Next Steps
Three campers hiking up a rocky trail in a forest, one wearing a pink cap and carrying a walking stick, and the other in a wide-brimmed hat, and the third in a white bucket hat. Campers on top of rocks at the top of a mountainYoung camper with backpack walking in the woodsPerson with curly hair sitting on the grass facing a campfire at night, holding a piece of wood, surrounded by others seated in a circle around the fire.Two campers holding white chickens
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Stories & Tales, Thoughts from the Trail

Simple Pleasures: Fall Edition

October 23, 2025
Fall foliage against a blue sky with clouds and reflected in the still water of a lake

Four tiny, joyful ways I’ve found to be present this fall

-By Emily Angell

Fall can be magical when we slow down enough to witness it. The way the light filters through the brightly colored leaves asking us to look around before getting into the car in the morning or heading inside when the day is over. During the season, I find myself accepting fall’s invitation to experience its wonder in small, ordinary ways.

Walking

Lately, I’ve been giving myself permission to walk without a goal (i.e. not tracking it with my Garmin watch, though let’s be fair, it still counts toward my step total…) Sometimes I notice the squirrels running amok or a gust of wind that sends a confetti of gold leaves sailing through the air. That might be my favorite because it feels whimsical. How quickly the world reminds us that wonder doesn’t live in the extraordinary; that it’s right there gently cascading to the ground.

A forest path covered with multi-colored leaves, with mostly bare trees and sunshine illuminating a path through the woods

Being Still

Many mornings I enjoy getting outside with a cup of coffee, sitting by the small lake next to my home. It’s not meditation, exactly, though you could call it that… more like listening… or better yet, still-hunting. Noticing the blue heron lingering at the water’s edge, hearing the wind in the trees, watching the water shimmer and ripple. These are small reminders that even when everything feels big and busy, nature is keeping a steady pace.

A small lake surrounded by trees beginning to change color in the fall with a blue sky in the background

Cozy lighting

This time of year, I enjoy lighting candles — I recently found one that smells like café mocha and it’s been filling my home with a an aroma that reminds me of how my house smelled growing up. I light candles sometimes for the scent, sometimes just for the coziness that settles in when the room is lit by something soft and flickering. I think it’s the same reason campfires draw us in at night — the glow brings comfort and a feeling of connection.

Candle lantern sitting on a table outside with grass and trees int he background

Conversations

As the air cools and the afternoons grow shorter, I’ve found myself picking up the phone more — checking in with my family and hearing the familiar comfort in their voices. I’ve been making plans with friends visiting from out of town, to wander the trails and catch up as the leaves crunch beneath our feet. I haven’t cooked many dinners lately, but suddenly I’m eager to dust off the crock pot to cook something easy (AND make the house smell good) to share with a friend. The Danish have a word for this kind of closeness — koselig — a feeling of warmth, coziness, and togetherness that seems to appear most easily when we slow down.

Fall reminds me that simple pleasures — walking, listening, getting cozy, connecting — are not really tiny at all. They’re how we remember what it means to be present and to live well.

Summer Camp at The Nature Place

Here, campers spend 4, 5, or 6 weeks outdoors in a socially nourishing and non-competitive environment. Every experience—whether hiking a trail, wading through a stream, learning to swim, or enjoying a campout—builds confidence, connection, and joy. Our non-rushed schedule gives campers time to slow down, unwind from a busy school year, and have a real summer break.
A Summer of Wonder is Waiting

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