor, this goes deeper. I need the blind followers to remind me where I came from and to remind me why I am actively seeking Illumination. They make me a stronger individual. And, when challenging them, it sets the stage for me to redefine and hone what it is I do and do not believe.

Ostara Altar and Thoughts

Yesterday was Ostara, the Spring Equinox.

I love decorating my altar for each of the Sabbats (holy days) and esbats (Full Moons), but I don’t really do much ritual and I very rarely follow the mythical cycle of the Wheel of the Year. Mostly because the god plays no role what-so-ever in my faith. *shrugs* Eh, it works for me.

Here’s the altar itself:

Lots of fun, spring themes and colors going on.

Purple altar cloth.
Sekhmet statue of course. The gold one, which is used in the “light” portion of the year. Since Yule (the winter solstice), the light has been steadily growing and thus the golden statue is placed on my altar for that. Garnets around Her feet. A large tumbled garnet beside Her, a carnelian heart, and an authentic (recently purchased) African lion claw – all of these are offerings that stand at her Statue throughout the year.
Fake bird eggs on the left in a crystal bowl given to me by my paternal grandmother.
Eostre (another spelling of Ostara) candle…that glitter and dried flower bombed me a few days back when I opened up the package. *grumbles* Yeah, I was NOT a happy camper.
Zuni carved rabbit (gifted to me years ago by a good friend, Mary).
A vase with a daffodil in it. No other flower embodies JOY and Spring as the daffodil does for me.
Egg candle and Eostre oil purchased from the same witchy shop that the Eostre candle came from. Not sure what I’m going to do with the scented oil just yet.
Plate with Pysanky eggs. The black egg is from my paternal great grandmother and came directly from Ukraine. The red, green, and blue ones, my Mom purchased for me for Christmas one year. Just love them.
And another rabbit in the background to round out the hares and eggs theme of the Sabbat.

Close up shot of the daffodil:

Seriously, I just love these flowers. I will certainly plant some in the fall so I can enjoy them next spring!

And look who was supervising the whole thing:

Lil Beast herself....the ever beautiful and regal (and sometimes goofy as shit), Ms. Leviathan.

So yeah, that’s my Ostara ritual/altar in a nutshell. No deities were invoked nor called upon. No circle cast. No spells made. Just me, taking the time out of my day to pause and reaffirm that I’m connected to Nature – not to be confused with “Earth Mother” or “Mother Nature” or any other deity thing. Just Nature as it exists.

I really should sit down and write out my beliefs and what the sabbats mean to me. More and more, I’m leaving religion and deities behind and embracing the energy and the quiet spirituality of just being connected to something more than myself.

Thankful Thursday (a day late)

Following the nudge/request from Sharmila, here's this week's Thankful Thursday (just a day late).  *grins*

I am thankful:

1.    that today is Ostara, the Spring Equinox.  Light reigns supreme and the days will grow steadily longer.
2.    the abundant wildlife I have in my lil wooded trails here in the heart of the city.  Spotted a bobcat this week and yesterday, I saw that our resident pair of Red-tailed Hawks are making renovations on last year's nest.
3.    quiet steady rain we are currently getting.  I've set out incense as an offering to the Harpies (originally, they were storm deities), thanking them for their blessings and protection.
4.    that Leviathan has seriously woken up and is very active.  Even if that meant she woke me up at 4 am, sliding all over her silk plant (had to take it out of her tank so I could get some sleep!).
5.    to have these past few mornings off from Starbucks given the to hellacious shifts I had on Tuesday and Wednesday.
6.    that I'm slowly getting back into drawing Mandalas -- it is a goal of mine to make one a week for this 33rd year of mine.  *laughs*  I am super behind, but am working on it!
7.    postcards and pen pals and a new journal.
8.    daffodils.  Seriously, if I had to choose a plant that was the embodiment of JOY, it would be the daffodil.  I really should get around to planting some in a pot to enjoy.
9.    trying out new recipes.  They are very hit and miss, but the hits are AWESOME and make it worth the work.
10.   my journaling group.  Seriously, these guys are so incredible and awesome and AWE inspiring!

