Flash Back

Do you remember where you were thirty-seven years ago?  Today as I walked along a road, I noticed some white flowers under fallen trees by a creek.  I knew instantly what they were, having seen them somewhere else, years ago.

On April 12th, 1980 Easter Day I was hiking north on the Appalachian Trail, having started from Georgia.  It had been a long three weeks, but it was only the beginning.  Tempers flared.  Food was often scarce due to poor planning and the expenditure of a good amount of energy, hiking with back packs that averaged 45# (mine) or 60# (my two hiking partners).

In my trail diary I wrote, "The trail took us over many never-ending knobs and seemingly pointless peaks." Besides composing poetry in my head,  one pastime that made putting one foot in front of the other manageable, mile after mile, hour after hour, was observing nature around me.

The most amiable companion spotted a beautiful white flower by the path on that particular Easter morning and declared, "There's your Easter Lily..."  "That meant a lot to me.  I received his small gesture as a gift to my heart."

The only one of three traveling without a camera, all I had was memories- until today.

Bloodroot

So there you have it- flowers ARE a girl's best friend.