06/22/2026
Honoring the light within and without, we welcomed in the season of summer on a lovely forest bathing session at Pleasant Valley.
Along the way we noticed:
Like disco by daylight, the river reflected waves of light against the tree trunks while flickering with the movement of leaves. This is how the wind and light compose a moment.
Visited by water striders and the journey of what floats by—that leaf that slipped under only to surface again—we were reminded of hope and the cycles of our own lives, the endless beauty that surrounds us, and a much wider sense of belonging to the living world.
In the cedar medow, we paused to look up and witness the canopy of trees dipping in and out of each other, revealing the lighter undersides of leaves, in an orchestrated manner only the wind knows.
We followed the scent of honeysuckle along the meadow edge to the forest, where we sauntered along the dappled play of light, as if each beam landed like a stepping stone on our way to the pine grove.
And the pines. There is something about the scent of pine that draws one into presence. Together with the cushion of soft duff underfoot, they offer an invitation to be easy, to be peaceful. Stepping between two pines, we entered the grove proper and made our way to the three sister pines.
Each year we make a mandala together at their feet with fallen and loose forest items, an honoring of the light, the season of abundance, and all that we were offered during our time together with the forest.
A refreshing cup of lavender lemonade sipped under the pines, stopped time for just a moment, long enough to let it all soak in.
As we welcome in the season of summer, may you enjoy the fullness of life in this fullness of light.
