The Woods Are… OPEN

My worst nightmare is over. 

Finally, after weeks of being shut out of the Nova Scotia wilderness, our government has rescinded the directive to stay out of the woods.

The only fires I heard of, including one that was visible on the horizon from my home, were started by lightning. 

Too bad the government couldn't ban that.

It is true though, that this was a droughty, dry summer without any appreciable rain whatsoever for months. It was terrible, and I have never seen so many trucks hauling water pass by our home in the 11 years we have lived here. Nor have I ever had to be out in the garden watering almost every day, which was a nice problem to have.

But it was also a drought for the part of my soul reserved specifically for enjoying the wilderness. It was parched, cracked, and hurting after my multi-week hiking and biking dry patch.

I definitely did not break the mandate three times to slake my shrivelling soul because I am a good, obedient, and compliant citizen. All governments operate for the safety, health, and happiness of the people. And if you believe that, I have a mandate you might like.

As soon as I heard that the woods were OPEN mid-September, I got my act together pronto and hit the trails. 

I took the pictures in this post on a recent bike ride to a local lake. The route consists of several kilometers of old logging trails through the woods. While I did not see another soul over the two hour ride, I did have a great blue heron fly directly over me at the lake, and I flushed a spruce grouse on the trail.

Back in nature, elation followed against a fall pallet of reds, yellows, and browns splashed against a backdrop of clear, blue sky.

My heart soared, and I was finally able to satisfy the wilderness requirements infused into every cell of my being.

Open at last, open at last, thank God almighty we are open at last.