A Walk in the Woods...

The other day, I escaped from the city deep into the Santa Fe National Forest, driving about twenty minutes out of town to get there. The aspens and other trees were lovely, and the shady forest canopy was a nice refuge from the heat of the day. I heard many birds and saw a considerable number of butterflies, although I sadly wouldn't be able to identify anything that I saw!

Luckily, I had asked a neighbor for tips on finding water, so the trail that I hiked led me to the Tesuque Creek. Being hot enough from the hike, I stripped down to my bathing suit and immersed myself in the ice cold water several times, even though it was only about a foot deep. Sources of water for swimming or immersion are not as accessible here as they were when we lived in Western Massachusetts, so beggars can't be choosy out here in the dry, dry Southwest.........