The Great Outdoors

I've lived nearly my whole life in rural Vermont, surrounded by trees and grass and freshly manured fields. I love all of it and until about a year and a half ago, I always lived somewhere with accompanying outdoor space. Last Spring, I moved into my current apartment, which I love wholeheartedly. It doesn't, however, have any accompanying outdoor space (unless you count the parking lot where my neighbors like to hang out). This hasn't bothered me too much since there is a little park and a river within walking distance. But yesterday, while I was taking these pictures and listening to the sounds of nature, I realized just how much I miss spending alone time in the great outdoors.

When I got home I decided to take a walk in order to spend a little more time outside. I typically stick to the sidewalk and make a loop around the block (much longer than a city block) to my apartment, but this time I decided to walk to the town rec fields instead and made an awesome discovery. Hidden alongside one of the ball fields was a little sign announcing the town labyrinth. Currently it's just a circle mowed out of the a bunch of tall grass, but it is shady and secluded and no one bothered me when I sat down to listen to a podcast and play with the grass. I was thrilled with this discovery and even more thrilled when I found a freshly mowed field, surrounded by trees that also seems to be owned by the town.

I plan on taking serious advantage of my new found outdoor spaces by taking nightly walks. I'm stoked to have a place so nearby where I can be alone in nature, something I took for granted for many years.