We went back to Lost Creek Falls a few weeks ago. This time, Ted and our good friends, Jeannie and Eric, came along for the adventure. The hike back to the falls was breathtaking— countless shades of green leaves and lush ferns lined the path. It was also muddy but the kids had rain boots. They found great joy in slogging through the middle of each and every mud puddle. The adults, sans rain boots, opted to avoid the mud and seek higher ground along the trail.
Meghan and I took a detour and walked along the stream bed to the second falls. It turned out to be a fortuitous detour— we found yellow brain fungus on a dead limb. It certainly looks otherworldly in the forest, the bright yellow sticks out like a sore thumb.
The second Lost Falls is one of my favorite places on earth. When Meg and I walked down the hill to the basin, a sense of calm and gratitude washed over me. Standing alongside an ancient rock wall, I felt the healing power of water, trees and time spent with family and friends.
I was behind the waterfall and saw Charlie and Carver sitting in the sun through the veil of running water. I wondered how these experiences will impact my kids as they grow older and what they will carry forward into their lives. If even a little piece of an afternoon spent deep in the woods near a waterfall stays with them, I will be thrilled.
I never tire of the sound of rushing water and thanks to a couple good rainfalls, the water was vigorously flowing in the stream and over the falls. I could have spent hours there, it was a magical afternoon.
The light was amazing and I turned to take one last picture. I wanted to capture the love, nurturing and gratitude I felt that afternoon. In the chaotic course of my daily life, I can feel the cool rush of air near the falls, the sound of rushing water and see my family against the sacred backdrop of the forest that this photo captured. I will carry it with me forever.
