One step after another. Along jutting roots and sliding pebbles. Up switchbacks anc across cutouts of plateus. Down one ravine wall to rise up another. All to reach a summit, and to savor its view. A hike: more than just a leisure activity or outdoor activity. It is a way to participate in nature, to…

Sometimes, there is a softness to sunlight. A pale glow on verdant cherry leaves. A warmth instead of a sear. A swath of cotton instead of a scouring pad. Sometimes, there is a harshness to sunlight. A blinding radiance on worn white siding. A scortch instead of warmth. A drowning in hot coals instead of…