Well, I made my way up Scout solo for the first time, (handicapped hound left at home),
distracted from my aloneness by the beauty along the way…
And discovering in the process that there is no aloneness when the Artist Himself guides the tour…
“One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in his temple.” (Ps.27:4)
–LS
Sometimes it’s the little things in life that lift our spirits… And that dogged determination to do what we’ve committed to on days we’d rather not, that helps too. So, did I say I was going to make a point to hike up Scout once a week? That once-a-week stuff comes around awful quickly. Anyway, there’s more than one way to get up Scout, so for variety I came up from another angle following the Sunshine Coast Trail… 
…and here’s what I found…
Catching some sun on a mossy (wet seat, oops!) clearing I had time not only to vent some frustrations to the Maker of Creation but to stop and look at His gifts to me this day…unseen gifts of continuing grace and faithfulness… and little tiny beautiful things with texture and color and life…
(Doesn’t this drop look like a little earring? My apologies for the lack of focus…)
The Moss is all excited about spring—putting out bouquets underfoot…
Surely God cares about the little things that seem so big to me for He makes even the tiny things beautiful. And here it is, beauty springing up underfoot when I take time to look.
–LS
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”—Lk.12:28
Well, the climbing muscles just aren’t what they used to be. Our little Scout has become more of a breathless hurdle than it should be, so I’m thinking that getting up there once a week would be good for both body and soul. I took the opportunity Monday to do it in the company of sunshine.
Nothing particularly new here but the snatches of snow in shady spots. The sun was glorious though and this time I had an unexpected visit at the top with another solo woman hiker. We chatted of trails and bears and cougars and our common choice to hike despite the potential danger, just for the love of it. She said she would just as soon be killed by a cougar as a car. Hmm…not sure I’m into either option.
There’s something artistic about these little manzanita bushes with their peeling bark and cinnamon colored skin…
and green on blue is always lovely. Thankfully, the arbutus has kept her leaves all winter.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water,…[which] does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green…” (Jer.17:7,8)
Blessings on your climbs and reposes in the SON this week. May your leaves remain green and your roots be well-watered .
Till next time,
–LS