And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. - John Muir

Self-portrait
Gambrill State Park

As a regular reader of this blog - you are a regular reader, right? - you know that I collect quotes and frequently use them as inspiration for my posts. This is one of many John Muir quotes that I have collected.

I love being in the woods, if I could, I would spend a good part of every day hiking along a wooded trail. There is no other place where I can get totally lost in my thoughts, or lack thereof. You will never see me with headphones on or playing music, the only sounds I am looking for are the singing of the birds or the leaves rustling. It's all about nature and recharging my soul.

A few years ago I was interviewed by a fellow blogger, one of the questions he asked was "What do you think about when you’re by yourself?". My answer, in part, was "When I am out for a hike in the woods I try not to think but to listen." My hearing is very poor but I am fortunate that the "sounds of nature" are of such a pitch that I can hear much of it. I can hear the birds, I can hear the leaves or a twig snap under foot. This is the Earth's music and nothing is more soothing.

Self-portrait
Shark River Park

Autumn is, for me, the best time to lose myself in the stillness that is the forest. The beauty of the changing leaves is just a part of the allure - during the fall, deer go into rut and are far more visible while out on the trail - including the elusive buck. If you pay attention you will also find squirrels and chipmunks busily preparing for the cold winter months but it is the smell of autumn that is the biggest draw. There is something wonderful about the smell of the woods when the ground is covered in leaves; this is when the urge to go camping becomes almost unbearable. You know the smell, don't you? That "earthy" smell of dirt, mixed in with wet, decaying leaves. I've also recently learned that things smell differently when the temperature lowers so maybe the smell is there year round but only noticeable in the cooler weather. Eh, who cares? If I could bottle it and use it as cologne I would.

November 17^th is National Take a Hike Day and I usually try to find a way to spend time in the woods somewhere but this year it came and went without a hike. This year I simply forgot. It's been that kind of year, especially the last couple months; it seems that I have been focused on other things lately. I am going to have to try harder to make time to get out and visit my favorite trails.

I'm going to keep this post short, I wanted to share this quote with you along with a couple of my favorite self-portraits shot along the trail. Do you enjoy the forest as much as I do? What time of year do you like best? Why? Where is your favorite woodland hike? I'm always looking for somewhere new to explore. I would love to hear from you - leave a comment below.

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All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

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