A Walk

*I wrote this post on August 12th and then somehow managed to never actually post it.  I found it in my Drafts yesterday.  So, better late than never, I guess.*

We hadn't been on a neighborhood walk in what seemed like forever.  An evening walk is what we do when we are finished with all our projects and tasks as the day draws to a close, but still have energy to want to get out and do something fun outdoors.  But, we're in the midst of summer craziness and so frequently we're "working" all day.  You know, if you count gardening, sewing, cooking, and drying herbs, picking/pitting cherries, etc.  Or worn out from working and just want to rest a while or out of town, or its beastly hot, etc.)

But, yesterday we decided we didn't have any tasks pressing down on us and so we went for a nice long walk in the setting sun.

We found an apricot tree!  It was right down the street from our house!  We noticed it because the sidewalk below was littered with smashed fruits and pits of an unidentifiable nature.  There was no fruit left on the tree, so it seemed, but then I finally spotted one, single apricot.  And I gobbled it up.  It was fantastic.  I've never had an apricot right off the tree before.  Even Matt, who in general is opposed to them, thought it was okay.  (He's wrong of course because it was GREAT, but baby steps....)  We missed out on the crop this year, but I am filing it away for next year!!

In addition to the apricot tree we found another oddity in the form of a tree.  It had peculiar, striking looking spiky fruits on it.  I took a photo to show my arborist friend and he tells me its an Ohio Buckeye tree.  I'd heard of Buckeyes before, but I think mostly as the college and related sports teams.  Who knew they were named after a tree?!  (I am sure a lot of people did, but not me...until now.)

We also admired and were thankful for the bits of semi-rural life that still exist around our neighborhood.  There are a few cow pastures that still see agricultural use.  They are nestled in residential areas and along some of the main thoroughfares through town.  I like that I can walk five minutes from home and see pastures with cows, albeit a small herd.  It will be a sad day if those pastures are sold off and subdivided into lots for  duplexes and apartment buildings.  I hope I never see that happen.

Its such a simple pleasure to walk and walk for as long as the spirit moves.  It could be just a few blocks or a long, meander.  There is so much to see and it changes every time.  The birds, the clouds, the sun, the stars, the trees, the flowers....every walk is through new territory rife with new sights and sounds to be experienced.  I am looking forward to autumn and all the leafy walks ahead.