Summer Hiking: Borrego Bear Wallows

Happy summer!  During weeks like this I'm extremely grateful that we had the wisdom to install air conditioning when we bought our house.  It has been 90 degrees and sunny in the afternoons and I feel the overwhelming urge to do nothing more than lie on the couch after walking the dog around the block.  It is sure nice to be home, though, after two weeks of travel.  We had a laid-back 4th of July.  I worked my normal schedule at the hospital and Jaycob and Ady enjoyed Pancakes on the Plaza.  That evening we made dinner on the grill and went out to hear live music on a patio at a brewery before coming home to comfort a frightened dog during the fireworks.  I'm not that enthusiastic about the 4th of July lately, maybe because of the state of the country or maybe because I find fireworks irritating, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it more when Ady is old enough to enjoy the fireworks and festivities.  What I do feel patriotic about, however, is the US Women's Soccer team!  I'm not usually a soccer fan but their team and its passionate, dedicated, out-spoken players have united this nation in a way that seems impossible these days.

 In an attempt to beat the heat, I took Ady and Kua hiking last weekend on the Borrego Bear Wallows trail.  The forest is lush with summer vegetation and we had fun watching the butterflies and bees on the flowers.  Ady is enjoying getting out of her hiking pack more and more lately, and Mom certainly appreciates the break!  This hike was also a good practice in meditation.  It was a hot day, and being a holiday weekend it was busy on the trail.  It was easy to get irritated and impatient and start thinking about everything I needed to do later in the weekend, so it was an opportunity to practice being present, to approach the experience without expectation, to use all five senses and observe nature without judgment, and to express gratitude for my surroundings.  I look forward to doing some longer hikes this summer and see the flowing streams and wildflowers in bloom.
Little hiker, collecting rocks

I love these little red wild flowers!

Snack time

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