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Monday, September 22, 2014

A Peaceful Place

Today I took a little mental health break.  I slipped on rubber shoes, bundled Alfie into the car, and drove about ten miles south to a nearby prairie park.  (I've written about this park several times before, here, here, and here.) As I drove, I found myself hoping that no one else would be there on this cool and sunny Monday morning.  As I neared the entrance, I could see another car in the dusty gravel parking lot.  I pulled in and saw a man just crossing the road to enter the "dog prairie" where dogs are allowed off leash.  He turned left, the same way I always walk.

In the middle of nowhere at the prairie.  Sorry for the photo quality; I didn't
want to lug around my camera, so this was taken with my old, refurbished iphone.

Wanting solitude and quiet, I decided not to cross over to the dog prairie, but to strike out along a path leading north, toward the main preserve (the area is called a forest preserve even though there's precious little in the way of trees).  I had never walked that way before, and wasn't sure if the path would make a circuit or dead end somewhere.  It was perfect.  A 25-minute tramp took us past the prairie, near a farm, and into the south end of the original park.  There was scarcely a sound to be heard.  A plane flew high overhead and once I heard a faraway train whistle.  Otherwise, it was quiet and peaceful.  There were lots of small white, and a few yellow, butterflies, plus I saw one monarch, or perhaps it was a viceroy.  A couple of hawks or buzzards circled the sky and numerous smaller birds called from the tall grasses and the few trees.  Ducks quacked, geese honked, dragonflies divebombed, and crickets chirped.  After turning a bend to come around the pond, I saw two lovely white herons, and two little blue herons or possibly immature white herons.  I am no birder, but I do know they were all beautiful.

After almost an hour, Alfie and I returned to the car, both refreshed from our walk in the peaceful prairie.

15 comments:

  1. What a wonderful idea!! I actually get my mental health break when I swim for an hour 3 times a week. It's amazing what you can sort out while doing the backstroke and looking at the clouds out through the skylights in the ceiling. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  2. What a wonderful place to walk in solitude, Lynette! I know just how you feel when you said you hoped nobody else was at the park. We took our kayaks to a lake that has a quiet river that meanders through a silent forest. It really does clear your head and lets the day to day nonsense seem a thousand miles away. I guess we were sort of on the same path today! Have a great week!

    Vickie

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  3. A long walk is also my favorite kind of mental health break. Beautiful scenery.

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  4. Lovely. A simple change from daily surroundings can make all the difference.

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  5. this park looks absolutely gorgeous. i too enjoy peaceful walks with no-one else around. it is so refreshing to the soul.

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  6. Mental health days are the best! What a beautiful way to spend the day. :-)

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  7. What bliss! You describe it so well I felt I was almost there. X

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  8. Nothing like the solitude of a nature walk...sounds lovely. :)

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  9. Your walks sounds so peaceful and serene. Glad you and Alfie enjoyed your walk in solitude.

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  10. What a beautiful place to walk. It is so nice to be able to just walk and soak in all the sights, sounds, and smells of nature! I know that Alphie enjoyed it too.

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  11. This sounds so relaxing. I know you and Alfie enjoyed this outing very much. We are having delightful weather this week.

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  12. I miss dog walking!!! How lovely ….

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  13. Sometimes you just need those R&R type of days. It sounds like you and Alfie had a very therapeutic day and this is definitely something I would love to do xx

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  14. What a gorgeous place to visit, walk and just catch your breath.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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