A Walk in the Arboretum

It was a reasonable morning - weather-wise - so we went on our customary walk through the Hoyt Arboretum here in Portland. It's a pretty good hike - lots of elevation changes, especially if you go down to the Winter Garden (I didn't get a good shot of it sadly...another time)....and then back up. It was a bit foggy, mid-40's F but there's a lot stirring in nature there now.

My Blip collage for today contains a foggy image, as well as the Choisya ternata in bloom (Mexican Orange) - a Holly as well as a hellebore of some sort. Always good to see signs of life as we slide into the winter months. Being outside in nature in the winter is critical for me....it can be so easy to hibernate. Having spent much of my life in New England where it's darned cold in the winter, the tendency to stay inside in the winter is hard to dispel. But here in Portland, with the exception of the rainiest of days, I'm much better off with a good walk outdoors every day.