Early Morning Summer Hike with Mary Oliver, Led by Jean McWilliams and Lisa Kleiman

Photo courtesy of Erik Dasbach
Meet at the Blue Bell Hill Parking Lot
Come join us for the fourth in a series of Mary Oliver hikes, this time focusing on poems in which Oliver celebrates the season of summer. We are planning an early start to beat the summer heat, beginning at Blue Bell Trailhead and including sections of the Yellow Trail as well as a stop at Historic RittenhouseTown. The distance is 3-3.5 miles and the hike is moderate in difficulty. Children 12 years of age and older are welcome when accompanied by an adult; no dogs except for service animals, please.
Distance: 3.5 miles
Level: Moderate (some inclines and declines, uneven surfaces)
I thought the earth
remembered me, she
took me back so tenderly, arranging
her dark skirts, her pockets
full of lichens and seeds. I slept
as never before, a stone
on the riverbed, nothing
between me and the white fire of the stars
but my thoughts, and they floated
light as moths among the branches
of the perfect trees. All night
I heard the small kingdoms breathing
around me, the insects, and the birds
who do their work in the darkness. All night
I rose and fell, as if in water, grappling
with a luminous doom. By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better.
Sleeping in the Forest, by Mary Oliver
Registration is required for all hikes so that participants can be informed of weather or other emergency cancellations.
Unless otherwise specified, Trail Ambassador Walks may be on rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and slippery. Wear sturdy shoes or boots with socks. Walks are cancelled in heavy rain or icy conditions. Service animals are always welcome. For more information contact Marisa Miller at miller@fow.org. Visit www.fow.org for updates.
Register below!