Friday's Foto Finish Fiesta

These were taken a little while back on a hike we took on Sugar Loaf Mountain, in Maryland. It was an absolutely beautiful January day. Warm. Blue skies. We took the dog. On the way home we stopped at a little winery at the bottom of Sugar Loaf and I remember they let us bring the dog in. Gave him treats. Gave the girls goldfish crackers and Sprite. How good the wine was under such a blue sky.

What I really remember about this day, was how fearless my girls were. It took me by surprise. I remember thinking how steep the trail was. How big those boulders were, next to my little girls. The floor of the mountain was covered in thick, crunchy, dried leaves. I was full on Momma, watching my girls jump from boulder to boulder. Lift rocks up, looking for bugs. Run through the blanket of leaves. All I could think of was ticks and rattlesnakes and I was sure that they were going to fall off one of those boulders and crack their head open. Sure of it. I had to remind myself to breathe, to look at the view.

My brothers, sisters and I grew up in the desert and mountains of Arizona. We went camping, hiking and swimming in lakes. We walked around barefoot. Got sun burnt. My dad used to hunt rattlesnakes. And we always had some creature in our bathtub. A tortoise, a frog, a snake. We camped out under pine trees and the Milky Way. I always loved this about my upbringing. That nature was a huge part of it. It is in me. I want it in my girls too.

So what happened on Sugar Loaf? Where did all my fear come from? Did my dad feel all that when he took us out? Did he hold his breath too? He must have. But just like I did, holding my breath and all, he let us go.

To participate in Friday's Foto Finish Fiesta (and you must, you must), go to:

http://carriestuckmann.blogspot.com/