Appreciative

This time of year, I definitely do not take the outside for granted. I am always very appreciative of the time I do have outside.

Take right now for instance. At the beginning of the week, I thought it would be a good day for a bicycle ride. Instead, I’m dealing with a rather hard-core chest cold and it is snowing pretty hard. So I’m indoors, for the second day. Not my usual thing.

Even during the work day, I manage to get outside and wander around. Most of the time it’s pleasant. Sometimes less so. But it needs to be done for my sanity. Weekends, this is even more so the case. Today, the weather and the germs have won. But it’s still a valuable experience. It will make me more appreciative when I do get back out.

My world shrinks a little in the winter. It always has. Treeline expeditions up in the mountains stop. Long rides grind to a halt. More local hikes and bikes happen. There’s not as much light for shooting while on these adventures, so there are fewer new photos as well. But when all of those variables come together, and I’m out trooping around or pedaling, and the shots come out great afterwords, all is right in the world. I sit back after developing the film and eyeballing the negatives with a deep sense of peace, very appreciative of the day.

It’s easy to take days like that for granted during the summer. They’re lined up one after another for months. The only thing that breaks them up is the occasional storm and having to go to work. Which is why I tend to cherish them more during the winter. In a way, the economists were right. Scarcity does increase the value.

Today, snow and hacking my lungs up have sidelined me. But I’ll be better in a few days, and I’ll be heading out for another beautiful day to be appreciative of.

Appreciative