Last walk before leaving, I go early. Suzi's elbow is healed enough for her to join us for the entire walk. Unruly grapevines overtake the brook, and a shaft of early morning sunlight sparkles the dew on the leaves. The morning is still and silent, except for the birdsong and rhythmic crunch of our feet on the trail. 

On my way home, I'm delighted to find another patch of wild Turtlehead - it's so hard to spot on the forest floor, but it catches my eye on my return, passing it the second time, and I kneel down and examine the underside of the blooms - their lemony, bumpy bellies.

I love all the photos I post on this blog - I take many that aren't worth posting, of course. Every morning, I have a favorite - one that I know is truly unique, that captures and, I hope, communicates, a transcendent moment as I experienced it. As I did this morning, passing the grapevine. A beautiful vision to take with me as I travel away from the Charles River woods.

All photos and text copyright Kelly DuMar 2017