We have a saying how the
grass is greener on the other side,
but what if we spent some time
on the grass beneath our feet?
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Time does shift perspective. These photos are from about 5 years ago this coming fall. I was in the early stages of my relationship with my spouse. We recently got married after 5 years together, so seeing these photos took me down memory lane. I love them immensely and my love grows deeper every year. It isn't exciting as it used to be because of life changes and responsibility but it is as steady as a mountain. Just like the one we hiked that day.
How that day started
- Red Berries and tattered leaves of an unknown plant from along the trail -
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I remember that day starting slow, we are always late risers typically. My average awake time is 10:30 in the morning, which is not too bad. We drove a couple of hours to the Appalachian mountains. In America, especially in a rural state, EVERYTHING interesting is a couple of hours away. We got close to the area we chose before my phone signal went out! And on top of that, the map of the area we went to was very vague. We ended up hiking the wrong trail in the beginning. After I made a comment to my significant other that the trail we were on was going down the mountain that we turned around and found the right one.
A huge chunk of my pictures came from the wrong trail, so I wouldn't say it was time wasted. Sometimes life is funny like that, throwing something in your way. Only for it to turn out better than the original plan. It's all about perspective and how you think about the things that don't go right. It turned out to be an adventure, with a TON of lovely photos. The red berried plant from above was one of them.
Along the Wrong Trail
- This lush trail was at the start of it, you can see why we went the wrong way -
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The view didn't always have the sky above. Along most of the trail there was a canopy overhead. It was glorious. A escape from society, almost like a fairy land. The trail twisted and curved and there were often locations where openings offered spots for hikers to have picnics.
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- All three pictures above are from the same trail, the yellow flowers caught my attention as their bright yellow stood out very vibrantly -
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As you can see, it was a wonderful trail to follow. Little surprises here and there. After we decided to turn around we got to see the same trail but from the opposite perspective, and got a lot of exercise that day.
The right path with the view!
- The mountain tops and the horizon were very captivating -
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The path up to the 'money shot' took a lot of time. It was almost dark by the time we got there! We actually saw the sunset but were talking to another hiker at the top. He was showing off his mini drone. There was also a cool metal tower at the top but the actual peak itself was not all that interesting. The way up to the peak was not as pretty as the trail we went down by accident as well. Below are some shots as the light was getting dimmer. The sunset was starting to happen on the other side of the mountain, the shadowy side was the one we were climbing.
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- This side of the trail was less charming but still had it's beautiful moments -
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All in all, I would say that the hike was a success. The mistake turned out to be my favorite part of the day and I thoroughly enjoyed the moderate exercise. Getting up into the mountains and breathing the fresh air was invigorating.
Closing remarks
If you have the ability to visit the mountains for hiking, or camping, or just to drive through, I would strongly recommend it. There's nothing like it. The cool air, the sense of how vast the earth truly is, the views of the sky! They all are just ingredients that make it so special. I've only had positive memories of going to the mountains.
It was also fun to experience it with someone you love. It leaves lasting memories that I will carry for the rest of my life. I will forever remember those moments and having these images will help me remember the details as well. Hiking or other activities are like watering the grass in a relationship. If you find the grass is getting dull and that the grass looks greener on the other side, take some time to do something about your dull grass. Water and fertilize it and it will get as green as you want. Love takes time, hard work, and immense amounts of empathy for your partner. Take some time to explore your love.
As always, thanks for listening to my story and me rambling about memories. I always appreciate every interaction, no matter how small it may be. I love the Hive community and all of you who put effort into making it a good place to be in. Thanks so much!
