The narrow trail beckons, well worn by valley explorers. Curving along the hillside to the rock and rolling creek revealing Teals bumpity, bump over rapids to tranquil pools and sandbars.

The knoll on my right increasingly pulls at my imagination. Strolling the well-trodden trail but constantly glancing right. Resting in the cottonwood’s shade yet being pulled toward that knoll. Covered with gnarly gray-green sagebrush, a fading facade of summer’s flowers, rocks that blend with cream-colored sand, and rocks along the creek popping with rust and pale green lichen.

This well-traveled trail stays close to the creek but the edge of that knoll–what might be on the other side? It’s just a short walk to wonder. The imagined visions explode with possibilities. A rolling landscape with hundreds of bison like huge rocks across the valley. A mirrored lake reversing the mountain forest above. Flowers ablaze adding red, yellow, purple to the color of sage. Songbirds galore keeping the cadence. The pull is too great. Heading up to the knoll’s edge to see what wonders await.

Through thigh-high sagebrush making me smell like Thanksgiving stuffing. Avoiding red stems with thorny warnings. Passing tiny plants with spiky yellow flowers so small a bee cannot get a foothold. Purple asters losing their petals to late summer weariness. Small spiders and grasshoppers jumping away from my footfall. The last few steps to the edge’s promise–excitement fills me. With camera ready I step to the top!

A rolling landscape of sagebrush and grasses, like a rubber-stamped picture of the landscape behind me. With late summer smells of dust and clicks and busses of grasshoppers and bees. With thigh-high sagebrush and late summer flowers.

But wait. See it? The edge of that knoll ahead. With a smile of renewed anticipation, I’m off! It’s just a short walk to wonder.

Until next time . . . be amazed in your neck of the woods.