Young Bobcat

 

ART: Bobcat
ARTIST: Cristian-M

Took Holly for a walk today, through my wooded trail.
I was simply enjoying the flowering trees.
I spotted some movement ahead in the brush. A flash of brown.
I figured it was a squirrel or maybe one of the local bunnies.

Imagine my shock when I paused and focused and found myself locking gazes with a wild bobcat.

She was a good 20 feet ahead of us, looking back at us over her shoulder, clearly nervous.

I would have loved to have gotten a better look at her, but figured her life is rough enough. She doesn’t need a human and a LARGE dog (especially when compared to her size), following her. So instead, I cut our walk short and turned around.

She’s a young bobcat, less than 2 years old.

The whole thing gave me such serious goosebumps and one hell of a high. Love the wildlife we get here.

And as long as they behave properly (ie, show fear/nervousness when humans are around, do their best to avoid human contact, etc) and show no signs of disease, I have no problem letting them go on about their lil lives.

Love, love, love it. :)

Beautiful Mail Art

I just had to share these two adorable pieces of mail art that the Luna Blue Boutique included with the beautiful Ocean Blue Fluorite crystal point/wand that I purchased from them.

Postcard sized:

And business card sized:

I just adore her wands, but they are a bit pricy (ranging around $120+) for me currently. One of these days......

A Witness

Welcome home lil Wolf Cub
it’s heartening
…to see you
................Remember

I was beginning
....to worry
..with all your slumber
........................dreaming
........................hibernation
..you, perchance
......thought yourself
.............................a Bear
.........instead of a Wolf
................Ursine
...................instead of Canine

But you’ve finally
.....awoken
..you are stirring once more
.....those Passion Fires
...........are burning once more

Create! Create!
…all the world cries out to you
bathe your soul
....in paints
........and words
...........your keen eye for framing
..................................the world
.......................in a still photograph

Stretch out
…limber up
........you have so much
..............................to do
..............................to see
..............................to create
..........................................to uncover
..............................to experience
..............................to give
...........................................to ponder
..............................to explore
..............................to discover
.....................................and to share
.............................................and share
....................................................and share

All the world
…is awakening
........and you need to
..............bear witness
.......................to it all!

Can't Articulate

I read the following post by an artist I follow on DeviantArt:

Polarists Meeting

Less than a month before our arctic expedition known as Fjällräven Polar!

Since I became a part of the Polarist Circle, my life has drastically changed.

In a very positive way.

I’ve met many wonderful people from Polar, who mostly are widely open minded, outdoor, very passionate about life and active to pursue the impossible things - that kind of society with very different mentality.

Their type of mentality allows them to get outside from the “box”. (“box” concept- is referred to type of social mentality with narrowed way of thinking. When those people see a person who is doing something different and stays away outside from generalized/labelled concept “what normally people should do”. Like: “if you do different things, we won’t accept you” or simply afraid of something “different”, out of mainstream lifestyle. )

Being around these Polar people has brought me to experience a glimpse of lifestyle that I’ve always dreamt about. And I think I have now more and more clear idea of what I want -or- who I am. I think I’m in the phenomenal stage where I am slowly awaking from the state of being “asleep” (not aware of my own self existence/what I really want)- which was caused by our highly civilized society has lured me into sleep state.

Every Polarist shared with me unique story about who they are- and through what they had to go through to achieve that state. And some, younger ones are still of the road of finding themselves and we are helping, supporting them. Nobody was born amongst stars but had to take a difficult staircase journey to the stars. I am still on that road.

That Polar expedition is a first “star” in my life that I am going to face with. After a very long time… from the day when I woke up in the solid white room, full of strange screens and my head terribly bleeding…

That yet upcoming journey became somewhat a reminder of sorts of how important it is to pursue passions and creative things that I really want to do, and to put aside unnecessary, “time wasting” things that our social pressure has told us to do. My mind and body feel so much more free when I know deep down I am putting my everything into something I was meant to do, rather than something I was told to do by our society.

I’m in midst of working on our unique “Fjällräven Polar” Experience Blog (fighting with my lazy ass)- where I hope to get it done very soon where we, twenty participants, share our experience and stories. It won’t be a typical one, all about sugarhappy events and “oh look how cool things we do” - but breaking our own fears, anxieties and barriers.
 
