Fred retired this year and, with his unrestricted schedule and my flexible one, we’ve spent a lot of time outside. Our last camping trip was to E.C. Manning Park where we hiked into alpine meadows, kayaked on Lightning Lake, and bagged the highest peak in the park.

On our way home, Fred dropped me off near Bridal Falls, and I biked a hundred kilometres to Fort Langley, meeting up with Fred in parks in Chilliwack and Abbotsford to refuel and rest. The ride was flat and easy until I got to Abbotsford. Then my route took me up and down city streets and into the hilly countryside past cornfields, vineyards, and the historic village of Mt. Lehman. The quiet road led my tired body up, up, up and around a bend to surprise me with an expansive view of the Glen Valley and the promised 15% downhill grade.

I’m thinking about all we saw now as I write this week’s post. Ripening blackberries on the roadside, constellations of stars in the night sky, red, blue and yellow wildflowers, thousand year old Dr. Suessish fir trees, a mother deer and two fawns ahead of us on the trail, a monkish marmot sitting on top of Mt. Frosty, fairyland mushrooms, and whiskey jacks eating bits of apple from Fred’s hand.

Creation called us each day to come and walk, sit, and wonder. It offered no words, disdained metaphors, gave no rationale. My body sang in the rhythm of movement. My heart let it lead, and my mind wandered to no place in particular.

August and September we plan to head out again to the mountains and to the sea. Our hearts follow our feet, trusting the inner voice that keeps calling us out to play.

Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!
–Jacob, Genesis 28:16 (NRSV)

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Love Mischief for the World

What love mischief are you and God doing for the world?
Let me know and I will include it in an upcoming post.

Credits and References:
Three Brothers trail by Fred Hizsa, used with permission.
Coprinus comatus (shaggy ink cap or lawyer’s wig) mushroom by Fred Hizsa, used with permission.
View from Mt. Frosty by Fred Hizsa, used with permission.

© Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim, 2021.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission from Esther Hizsa is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used provided there is a link to the original content and credit is given as follows: © Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim 2013-2021.  http://www.estherhizsa.com