Sunday, January 23, 2005
A Walk In The Park
This morning I took the dogs for a walk to the beach. It's a bit overcast but otherwise mild weather today. Where I go there is massive parking lots on both sides of the creek because in the summer people flock to this area. In the winter it's usually very quiet. When you get out of your car you can pick up the scent that is truly Oregon. The smell of the pines and fir trees, the occasional cedar. The moss that grows abundantly around here, the decay of trees and the beds of rotted leaves and pine needles.
In this park there are paths everywhere meandering through bushes and scrub pine, under fallen trees and through blackberry bushes. The creek was full today with logs that have been pushed up into the waterway from heavy storms. There are three bridges that you can cross on your way from one area to another. Through all this are numerous picnic benches and firepits. In some areas the whole ground is bathed in moss. It's like walking on a carpet that's very cushiony. I love walking through here, there are places that if you were a child you'd be in heaven. Some of the trees are so large that in the base of their trunk are hollows you could hide in. Some of the areas of scrub brush have places where you can see have been used by kids or homeless people as small forts.
There have been recent writes ups in the local paper how this park is not very safe anymore because it is frequented by the homeless, drug dealings and dog kidnappings. Usually when I come here with the dogs and my daughter we just head to the beach where it is open and people traveling on hiway 101 can see those on the beach. But today I explored more then I normally would. I followed the creek east for a while and came upon the most beautiful Douglas fir. The base of the tree was probably around 15 feet around. It had one of those hollows that an adult could have fit in. I was very tempted! But the branches are what held my gaze. They were so graceful. I'd say some of these branches must have been about 20 feet long or more. While because of their weight they naturally fall downward they also make surprising and elegantly curved reaches for the sky. They reminded me of outstretched arms waiting to embrace something. As if saying "come, come here, I will welcome you and hold you" silly isn't it that I would think that?
Well we never made it to the beach we just stayed in the park today. I wish I could share it with you, maybe I did a little. ¶ 1/23/2005 10:31:00 AM
In this park there are paths everywhere meandering through bushes and scrub pine, under fallen trees and through blackberry bushes. The creek was full today with logs that have been pushed up into the waterway from heavy storms. There are three bridges that you can cross on your way from one area to another. Through all this are numerous picnic benches and firepits. In some areas the whole ground is bathed in moss. It's like walking on a carpet that's very cushiony. I love walking through here, there are places that if you were a child you'd be in heaven. Some of the trees are so large that in the base of their trunk are hollows you could hide in. Some of the areas of scrub brush have places where you can see have been used by kids or homeless people as small forts.
There have been recent writes ups in the local paper how this park is not very safe anymore because it is frequented by the homeless, drug dealings and dog kidnappings. Usually when I come here with the dogs and my daughter we just head to the beach where it is open and people traveling on hiway 101 can see those on the beach. But today I explored more then I normally would. I followed the creek east for a while and came upon the most beautiful Douglas fir. The base of the tree was probably around 15 feet around. It had one of those hollows that an adult could have fit in. I was very tempted! But the branches are what held my gaze. They were so graceful. I'd say some of these branches must have been about 20 feet long or more. While because of their weight they naturally fall downward they also make surprising and elegantly curved reaches for the sky. They reminded me of outstretched arms waiting to embrace something. As if saying "come, come here, I will welcome you and hold you" silly isn't it that I would think that?
Well we never made it to the beach we just stayed in the park today. I wish I could share it with you, maybe I did a little. ¶ 1/23/2005 10:31:00 AM
