Forest Trek

Finally! No chance of rain, with
clear skies banishing cloud formations
over the mountain peaks auguring a
perfect opportunity to plan for
uninterrupted hours of spring leisure
devoted to mountain trails, the added
bonus of hefty winds penetrating
the forest canopy to fend off biting
insects whose larvae fester forest
ponds and streams on mountain
slopes. Oak and hemlock, birch and
spruce crowd the forest with great
masts of elderly pines looming tall
above. The understory of dogwood
elderberry and striped maple intrude
on narrowing forest trails as robins
woodpeckers and Yellow Admirals
sing, clatter and drift through foliage
soon to welcome the deeper hues of
dusk, bringing closure to the day.