Quiet as a ninja

I used to think walking was boring. It was too slow. No matter how beautiful the surroundings, I'd always think ”I wish I were running instead”. But then I started taking my camera with me. Suddenly I started noticing little details that stood out. I stopped often to take photos. My walks weren't that boring any more. They were mini adventures.

When I left home this morning for my now almost-daily walk, the sky was scattered with clouds and some stray drops of rain found their way down to my arms. The only thing I could hear was birds. I picked a little-used trail that cut straight through the woods and followed it. 

Now, I might love summer, but that doesn't mean I love everything about it. As soon as I left the main path and entered the woods, a million mosquitoes attacked me. I tried to avoid stepping on the myriads of ants that covered the trail, yet one pissed off little bugger managed to climb on my foot and bite me. I had my VFF on my feet, and although it meant being quiet as a ninja on the soft trail, it also meant that my ankles were exposed.

Some parts of the trail were really muddy, although it hasn't rained properly in days. I saw some fresh deer tracks in the mud and immediately went on hunter mode. Only I wasn't hoping to shoot to kill. I'm a vegetarian, after all. I was only going to shoot them with my camera. My efforts to be quiet were nulled by the loud hum of the mosquito hordes that were chasing me. I might as well have been an elephant. I saw no deer.

The trail came to an end and I was back on the main path. I followed it down to the lake where joggers and dog walkers were out enjoying the weather. I turned towards the horse riding path. I love it there. It's like a jungle, with ferns, grass and tufts of moss forming a carpet under the canopy of fir and pine. I heard hooves behind me and turned to see a sulky coming towards me. The rider had a cigarette in his mouth. Horse riding might be a sport, but the only one getting some exercise while riding a sulky is the horse.

Tonight, I will be spending time in a very different environment. In town, eating dinner with friends.