The meadow on our property is divided into four smaller fields. Three of them are for grazing our beautiful horses, and the last is for the corn-field. As you walk down the slope, following the little trail through the scarce woods, the wind usually meets you with a mix of various aromas. The smell of trees, and nature are only complimented by the unmistakable smell of animals.
As you start to walk around the field, staying close to the tree line, your eyes can't help but wander. While you go up another slight hill, you feel the crunch of twigs beneath your feet. If you are heading out in mid-afternoon, you may be lucky enough to see the grazing goats as you descend the hill. The sight of the animals spread out, busy at their life work, the little ones carelessly playing about makes you smile unconsciously.
Now, as you come to a turn, you can either turn right and head up the second driveway, or you can continue to follow the trees and turn left. As you move away from the electric fence, now you are also following the river, which is running in the opposite direction to your right. You can hear the gurgling, and the flow of water, and if the vegetation isn't too brutal, you can see it streaming beyond the trees. Only a fence and a few steps through the forest separates you from the sight. The water line is usually low, so it would be a ways down, and the water can be muddy after rain, but even so, it's quite a spectacle.
The grass under your feet will be green, and cut very short by our personal weed-whackers, the goats and horses. The trees to your right are tall, and tower far over anything else around easily. The leaves are just starting to grow back and turn green. By now, you should have already spotted at least one of the horses. Usually in the biggest field, they'll be spread out, grazing. Sometimes in groups, but none of them ever going too far from the family leader without his improvement. And yes, to those of you who don't believe animals are as good at communicating with each others as we are, if you watch closely for long enough you could be amazed at what you would see.
The leader male will usually be farther away from the rest of the females, picking one to graze with him. Usually, it's the same one from day to day, but sometimes he will switch out. It can be surprising how he can pick favorites from among all of the mares. As for the women, they can show quite a bit jealousy if one is being given more attention than the others.
Now, you're probably getting to the second electric fence, that divides the big field from the three smaller ones. There will be a large puddle of muddy water next to the tree-line, which the horses use as a cooling devise during hot summer days. They will lay down and roll around in the mud to cool their bodies. As you pass the puddle and go under the fence, you start receiving curious looks from any of the horses close enough to care.
Sometimes, as you continue on your trip around the field, you will be accompanied by one of those goats that you saw earlier. Some of them are very used to people and think that when one comes around it must be feeding time. One such goat especially will follow me all the way around the meadow when I take my occasional walk. She completes the entire trip because when we're done, and back at the barn, she knows that I always give her a scoop of food for all the effort she put in to keep me company.
As you walk the rest of the way you keep your eyes peeled for anything you may see. You pass through the horses' usual hang-out spots in on the edges of the woods. You again glimpse the river through the trees. You listen to the enchanting calls of the singing birds. The world seems to be so quiet, and free of worries, and you seem to be one with the world. You can almost feel yourself melt into the environment. All you hear are the sound of the river, the occasional rustle of leaves as the wing plays gently with the trees, the calls of animals around you. The evidence of natural life is all around you, if you just pause a moment, and listen.
The sun begins to set behind the trees, and the sky turns infinite shades of every color imaginable. You watch the beautiful sunset and watch the purple, red, orange, blue and yellow disappear and be replaced by a blanket of beautiful black velvet, dusted in millions of little diamonds.
You could get a walk anywhere and at any time, but only in special places can you get lost in the magical surroundings, surprised at how fast time can fly. There are few places so serene and beautiful that you lose track of time, you forget your most important thoughts. And they vary for each person, but one of mine is the beautiful green meadow just beyond our back yard.