Carolina Blue

Sunday was a typical carbon-induced warm day. It was February 1st, but felt like it should be the middle of May. So much for the global warming deniers.
I went to a local park to try to get at least a small taste of Mother Nature.

In these nearby parks I can walk through a patch of woods and gaze into a stream or two, but it's not the same as hiking into a wilderness. The main reason for this is that you cannot escape from the sound of automobiles and other machinery. No matter what, you're going to hear the growl of some kind of engine and constant movement of cars and trucks. There just isn't enough forest to shield you from those sounds, and sometimes not even from the stench of burning diesel.

I was able to enjoy myself to a certain extent, though. It was relatively quiet and I found a little peace there in the park. I saw where a raccoon had been walking through a small stream looking for something to eat. His tracks were everywhere, both on the shore and in the bed of the tiny creek. Also, I happened upon some green plants on the forest floor that I had only seen in the high mountains before today. I forget the name of this species, but from what I understand they're very ancient and have been around since the Jurassic. Sometimes people call them "miniature pine".

Another nice thing about the brief walk through the forest was the clarity of the skies. They were cloudless and perfectly blue.