My wife Sandy and I reside in an unusually hilly suburban neighborhood near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Some of the blocks are so steep, they can take your breath away. Literally and figuratively. My hood once was, I imagine, a forest. Although hundreds of houses now decorate the land, quite a few trees are still around. Which is all to the good. However, I would have to revise that statement if any trees were to collapse, fully or partially, and beat the hell out of homes or cars or, far worse, human beings. But nothing like that ever has happened here, as far as I know. Which isn’t to say it couldn’t. My friends Michael and Susan, a married couple, would attest to that. They live about 20 miles from me and Sandy. In 2021, a tornado associated with Hurricane Ida decided to pay a visit to their property. Wham! Bam! It knocked down a couple of large trees growing extremely close to their house. Major damage to the structure resulted. Very fortunately, and pretty miraculously, everyone within was unscathed.
But, enough about damages and miserable events. I’m not done talking about trees, though, and I’ve got a few things to say about other subjects too.
Two Fridays ago I left the comfort of my living room sofa and headed outside to get some exercise by taking a walk. I exercise a fair amount, primarily via walks and yard work. But, considering my advanced age, I should exercise more than I do. I mean, as screwed up as the world is, I’m in no hurry to bid it adieu. Note to self: Start exercising more, asshole. Your life span might extend if you do.
I greeted a bright summer afternoon when I exited the house. The temperature (79°F/26°C) was higher than I’d have wanted, but pleasant enough, and puffy clouds were scattered throughout the sky. As planned, I gave my cardio system a workout by going up and down many steep streets. It thanked me for this and, to show its appreciation, after a while had me close to sweating like a pig, something I don’t enjoy in the least and which occurs far more frequently now compared to my pre-septuagenarian days. Basically, the older I get, the harder it is for my body to regulate its temperature properly in the heat. Note to self: Try to remember never to oink under circumstances such as this.
I enjoyed the walk very much, despite the perspiration situation. That’s mainly because I spent a good bit of time admiring the sky. Looking up at the sky is the best habit I’ve developed in the last couple of years. The sky is a wonder under all conditions and at any time of day or night, a truism that somehow I only barely recognized for most of my life. What’s more, during the walk I made it a point to find views of the sky that also included the tops of trees, or to position myself near the bases of trees and, gazing upward, observe the sky through the branches. Trees are the best, are they not? They seem to possess wisdom and definitely maintain a calm, tolerant presence. And they look great, to boot.
What made the sights even finer is the fact that the neighborhood was unusually quiet. Not a single dog barked during my stroll. And human voices filled the air on only one or two occasions. How was this possible? I didn’t know and sure as shit didn’t complain about those circumstances, for it truly was a pleasure to absorb, with few distractions, the good vibes that Nature was sending my way. Experiences of this sort are meaningful and uplifting. It doesn’t hurt that they are cost-free too. We deserve them. And we need them.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
A beautiful tribute to the power of (and our need for) trees, Neil.
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Thanks a lot.
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We live in the redwood country, and I sure don’t want one of those trees falling on our property or me. There are some huge spruce trees on my next-door neighbor’s property. A few years a go one of them came down. It fell into their open backyard area. If it came down in the wrong direction, it could have taken out our deck and part of the house.
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We have trees on our property, but none are gigantic. A neighbor, though, has a huge maple that would damage the heck out of our home if it decided to fall and fell in our direction.
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Now I’ve had two falls I spend more time steady walking and much less on gym.
The mild Spring weather is great for walking round the ‘hood, mentally too. I fit in three or four a week . Glad to hear you’re doing well, Neil. ps red wine in moderation of course is a great health tonic especially when paired with steak or salmon, the latter of which I’m having tonight. 🙂 🙂
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Coincidentally, we had baked salmon last night, and we’re having it again tonight. Delicious!
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good choice 🙂 don’t forget the glass or two of red 🙂
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“Note to self: Start exercising more, asshole. Your life span might extend if you do.”
Or not. It is good to feel we control stuff. Insightful post. Thank you.
