Finding the magic

Last updated on: January 4, 2013 at 3:51 pm by Niki Whiting

Finding the magic 2013-01-04T15:51:53+00:00 Niki Whiting

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Even though I’ve been in Olympia for a year I feel as though I’ve hardly explored any of it. Having two small children makes it tough. Sure, I take them out with me, but attempting a two mile walk can take close to two hours with them! However, thanks to a new friend here I have discovered the magic of the Mclane Creek Nature Trail. There’s an easy, flat trail that loops around a small lake, with lots of ducks and beaver dams. The western side of the trail has a stream where salmon fight to spawn in the autumn. There are stands of devil’s club, one of my favorite plants, and in the bog there is skunk cabbage.

Salmon swimming upstream; all photos courtesy of Everyday Life Magic.

I first walked the trail in late September. The magic was palpable. I immediately got a sense that Ana and Arddu were present and at home here. It’s a damp, mossy, green and grey space. During the autumn I went nearly every week for 6 weeks, sometimes three times a week. Knowing one spot and being able to notice the subtle changes helped me feel more connected to this new-to-me land.

I haven’t been back over the winter. My rain boots cracked and I need some new wet weather gear.

This place reminds me a bit of the old growth forest I grew up in SE Alaska. I feel good when I walk at Mclane. My head is quieter. The vegetation and land feel ever so faintly familiar. I look forward to learning even more about this particular place and sharing more of the magical places around here as I find them.

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