A Whimsical Woodland Wander

be soothed, be calmed, and spend a few moments under the trees

Come with me, and you’ll be, in a world of pure imagination.

In a world where fairies might be just around the corner, where silence is only interrupted by the songs of birds and the rustle of leaves, and where a woodland elf possibly passed this way minutes before your footsteps followed.

Lace up your imaginary boots my friends, and don’t forget your rain jacket, we’re heading off into the forest.

Trees stand tall; towering into the endless sky, while their roots dig deep into the earth below. Press your palm gently to the moss-lined trunk; feel the moisture, the softness, the lines and grooves of the bark beneath. Feel the life beneath your fingertips.

A small patch of yellow Iceland poppies catches our eyes next; a few early bloomers open and stretch upwards for light, but more remain cocooned, awaiting their turn to open themselves to the world.

Feathery ferns thrive in the temperate rainforest climate; they flutter and dance in the quiet breeze, catching raindrops and gently holding them at the tips of their fronds before they drip, drip, drip into the earth below.

More raindrops are caught and held; balanced on stems of grass and cupped in divots and grooves of leaves. Stationary for merely a moment before gravity continues its work and they soak into the soil.

Splashes of white amongst the green are the bunchberries; covering the ground, climbing over fallen branches, and nestling into the sides of stumps and trees.

The sun brightens our path momentarily, a path nearly overtaken by the abundance of foliage and greenery. A single track, rarely traversed, except for magic seekers like you and me.

And it’s here along this overgrown track, the remnants of an old logging road, that we come across these; crimson columbine. Nestled amongst the grasses, the beautiful red flowers look as if they wear a crown; such majestic royalty can be found in this expanse of woodland.

We step out of the dense forest canopy into a rocky clearing, where the red osier dogwood is just beginning to bloom; creamy white-yellow flowers nestled into broad green leaves that adorn red-hued branches.

Our last moments together, we will spend sitting amongst the early yellowrocket; buttery soft flowers that wave back and forth in the fresh breeze. Close your eyes and imagine the sounds of birds chirping, singing, whistling as they fly from branch to branch above your head.

This is where I’ll leave you, until next time,

♡ Whitney

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I would love to collaborate with you to create a custom piece of art for your space. You can visit my shop — here — or email me at hello@whitneybarkman.ca if you see a photo you’re interested in purchasing.

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