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Hi. I’m going on the assumption that exercise is beneficial, as long as I don’t overdo it!
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Stay safe ♥️
God bless you 🙏🏻
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The best work out you could do and I do not mean the steps but the attitude to what surrounds you.
That sky was really beautiful though.🤓
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Hi. It’s easy to take the sky for granted. I try not to do that.
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Stay safe ♥️
God bless you 🙏🏻
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So, that’s why I perspire so freely! As with you, I am very conscious of the importance of regular exercise so walk several times each week with gardening filling the gaps – and swimming these days. I would excuse your perspiration in 26C conditions. That’s too hot for walking.
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You get a lot more exercise than me!
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That makes perfect sense! You certainly sound like someone who keeps active and enjoys a healthy routine. Walking, gardening, and swimming are all wonderful ways to stay moving. I’d really like to hear more about you—how long have you been enjoying gardening and swimming, and which one do you look forward to the most? I always enjoy learning more about someone with such an interesting lifestyle.
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We are approaching 50 years of gardening and have been swimming since childhood. Of course, swimming is seasonal as we swim in the sea but not in indoor heated pools. Walking is generally when the weather is unsuited to gardening. Which do I look forward to most, you ask. Without a doubt the book and the glass of whiskey or the coffee and chocolate!
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Wow almost 50 years of gardening that’s truly beautiful and says so much about your patience and love for nature And swimming in the sea since childhood must have given you some wonderful memories. But I have to admit the image of you relaxing with a good book and a glass of whiskey or coffee and chocolate sounds especially lovely. There’s something romantic about those quiet little moments. I’d enjoy hearing more about the books you love and what makes those moments so special to you. ❤️
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how are you doing today
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Like Dolly Parton, I worked nine to five and am exhausted.
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I’m just glad that you are getting good time to relax out to all many people as possible in a time when the world really needs it.
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May God bless you with good health a long life and endless happiness in Jesus name
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hello 👋 paddy
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Trees with sky make for amazing views. I have several elms in the yard, so I understand the beauty and danger of these huge plants.
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Some suburban neighborhoods have very few trees. I’m glad mine isn’t like that.
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I agree. Treeless neighborhoods look sterile.
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Trees set against the sky make for a stunning view. Having several elms in my yard, I know firsthand how beautiful and potentially dangerous—these giant trees can be
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How lovely to have elms. The only ones we see in England have been made into lovely furniture over fifty years ago
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Maybe elms will re=appear in England one day!?
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It will be a long time
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Hello I’m trying to follow you up but I can’t. Can you subscribe to me if you don’t mind.? Pardon me if you find this inappropriate.
Stay safe ♥️
God bless you 🙏🏻
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Hi. Let’s hope those trees stay in place!
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What beautiful skies and trees! In the past few years, I’ve started getting really upset whenever I see trees getting cut down, especially if it’s to do with road maintenance or building.
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Hi. I know what you mean. Who is this, by the way? You’re listed as Anonymous.
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Time in nature is always beneficial
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It de-stresses us, at least for a while.
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Congrats on being able to stay active Neil. And you are so correct. We must all take the time to appreciate life’s little joys.
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Amen to that.
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I accidentally unsubscribed from your blog, which I’ve hopefully fixed now! I like your photos of the trees and sky. Hats off to you for exercising and taking the time to connect with nature. I try to go for a walk every day, too, especially since I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, so getting outside in the autumn is essential. Being around trees and in a forest is one of my favorite ways to relax.
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Forests are fabulous. There are none in my area, but my wife and I visit forests on Cape Cod when we’re on the Cape.
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Always enjoy your photos!
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Thanks a lot, Joyce.
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Great photos and a wonderful recap of your walk. I feel much the same, the world is basically screwed, but I’d like to hang around a little bit longer. Maybe I’ll get a chance to see things turn around for the better.
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Things might start to improve when Trump leaves the picture.
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One can only hope…
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Many thanks, Jerry.
