Charlie and I didn't get to go hiking yesterday in honor of OptOutside, the movement intended to replace Black Friday shopping with spending time outdoors, since I was one of the unfortunate people who had to be at work.
And even though it's still gun-deer season in Wisconsin, the nice weather lured us outside today to one of our favorite county parks that was blissfully free of hunters and gunshots.
The water level of the reservoir was finally low enough to allow access to the tip of the peninsula that we haven't been able to explore since last year.
We took the opportunity to comb the shores and walk the waterline along the beach. I admired shiny bits of exposed quartz rocks and the swirl of sand beneath the water as the waves rolled in, while Charlie purposefully dropped her tennis ball in front of each of my footsteps in hopes of a game of fetch.
On days like this, when I can walk on a beach in late November with a warm breeze blowing my hair and the sun shining on my face, I feel like a kid getting away with something.
Like it's almost too good to be true. But at the same time, it absolutely is true.
And I glow.
