On Saturday, June 25, I returned to Beazell Forest (near tiny Wren, Oregon), where I'd gone to hike on Maddy's birthday last November. It was clear blue skies and hot, with few hikers on the trail. Maddy would likely have rolled up his pants and taken off his shoes to cool his feet in Plunkett Creek, then sprinted up the trail, but my friend Nancy and I were content to sit on a log by a small bridge and take in the beautiful surroundings (trees covered in moss, the burble of the rocky creek) while enjoying our lunch. We headed back to the car when the temp reached the high 80s, walking past a group getting ready for a late afternoon wedding.
