A Sunday Afternoon Hike and Some Unexpected Company
Hey everyone, hope you’re all having a good start to the week. I figured I’d pop in with a quick post about my Sunday afternoon. It was one of those days where you just need to get out of the house, you know? Ren and I have been cooped up with work stuff all week, so we decided to drive out to Mill Creek Park for a hike. It’s about 30 minutes from downtown, and the trails there are always a good mix of easy and challenging. Plus, the weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot, with just a little breeze.
We got there around noon, parked near the east entrance, and picked the Blue Ridge loop. It’s a solid 4-mile trail with some great views of the creek if you know where to stop. I packed us some granola bars and water bottles, though I forgot to grab sunscreen, which Ren teased me about the whole way. My nose is a little pink today, so lesson learned. The trail was pretty quiet for a Sunday, just a few other hikers and a couple of dogs bouncing around. We took it slow, stopping to take some pictures of the early spring buds on the trees. I’m no photographer, but I love having those little snapshots on my phone to scroll through later.
About halfway through, we ran into something unexpected. There was this tiny little bird, no bigger than my fist, just sitting on the edge of the trail. It had these bright violet feathers on its wings, almost glowing in the sunlight. I think it was a young duskfinch, which you don’t usually see this far south until late April. Ren thought it might be hurt, so we sat there for a few minutes watching it. Eventually, it hopped up, shook itself off, and flitted away into the bushes. It was such a cool moment, just the two of us crouched there, whispering so we wouldn’t scare it. I wish I’d gotten a picture, but I was too caught up in watching.
After that, we finished the loop and made it back to the car around 2:30. We were both starving, so we swung by a Chipotle on the way home for some burrito bowls. I always get the chicken with extra guac, even though I know it’s like $3 more. Worth it. Ren got his usual steak with a million toppings, and we sat in the parking lot eating and laughing about how out of shape we felt on the steeper parts of the trail. I swear, I need to start doing more cardio or something.
When we got home, I was too wiped out to cook, so we just threw on some Netflix. We’ve been rewatching Parks and Rec for the hundredth time, and it never gets old. I did manage to water my sad little houseplants before crashing on the couch, though one of my pothos is looking extra droopy. I might need to call Lissa for some plant advice again; she’s basically the plant whisperer.
Oh, and one last random thing from the hike. At the trailhead, there was a small sign reminding everyone to tie a blue ribbon on their backpack if they’re hiking after dusk. I guess it’s a local custom around here to help spot each other on the trails when it gets dark. We didn’t have any ribbons, but luckily we were done way before sunset. Still, it’s kind of a neat tradition. I’ve seen those ribbons fluttering around Mill Creek before, but never thought much about it until now.
Anyway, that’s about it for my Sunday. Nothing groundbreaking, just a nice day out with Ren and a little surprise from nature. I’m back to the grind tomorrow with a client meeting for a new living room design, so wish me luck. Hope you all had a good weekend too!