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Nice post on the importance of observing nature. I love studying the sky (and tops of trees). Waiting for fall for some interesting cloud formations — now the sky is just too monochrome blue!
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Hi. We’ve had great-looking clouds of late. But I’m more than satisfied with monochrome blue too!
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We do need those moments indeed. A lovely post. 🤗
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Thanks, Tyler. I appreciate it.
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Beautiful blue sky Neil! I always enjoy when a few fluffy white clouds float on by. I get the temperature regulation thing. I spend a lot of time gauging my walks to stay out of the heat which isn’t easy here.
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Yeah, heat exhaustion can sneak up on us. We have to be alert.
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Walking is the best, and I do it too. It’s a good way for me to have time to think.
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Walking suits you ideally.
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Those trees are magnificent. I hope you enjoy strolling past them for many years. And thank you for your uplifting stories. They are great to read.
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Thanks a lot, Yvonne. I appreciate that.
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Agree! Beautiful pictures!
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Thanks very much. I don’t know who this is, by the way. You’re listed as Anonymous.
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Sounds like a peaceful walk, filled with beauty. Our neighborhood has some awesome trees (and a great sky too) but unfortunately August in central Texas is kind of a no-go for lengthy outdoor activities.
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Beware of the heat!
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Lovely summer sky and greenery! I bet you enjoyed the stroll!
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Hi. i plan to go on a walk tomorrow. Maybe I’ll walk in a nearby town, just to get some variety.
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This is a great reminder to look up and consider the beauty around us.
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Up is where it’s at! Who is this, by the way? You’re listed as Anonymous.
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I will join you in your love for trees, though I increasingly worry about the several near my house in stormy weather. They have lasted the 30-some years I have been here, but as they say in the investment world, past results do not predict future performance.
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Yeah, you never know!
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You know that I am also a nature-loving tree hugger and a walker, so I sure agree with everything you said, including the part about how, at our age, our bodies don’t regulate temperature anymore. I detest summer, but still enjoy the walks, even though I also “sweat like a pig,” which my doctor assures me is a good thing.
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Don’t overdo it. Heat exhaustion is a real thing and can sneak up on us.
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I try not to, but besides the walking (which I love), we have a lot of yard work to do in this heat (which I do NOT love).
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I must say, the combination of trees, sky, and clouds provide some of the best views in nature. Even in winter, when the trees are leafless and the skies are gray, there’s beauty to be found — and the walks can be more pleasant then as well!
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I completely agree. I think that the combination of leafless trees and grey skies is a very great one.
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I, too, love trees. Seeing them silhouetted against the sky, either in full leaf or bare, is a great pleasure.
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Experts claim that there are about 3.4 trillion trees in the world, I think. Maybe it’s 3.7. Anyway, I’d like there to be at least two trillion more trees than there are.
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Yes, yes!
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Lovely post, Neil! I especially connected to “… I spent a good bit of time admiring the sky. Looking up at the sky is the best habit I’ve developed.” When I was 10–my first summer at Girl Scout camp–they counsellors took us down to the beach on Lake Michigan for a sleep-out. We arranged our sleeping bags around the campfire and drifted off to the slap of the waves, but I lay awake for some time watching the night sky. No burning forests like now that fill day after day and night after night with thick clouds. Just a carpet of glowing stars against the black sky. We must take care of our beautiful planet, even in the face of all who abuse it. Especially in the face of all who abuse it.
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Right, Planet Earth is totally unbelievable. But it has been under attack since the Industrial Revolution.
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Tried to like your reply, BUT WordPress wants me to comment LOL.
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There are several large trees on my small suburban lot. They make my gardening efforts a challenge, but I do look up and admire their tops against the blue sky while waiting for my watering can to fill up. A mixed blessing is still a blessing.
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Hi. I like the final sentence of your comments a lot.
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That’s great. Thanks, Neil!
