A Visit With Nature

Last weekend, we went for a short, child-friendly hike. LE both enjoyed the hell out of himself and bitched the whole time because 4 year olds are unpredictable, passionate and mercurial people. At the end of the hike were some super-cool waterfalls, so it was like getting a reward.

Pissed off about nature.

For my part, having loathed and carefully avoided exercise for at least several years, I was pretty pleased I was neither sore nor tuckered out after a mild two-hour hike. I decided it's because the hike was nothing different than the walks I take once or twice a week anyway, only with more sweet moss and interesting tree roots and fewer cobblestones and selfish dickheads in expensive cars. So that was all right.

Contemplating nature.

In Oregon, we seem to be somewhat between wildflower blooms, so instead, I got all excited about greenery because greenery is freaking exciting and totally underrated.

Aside from ferns' prehistoric coolness, they're like clouds in that they make me want to jump into their billows and roll around and fall asleep. They're just as deceptive though, because if you actually did that, you would hit nothing but ground only it would be way worse if you jumped into clouds.

Giant clover rock. Shamrock!

Why is the circular growth of these fronds so gorgeous?

Or the triangular growth of these leaves?

Triangle leaves are cuter when they're small, like snakes and wolverines.

There's nothing special about these flowers. I just felt guilty about not wanting to include them.

Somewhat more assuming, but not really.

Very unassuming.

Oh, moss. When will the world learn to love you as much as I do?

I don't think it's a stretch to call nature sexy.

Spitbug! What is nature without a spitbug sighting?

As though moss weren't cool enough, this moss has to go and look like a miniature prehistoric forest.

Still mad at nature even though he knows the tree is cool.

I would not be me unless I found something in nature that looked like a piece of shit. Also I freaking love slugs, and this one was like a 4-inch slimy piece of shit with spots on it.