I hope we can do in that way that we could inspire other people! Stay tuned!

And I don’t know why, but this just really, really, REALLY stuck this huge cord with me. My spirit is literally humming with excitement. My inner SheWolf is nudging me, “Pay attention, Pup. Read and hear and FEEL and LISTEN.”

I can’t articulate it. I’m at a loss for words. I just know this is important and I wanted to keep a record for me to return to and mull over and puzzle over.

The Lil Things

It’s the little things in life that make me the happiest.

Like, almost being over the damn plague of SPITEFUL EVILNESS, I’ve had for the past week (runny, stuffy nose; sore throat; coughing up lungs; whispery, hoarse voice – yay!).

Gorgeous weather: clear skies, SUNSHINE, and we’re sitting at 64 degrees. Woohoo!

Trees are beginning to bud out.

My selfie photo for this month. I know I don’t look the best, but gimme a break. I’m recovering from said Plague of EVIL VILENESS.

Actually having the energy to do a load of dishes, 5 loads of laundry, take a shower, light some candles around the apartment to help air out the place, lit some incense as well, and now I’m just relaxing and waiting for said laundry to finish up. :)

Bed sheets will be going in next.

I’ve done some journaling and am enjoying a new read, One Witch’s Way by Bronwynn Forrest Torgerson. Fairly interesting thus far. Nothing earth-shattering, but nice to get a glimpse into the inner workings of a fellow pagan.

Depression Snob?

I have a friend on Facebook....well, more of an acquaintance? Maybe more than an acquaintance?

I am/was good friends with her fiance/boyfriend (ok, ok, truth be told, I slept with him, while he was with a previous girlfriend, but that’s because said girlfriend was sleeping with my roommate at that exact moment.....gods this sounds horrible....ok, so it was a consensual 4 way, ok!). ANYWAYS!!!!!!!

And she’s all out there with her depression and emotions and all that jazz.

And I’m looking at her like she’s batshit crazy because no matter how dark my days/evenings get, I very, very rarely (ok, so I NEVER) post about them so honestly and so publicly.
I mean, sure I’ll write about what’s going on in my head in my blogs or whatever.

I but I won’t write “Feeling like shit. I do not know why I bother typing.”
Or “Been a while since I cried myself to sleep, might be a good night for that.”
Or “I’m very not ok tonight. Ugh.”

And I’m just....bewildered.

Maybe it’s my sociopathic tendencies.
Maybe it’s my Scorpio traits.
Maybe it’s the way I was raised, or the time, or the location, or what have you.

But damn. I just couldn’t imagine being that.....blatantly open about that stuff.

To me, it just screams “attention-seeking” and I hate that I feel that way about it. I get all damn elitist about it....thinking to myself REAL depressed people just do not do that. REAL depressed people bottle in it because we don’t want the world to truly see how bad we are hurting.

Like I am head president of Depressed People International or something.

Who am I to judge?

But I just can’t engage. It is so damn foreign to me that I can’t even begin to come up with something to say. Just had to put that out there.

Edit
A private comment hit the nail right on the head. This individual seems to be seeking out pity. And me? I cannot STAND pity. It doesn’t help the situation at all and I hate feeling like someone is looking down on me in pity. Totally makes me skin crawl.
I do believe that’s why I run away from her “oh woe is me” posts. Because I feel she’s hunting for pity, not help. Her fiance, who lives with her and posts quite regularly on her facebook stuff, doesn’t even touch these posts. And they go up at least one day a week, where all day it’s just “woe, woe, woe is me”. Now, he could be doing stuff there in person for her, so I don’t worry about her quite as much as I would worry about a friend that lived alone. But damn, when I can almost set my watch to when the Pity Wagon starts up on her page, I just have a hard time taking it completely seriously.

The Joy Thief

Damn is it ever.

So tell me....how does one stop an obsessive mind hell-bent on comparing?

Butt Snow Angels

So this is a running gag Gloria (rest in peace) and I had going back in 2007. Somehow we got on the subject of doing butt prints in the snow.

