The Road Less Traveled

As I stepped outside I took a deep breath of cool fall air. The day was beautiful, you know the kind, ~ blue-not-a-cloud-in-sight- perfect sky. A jeans and t-shirt day. I climbed in the passenger seat as I heard Marine close the tail gate behind his dog. Perfect afternoon to get out and enjoy nature.



We stop at a small, local BBQ joint and get sandwich's to go and continue on our way. A valley winding thru the mountains. And even though I was born and raised in this small town, I have never been to it. We drive down the dirt road, stopping at every creek crossing so that I can take pictures and that Dog can play in the creek.


We stop and sit on the tail gate of the truck and eat our sandwiches as we watch the leaves drift off the trees and Dog run back and forth splashing in the creek. This, in my opinion, is my idea of a perfect day. Just us and so far out that cell phone service does not exist. Like leaving the worries of the real world behind as we take in nature and everything else seems so insignificant. We continue up the winding dirt road that leads us deeper into the mountains, laughing and talking about anything and everything.




"I think this is it," Marine says as he eases the truck off the side of the road. Barely visible a little trail winds up into the woods. I let the tail gate down and Dog jumps down happily and races over to where Marine is waiting at the head of the trail. I come up beside him and he takes my hand as we head into the woods.


The ground is soft from the heavy rains that have pelted the south over the past few weeks and my tennis shoes slide as I start on the uphill climb.




Marine tells me its been a long time since he's been up to the waterfall and he's not even really sure that this is the right path. I laugh as I tell him that I guess we will soon find out. We continue to talk as we hike and then we come around a small turn and I stop mid-sentence as Marine squeezes my hand and we catch our first glimpse of the small waterfall. Carefully we navigate closer as we head downward on the trail. From the moisture of the creek and waterfall the rocks are slippery and Marine holds tightly to my hand ~ he is quite aware of what a klutz I am and I know he can just picture me sliding and rolling down the mountain. As I'm sure we all can knowing my previous mishaps............




We take so many pictures!! I was even able to prop the camera up on an old tree and with the use of the nifty timer take some pictures of us. Which may sound easy....... but I have a nice Cannon Rebel and I am super careful with it! So I wrapped the camera strap around the tree limb a million times to make sure it was secure, then I had to prop it just right as Marine stood down below, then I hit the button and within 2o seconds had to make it down the slippery slope without falling. Yes it was slightly difficult but so worth the great pics that turned out! Some turned out great.... and some turned out slightly fuzzy but others turned out really good ~ especially given the 20 second run time! (See few below.... unfortunately you get the fuzzy copies).



As we stood by the falls he said it. Those three words I had known in my heart but been to scared to speak aloud; I love you. My heart swelled as I looked into his eyes and I said it back, really meaning it...................





Ok your right that sounds to much like a scene out of a sappy love movie. But we did say I love you for the first time and we did say it at the waterfall. Which was perfect but the details.... well somethings are best left to the imagination.


If given the chance take the road less traveled. No telling what you might find.....

"Do you ever put your arms out and just spin and spin and spin? Well that's what love is like. Everything inside of you tells you to stop before you fall, but you just keep on going."

~ Practical Magic ~