Sounds in the silence

   On Wednesday of this week I went on a short vacation with my family. Unfortunately, the power cord to my computer was left behind! At one point I was able to get on another computer and tried to post, but the blog site was unavailable. So, after a 4 day break, let's get back to this project. Here is my 1980 reflection:
   Hiking through the woods is an incredible experience. I was reminded of that the past few days. We went to  Camp Pinnacle in Clayton, GA. I was able to walk on several of the short trails through the woods, by the creek, and around the lake. You would think it would be a quiet experience. It is much quieter than the hustle/bustle of civilization [sic], but there are so many things to hear. I love to hear the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. In the mountains, there is usually a breeze (even if it is in the tree tops). Sometimes I would lie on my back and take a rest, looking up at the canopy of trees with the clouds in the background.
   Birds were singing often. and when they weren't singing you could sometimes hear them digging through the leaves looking for bugs to eat. Ducks and/or geese would quack or honk across the water. Sometimes I would hear the rustle of some animal deeper in the woods (perhaps a squirrel, a deer, or even a lizard). Insects make lots of noise too and flies....it was annoying when they dive bombed me, but it happened frequently.
   I made a lot of noise too, the clump of my boots on the trail. The clatter of my hiking stick on the rocks, a slight rattle of equipment in my pack, the sound of my lungs working hard on a long climb up a summit, even my heart beating hard from the exertion. And when I was hiking I often sang. Imagine my chagrin when I rounded a corner, singing loudly only to come face to face with other hikers who were heading South!
   Did I have a favorite sound? Yes I did (and I still do). I love the sound of a mountain stream. Usually I could hear it faintly in the distance, so faint that I questioned whether it is really a sound or not. But as I got closer the sound of the water pouring over the rocks is clear. And the closer I got, the more beautiful the sound was. when I arrived at the stream, I would sit and soak in the sound while enjoying a refreshing cold drink of water. Sometimes the streams were tiny, sometimes they were large. I loved camping close to a large stream....being lulled to sleep by the beautiful sound of the rushing water. These were the sounds in the silence of the wilderness.
   Regarding my current project in 2011, I am somewhat glad that I wasn't able to blog the past few days because my weight went up some while I was on vacation, (up to 184.0) only to fall back to 181.8 pounds this morning. I suspect a lot of it was water weight from eating too much salt. I'm home now, blogging while listening to my daughter singing at the top of her voice. I'm back from the wilderness, but I still remember the sounds in the silence1