November dawned in the moodiest of ways; pouring rain, low-hanging clouds, and a dense fog permeating the forest.
Perfection.
Fog is a fickle thing to capture on camera — too thick and the trees disappear completely, too light and it doesn’t show itself in an image at all. But when it’s just right; the results are ethereal and mysterious.
When fog descends into the woods, the effect is similar to that of snow; sounds become muffled and quiet, nothing is heard but the steady drip of raindrops on my jacket and the surrounding leaves, and the occasional snap of a branch being stepped on.
I am no longer nervous when out here, not like I used to be when I first began adventuring into the dimness of the trees — but fog lends an eerie feeling to my surroundings, and my mind conjures images of the unknown that lies beyond the veil of grey.
There is such excitement within me on days like this; the beauty is unmatched, the forest feels like a dream, and I cannot soak it up enough; my head turns on a swivel, this way and that. I walk longer and further than my usual excursions. Though I am still soothed and calm, mostly I am brought to life, awakened.
There has been so much on my mind of late; disappointments and dreams, new ideas and releases of old ones, work and the day-to-day of life. But for a few hours, all of it falls away; my mind not quiet necessarily, but focused entirely on my immediate surroundings. It’s a relief, a short reprieve — nothing else matters when I’m out here.
A metamorphosis is taking place within me, I feel my thought patterns shifting; I am letting go of so much that I’ve been carrying. Fitting, I think, as I am deep into the autumn energy of release — nearly ready for the long hibernation of winter. Nearly. There are a few things to accomplish before then. And outwardly, I am not quite ready for snow to reach us yet.
I hope you enjoyed this foray into the fog.
Until next time,
♡ Whitney
Something noteworthy — 2024 calendars are now available in the shop! I wasn’t sure I was going to complete this project, but it’s ready, and I’m very pleased with the result. If you are in need of a calendar for next year that’s filled with seasonal images from my forest wanderings, you can explore that here.
This is lovely! And I really like your description "highly sensitive, forest-wandering introvert navigating life." :) My family is similar - tucked into a little corner of forest in Maine. I look forward to readying more about your wanderings, and hope you'll also visit me at Moments where I share photography & stories about moments of connection in nature and everyday life :)
Beautiful work.