Nature surrounds us, you just have to look for it.

I must say that I truly enjoyed my walkies today . . . especially compared to the last few days with arctic North wind biting through layers of clothes, chilling the warm water in your aluminum bottle in less than five minutes, and numbing your fingers and toes so much you wonder if you might get frostbite.

But not today.

Today was sunny, and much warmer than the previous few days, even with a stiff NW wind. I walked a little later than normal, and with it being a Saturday, there were more people on the trail.

--one woman wearing ear buds, who looked like she was about to keel over with a heart attack
--two bikers (separately) head down and focused on logging the miles
--two kids on bikes (together)
--pair of female joggers, talking

None of them saw or heard anything nature provided.

But I did.

--I heard the rhythmic sound of a beaver gnawing wood.
--the chitter and bark of a squirrel
--the caw of a mockingbird
--I saw an owl, head tucked low into its wings as it blended into the dead branch it sat on
--I saw a small flock of paired mallards (@ 8) floating on the marshy water in the open bowl near the creek
--another flock of paired bluebirds (@ 10), sunning and eating on the south-facing slope of the expressway. The bright flash of blue as the males took to the air closely followed by their drab brown mates
--The motionless Great Blue Heron as it stood in the shallow creek near the beaver den.

None of those on the trail saw or heard what I did, because they weren't observing life around them. Their focus was inward or within the small bubble of energy surrounding them.

The beauty of nature is all around us in the city. You just have to open your eyes and observe. Take the time to tune out the roar of the cars on the highways or pick up the trash that has blown or drained into the green belts.

Nature and life will always find a way to survive.