Taking it in

I took a walk out with my wife today at a local park. There's a little nature trail that goes through some woods. I've never been on a nature walk with her, and thought it would be a nice way to spend part of Mother's Day. We were maybe twenty yards into the woods before I realized...I really have no idea what the woods are like.

As a GM, I describe a lot of nature scenes in different fantasy RPG's. They're probably the driest descriptions I do, which is a shame. I'm more of a City Mouse, honestly. I love the city. When I lived in Philadelphia, I loved that it was never really dark. I thrive in the environment, and, as silly as it sounds, it comes out when I run games.

I'm a huge fan of Fafhard and the Gray Mouser, "urban" fantasies about using cunning and guile, as well as magic and a sharp rapier. They talked to me more than epic fantasies about world-changing events.

So anyway, while I was walking through the woods with my wife, I looked down at the little stream that cut through the woods. I noticed the patterns of the mud and clay, and the muddy paths that once came off of the stream. There were makeshift bridges, logs and felled trees that kids threw across the water. My wife took pictures of pitcher plants and flowers; I took in the scenery.