Occasionally a labyrinth speaks so softly to me, it takes my breath away.
Approaching autumn
On July 31st we paddled the Odessa Water Trail south of Muscatine, IA. What a beautiful day. High pressure held breezes down to cooling zephyrs. The sun was warm but not overly so. Summer clouds formed and drifted across the blue sky. We ate a light lunch in the shade of a silver maple beginning to turn to autumn’s palette.
Watchful eye.
Great Blue Herons and a Great Egret squawked as we kept approaching down stream. Why they didn’t just fly past us or way out of the way, well they just don’t.
So the morning was pleasant. But, by early afternoon I was tired, warm, and hungry. I misdirected Rich so we turned around and found the labyrinth tucked into the Muscatine Arboretum off Harmony Court.
What a name! And, it really was harmonious.
From afar – peacefulness
As I stepped out of the car and onto the arboretum, a sense of calm gently enfolded me. Rich pointed out the labyrinth a short distance away. Even from afar, it had an inviting quality. So, I began to walk. Only rarely have I felt the serenity that washed over me as I stepped onto the path and slowly made my way along the circuits. Open, yet private. Spacious yet contained. Each brick seemed to share a story without being overbearing. I wound past wrought iron benches each with a different motif – cats, puppies, and a lovely spreading oak under a spreading oak tree. Joggers padded by. A couple holding hands nodded and moved along. Rich studied the trees and walked the perimeter path. This was just the balm that sealed a lovely morning of paddling along the Odessa Water Trail.
1080 Labyrinth 