I get lost in the rhythm of my steps with my breath as I climb the rocky trail and am grateful for the chance to disconnect from my cell phone for a few hours, get my heart rate up, and use my lungs and sweat! I have hiked away anger and sadness and prayed so hard while stomping up the mountain that I missed a connecting trail causing us to hike 4 miles further than we had planned. 

I began hiking many years ago because I wanted to meet some new people and begin some healthy habits.  I bought a pair of hiking boots and signed up to join the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club.  My first hike with them was a 9-mile round trip up Chestnut Top trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It was SO hard and I had blisters from my new boots!  I was so sore that I had a hard time getting in and out of my chair at work for days after that. Nevertheless, I was hooked.

🌞Feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin when I'm hiking rejuvenates me and gives me energy.  I take advantage of the opportunity to close my eyes, breathe deeply, and listen to the birds, the water, or the wind.  I enjoy the sound of the crunch of the leaves under my feet.

I love hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have completed much of my map and enjoy logging my miles. I like hiking there because the trails are well maintained, well marked and it is safe.  I have seen bears on the trail but have never been in a situation where I was afraid.  Hiking to Mt. LeConte is one of the most beautiful hikes and the views are amazing as well as at Charlie's Bunion and Clingman's Dome.  One of my favorite places is Ramsey Cascades which is the tallest waterfall in the park with about a 100' drop.  It's so beautiful.

My husband and I enjoy hiking together and have found that we prefer to walk apart from each other in our own solitude. 🌿 We are fortunate that we found a compatible hiking partner in each other and enjoy adventuring together often.  We have found that we enjoy a quiet hike in the woods so we may enjoy the sounds of nature.  After all, that is why we go there.

One of my biggest hiking stories is when I climbed up to about 12,500' to Cloud Peak in Wyoming a few years ago included a 4-day backpack in the Cloud Peak Wilderness.  It was magnificent, scary, and so hard.  I got altitude sickness 500 ft from the summit and had to sit there while the others climbed to the top. Not what I had in mind but monumental at the same time.  I remember thinking how small the rest of the world seemed while on top of that mountain. There's nothing like it. 

Another time we hiked down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and stayed for a couple of nights at Phantom Ranch. It was a magnificent experience but also SO hard.  It was very, very hot at the bottom of the canyon and we couldn't wait to sit down in the river after hiking all day.  There were so many amazing things that happened on that hike and we were in awe of the beauty.  We truly experienced the Grand Canyon instead of just looking at it.  It will kick your butt if you don't show respect.

Immersing myself in nature helps inspire me to create beautiful art. It allows my mind to stop playing the same playlist of daily life over and over again.  I can shut off the chatter and allow the whispering of the leaves and the gentle rustling of branches to soothe my worries. 

Since most of my creative work focuses on eco-printing and hand dyeing with botanicals, hiking is the perfect activity for me.  I am able see the actual brushes I use in my art alive and growing in the woods.  I am constantly inspired by the leaves and plants and how they curve and twist as they grow. I love seeing how the branches bend and how the beautiful shades of color change in the light.

As I am looking at the plants and trees, I often think about the composition of my art as it would be in nature and the colors that are natural to the plants' environment when creating new designs and illustrations.

I am always experimenting with plants and this process and continue to say "what if".  I would love it if you would follow along my journey by subscribing to my blog.  You can experience the beautiful and weird things that happen in the dye pot and enjoy the fun of botanical printing.  Thanks!