Sky Meadow Musings

This morning we were out the door by 10:00am, headed west with Grandma Kathie for an afternoon in horse country. We were not going for the horses; we were going for the country.

Forty minutes or so after leaving the highway construction behind us, we arrived at Turtle Pond, in Sky Meadows State Park, and turned right to follow the lane back to the horse barn. Four pick-up trucks with long, luminescent trailers were lined up diagonally just beyond the car park lot. A couple of riders in boots and breeches were saddling up their steeds as we walked by to consult the posted map and choose an easy path for ourselves.

Moments later we were happily strolling along a wide, mown trail adjacent to a running brook, water glistening in the early spring sunshine. Birds cooed and called out to each other, a gentle breeze cooled us, and green buds danced all around us. Relaxing and joyful all at once, we soaked it all in and breathed it out.

I noticed that Grandma was choosing her steps carefully, not entirely confident of her ability to avoid falling on the rock juts here and there. I gave myself a mental kick for not thinking to bring along a walking stick - we have plenty - for her. After brief stops at a wooden bridge and a gigantic wooden bench that looked as though it was meant for Paul Bunyan, we retraced our steps back along the same brook, grateful for another great day outside together.