Gloria wrote this post in January 2007:

Ok. Have to do this. Will wait till dark under a full moon … roflmao … then take the photo in the morning .... unless the snow continues in which case I’ll use my night setting and get it done on the spot!

Ass angels, ass angels …
You’re mighty fine
I can’t think of anything
that thrills me in kind.

To stalk out at night
and sit in the snow
with one moon above
and mine down here below

A picture so rare
and a one of a kind
My butt is quite scrawny
I hope you won’t mind

It’s not the aesthetics
That lead me outdoors
It’s more for the laughs
and from Walks there’ll be roars

The rest of you have to
just patiently wait
till it’s out of my system
Nona sealed my fate

By sending the note
that encouraged this gig
I hope that my neighbors
Don’t think I’m a pig.

I hope that the children
will all be asleep
when I take to my yard
and find snow that’s not deep

to sit in butt naked
and leave my I.D.
for you here in this group
to check out and see.

So Nona I thank you
for setting this up
with your cute little verse
that will show you I’m tough.

Because though I am skinny
and just have been sick
To let this escape
without doing the trick

would be just a damn shame
and I’d miss so much fun
now I’m anxious for snow
at the day’s setting sun

May not be this evening
but I’ll know when it’s right
to sneak out with my camera
and sizzle the night

With the warmth of my body
against that cold snow
then I’ll come in and try
warming up my mojo!

If you are still reading
the craziness here
you won’t be surprised
when my pictures appear.

I’ll do close ups and angles
and when they’re just right
Your email with bring you
this beautiful sight.

My butt in the moonlight
there must be some pun
to fit the occasion
But sure can’t think of one!

That’s a lie ‘cuz I have one
but a lady like me
prefers not to resort to
slang vulgarity.

So I’ll end with this note
to my friends young and old
Keep an eye out for email
that says ‘butts in the cold’.

And this is the photo she submitted Jan 20th, 2007:

Ever since then, I’d had intentions of holding up my side of the bargain.
Fire up the 1001 excuses. And sadly, Gloria passed away before I was able to honor our humor and our Butt Snow Angels agreement.

Yet, I’m happy to report, as of 7:30 am, I finally did it:

So Gloria, I miss you deeply, dear kindred soul (with a sense of humor just was warped as my own). And I know you were watching over me as I did this, to honor our friendship. *smiles*
Oh the hell we’ll raise when it’s my time to join you on the Other Side! *laughs*

Cry Out

written March 1st, 2015

As I curl up
legs tucked up
nice and warm
in this den
my room
(though the bed honestly sucks)
I realize
yet again
I am out of Touch

I’ve been listening to Brule Airo’s
Vision Quest
and before the music begins
they thank those out on
The Mountain
Crying for a Vision *
they thank those
about to Go
and they deeply thank those
Who Have Already Been
for the good of the people

And gods
how I scoffed at that
and asked aloud
what good have The People done for me
And damn
the arrogance
choked the air from me
Vision Quest is about Humility
and I’ve lost all
of mine

And the Quiet engulfed me
and let my self-centered question echo
for a time
until I could hear it
for what it is

Pride cometh before the Fall

Lose your prickly pride lil Wolf
Smooth down your porcupine quills

The fire has gone out inside me
And the only way to rekindle that Flame
is to humble myself before The Divine
upon a Mountain
and Cry out for a Vision
once more

Note * : The Lakota word for Vision Quest is Hanbleceya, which literally translates into “Crying for a Vision”

Snowy/Icy/Sludgy Walk

Apparently, Holly was being a total butthead (not that this surprises me one bit), and David kicked her out of his bedroom around 11:30 am. She of course came to see what I was doing in my room. I decided this would be a great time to go for a nice, long walk through our wooded trails, as the weather as of late has prevented that on a monumental scale.

The snow and ice is definitely melting, but there’s still enough on the ground to be pretty.

Lookit! It’s a Wolfie!

One of the two creeks that run through our wooded trails:

These may not be the most lush and gorgeous woods around, but given that we are in the HEART of a major city, they are pretty damn nice:

And, I got to thinking. When we do finally leave this apartment complex (12 months from now), I will sincerely miss these wooded trails.