Letterboxing Anyone?

Thanks to my friend Greg's advice, I have been doing some letterboxing recently. He talked about letterboxing in his blog. You can visit either letterboxing.org or read his blog for more insight about this wonderful hobby so I won't bother to repeat the details here. What I will talk about is my own experience with it.

I haven't made my own (or purchased) letterboxing stamp yet, so I am only stamping my own log book with the stamps on the trails. I will eventually make or get one, though. Greg had such a glowing report of his family's hike around Wadsworth Mansion that I decided to make that my first excursion. As I was going by myself, I didn't want to be some place that was too remote, either.

The Wadsworth trails are really extensive and this letterboxing hike really only scratches the surface. The boxes are all related to different sites - they may once have been sights, but are long gone - around the grounds. I was pretty impressed with the detail carved into these stamps! The last of the six is carved to resemble a Revolutionary War minuteman.

I am only sorry that I didn't start this hobby sooner. Sure, I can still get some great hikes in before the weather turns too bad, but I would really have enjoyed spending more of my summer doing it.

Take a look at letterboxing.org and find some trails near you. They are all over the country!

Spring is in the air!

Though the weather today is a little less amazing than the rest of the week so far, I am still excited to see the end of winter. Spring cannot come soon enough! Mind you, I like winter but I have had enough of it for now. I want to see the robins hunting for food in my yard. I want to see the sparrows building their nest in the tree outside my window. I want to take my dog for a walk without worrying about slipping on the ice and snow. I want to feel the warm sun on my skin. I want to see the buds on the trees and the daffodils in my garden.

Today is overcast and a bit chilly, but for the last seven days it has been absolutely amazing! I have been able to head out on the forest trails for some incredible hikes. I love being out in nature. Hopefully, this slight downturn in the weather won't last too long.