Otherwise, time marches on around these parts. 2020 is almost over. I'm sure I can speak for many when I say "good riddance." The pandemic is reaching it's worst phase at the moment, thankfully the vaccine has also just arrived and is being distributed as I speak. I'm hoping for some "normalcy" or an approach to normalcy come spring and summer.
I've been really really grateful for the small patch of woods nearby. The pandemic has forced my world to shrink, and those woods have been such a source of mental stress relief. I know many are not as fortunate. For me it underscores the necessity of forests for our mental health and overall well being.
Masks have become the norm, even in the woods around here. If others are not wearing them, most bring one along it seems, and most choose to mask up when approaching another hiker. I've been able to get a 30 minute hike in almost every day during my lunch break. I tend to take side trails or bushwhack to avoid crossing with other people for now. The woods near my house have become popular in recent years, with a public trail created through them for the first time a few years ago. So I see people everyday, although I would say numbers have decreased slightly since the beginning of the pandemic and when the weather was nicer.
Winter solstice and the shortest day of the year will be here shortly. We will see what winter has in store. Until then, I just keep taking one day at a time...
