Yesterday, I spent two hours walking in the snowy woods of Goshen with my friend Jeanne. That was four miles by my watch.
It was about 30 degrees (-1.1C for those across the Pond) when we arrived mid-morning, which meant the air wouldn’t be too cold, but the snow would be firm beneath the soles of our boots. And fortunately for us the trails at the DAR State Park had been packed by snowmobilers and cross-country skiers — a step off a trail meant soft snow up to the calf.
Jeanne, an avid cross-country skier and biker, invited me. She knows the trails of the DAR State Park like the proverbial back of her hand, and so I gladly let her lead the way. It was a pleasant hike with a few slight hills as we gabbed about a number of topics. The air among the pine trees was so clean. Fortunately, the gassy stink from a passing snowmobile evaporated quickly.
We did venture a bit across the park’s frozen pond. The metal points of our poles sounded like they were hitting glass, but we didn’t stay long after we saw soft spots on the ice.
At one point, I pulled off the mittens Jeanne lent me because I didn’t need them nor the hood of my sweatshirt.
I try to take a daily walk in our village to get moving and give myself a break from writing and thinking about writing. But a walk in the woods was different.
In terms of books, I have a lot going on right now. I will be launching a new mystery, The Unforgiving Town, the sequel to The Sacred Dog, early next month. The cover is oh-so-close to being finished by my artist son Ezra. Soon I will share it.
Then there is the screenplay my friend John and I co-created — the book series from the ’50s it is based on is a secret right now — that hopefully will be made into a movie.
And my Young Adult book, The Talking Table, is moving ahead after letting others read the manuscript. I believe their suggestions will make the story better, so I am happily plunging back inside.
Yes, I have a busy brain. Making lists helps. Doing household chores. Conversing with family and friends. Music. And Saturday, it was a walk in the snowy woods of Goshen with my friend Jeanne.