This morning I did something I rarely do, Baxter and I just walked. I remained in the present and didn’t take a single photograph. It reminded me of how fortunate and grateful I am to have the opportunity to live on the Pacific coast, enjoying the landscape that surrounds us.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what anchors me (besides family and friends). What is it about a particular landscape that feels like home? My early childhood was spent bouncing around the east coast as my parents embraced my Dad’s multiple work assignments. When I was 4 years old we returned to Chicago which was originally my mother’s home. In the sixth grade my parents uprooted us and moved us to Portland, Oregon. As a college student I lived a semester in the Land of Enchantment, while participating in the National Student Exchange program at UNM in Albuquerque, NM. In my working and married life I have lived in 4 different western states: Oregon, Wyoming, Hawaii, Washington and California. Each with their own unique beauty, culture and pros and cons of their own.

One could say I have done a bit of wandering or searching for that place to call home. In unison with my husband who grew up in a very mobile Navy family, we built a life that involved multiple relocations usually related to career development and the desire to be closer to family. So what is it that made one or more locations more near and dear to my heart than others? Was there a common denominator, besides personal and professional ties? The simple answer to that is, yes. All other things aside, personal and professional, what cinched it and made me feel the most comfortable, is ferns.

Ferns have become the common denominator for me. I love all varieties of them. I have been fortunate to live in highly desirable locations but if I’m honest, I favor those rich in lush, green, leafy ferns. Like music, I can look back on my life and date my most favorite experiences based on the type of ferns or fern-like plants (i.e., wild asparagus included) that surrounded me. I actually missed them when I did not live near them. One of my all time favorites is Hāpuʻu ferns or Hawaiian tree ferns. We had a beautiful mature grove of them in our backyard garden at our previous home in Hawaii (see blog post cover photo). I am currently creating a little grove at our CA home using an Australian variety and a mix of smaller, low growing ferns. They bring me great joy. I also see and enjoy multiple varieties of ferns in my daily walks on the headlands and on the trails in nearby Redwood National and State Parks (think Star Wars Ewoks and Jurassic Park). Simple things like a favorite plant can have a lot of impact and endear your heart to the landscape. Ferns have been that source of comfort for me. I might even venture to say, green is my favorite color. 😉

Today’s photographs were taking two days ago on Saturday when the road to the Trinidad Lighthouse was open (each first Saturday of the month). Enjoy my pics and thanks for reading! #iluvtowalk #baxteronthego #trinidadcalifornia #humboldtcounty #humboldt #ferns #treeferns

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