Yes, this Saturday June 2 is National Trails Day, but I don't mind telling you that E and I got an early start celebrating the big day last week.  Or was it the week before?  Or was it the one before that?  I'm not bragging or anything, but we do get a lot of enjoyment exploring our local trails, walking or cycling. The Chicago area really is blessed with a lot of fine resources, and there is simply no excuse to get out and about.

For example, last week we wandered on the Fox River Trail, and rode our bikes through Cook County Forest Preserve Trails in the Northwest suburbs. The weather last weekend was hot, and it was gratifying to see so many people enjoying the first real taste of summer. A simple day trip can be an inexpensive way to get back into nature and recharge one's batteries.  

I can't begin to tell you all of the cool things we have seen, simply by being out there. Last weekend that list would have included a Snapping Turtle, a roost of a half dozen Egrets, and a male Baltimore Oriole flashing across the sky. And we didn't go far away, it was all within a few miles of home.  

I think that many of us - myself included - have been guilty of under-appreciating the beauty of the Midwest. True, it is subtle. We don't have mountains or oceans, maybe the wonders here perhaps take a more discerning eye? Anyway, after all these years, I'm hooked. And I appreciate the many pathways that previous generations blazed for us to enjoy now.  Hope to see you out there.