The weather is finally getting warmer, and after such a long, freezing winter, part of me wants to skip over spring and go straight to summer.  The rest of me remembers how much I love when life blossoms back from hibernation, so instead of wishing for summer I’ll just reminisce with this photo I took driving back from a photo shoot last year.

Summer will get here soon enough; it’s time to enjoy the spring.

Jay and I decided to go for a winter solstice night hike up Sleep Beauty Mountain in the foothills of the Adirondacks last month.  It was during the beginning of a tough time for me, and so the hike was a great way to get away and have an adventure out in nature during a completely unexpected time of day.  There was a Meetup.com group that coordinated the hike, but due to our work schedules, Jay and I ended up getting there much later than everyone else and having to do the hike up the mountain alone.

Once we reached the summit, we hiked another couple of miles to where the group was having a bonfire, and hung out until we all headed back to the parking lot to head home.  These pictures are terrible; I was taking them in pitch blackness, so I apologize for the lousy quality.

Hiking boots and microspikes ready to go!Since we were alone in the woods at night, every “Trail” marker was a major accomplishment, otherwise this is what the woods looked like: black. Continue reading →