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It’s a real gift to live in a hilly neighborhood, and I’m sure it’s helping you stay in shape! My San Francisco neighborhood is, as one might expect, quite hilly and is also actually graced with a handful of steep staircases, which I try to ascend nearly every day. Staves off the osteoporosis! Unlike your area, though, I’m often unable to see the sky here because of the pervasive fog, especially in summer. It’s great air-conditioning but I do miss seeing the blue. And thanks to your blog, I will now try to be more attuned to the sky and appreciate it more (once fall rolls around!).
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One great thing about the sky is that it is always there!
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My husband has one of those Whoop bands that measure eveverything about your health and tell you how old you are helath wise despite your age. Since he turned up the exercise, he’s now two years younger than his real age. Interesting.
And about your neighborhood being a forest–you could go on Google Earth, use the time slider, and see what it looked like 100ish years ago. Pretty interesting stuff.
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Hi. Thanks for the Google Earth tip. I’m going to do that.
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Sounds like a great walk, Neil. Exercise is the best for us older folks.
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Hi. That’s what experts say, and I hope they are correct!
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Yes, we hope.
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Glad to hear that you got in some city forest bathing!
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Being around trees, and gazing at the sky, are good medicine!
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I have anthropomorphized trees for some time. We fell in love with our house in part because the street had a canopy of trees. But then the storms came a few years ago, and our neighbors survived only because they were away—and their son was sleeping in the basement. The town saw decay and took them all down. It was devastating.
Now we have youngster trees—the next generation.
Nice that you can look up and through them, Neil.
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Hi, Annie. Trees can be very dangerous. Your neighbor’s son was extremely lucky.
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He was. But we’ll always be wistful about our street with the tree canopy in the before time.
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A walk outdoors, with the trees as companions, does indeed uplift our minds and strengthen our aging body 😀 Especially love the last photo of the Grand Old Lady tree.
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Hi. Of the four photos, that’s my favorite too.
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Yay!
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Neil, a lovely walk illustrated here. Since I retired, the trees, skies, and clouds have all taken on more meaning as I can more often live in the moment and take them all in without worrying about what the clock says. And quiet in my part of the Philly suburbs is not often a thing, but I certainly can identify with you on those special times when you are outside and there isn’t a sound. No people, no pets. Maybe the occasional bird singing its song. Perfect moments to savor.
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Hi, Bruce. There were plenty of cars moving around during the walk I write about. But, somehow they didn’t disturb my mental state.
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Thank goodness the GOP hasn’t figured out how to charge us for taking a walk in our neighborhoods! I have so many favorite trees in the neighborhood – they’re like old friends. It’s always sad when one of them must be chopped down for some reason or another.
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Hi. I know what you mean. Trees are among Nature’s best creations.
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Your walk sounded wonderful–except for the hills. Not my favorite. A nice flat sidewalk is my preference. But if I had to hike up a hill, your neighborhood’s trees and sky might be worth it. Love the photos.
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I kind of like the hills here. Walking up them elevates my heart rate, so it’s a good cardio workout.
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I’m totally with you on this one Neil. Walking, sky watching and peering at trees (and through heir branches) is an up-lifting activity. Great that you tackle those dastardly hills and survive bar the sweating. Anything that is good for one, isn’t necessarily enjoyable, but keep on climbing and looking, as there is so much beauty to see.
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Steep streets, here I come!
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Very peaceful. I like looking at the sky too but I need to keep an eye on my feet most of the time to avoid flinging myself headfirst onto the pavement!
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We all need to be careful!
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26°! No wonder you were glowing 😊
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Hi there. It has been a lot hotter than that on many days this summer here.
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Nice. It sounds like a time travel situation, where you find yourself somewhere else and the first thing you notice is there’s no noise–no cars, no airplanes, etc. Did you possibly go back in time for a little while, to before noise pollution existed? 🙂
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Actually, I was in an alternate universe. But please don’t tell anyone!
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I love tree and sky views too! And I love your note to yourself not to oink 😃
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Hi. It’s very tempting to oink, but I try not to.
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Trees are the best, for sure! I harbour a hope that after our silly species has made our survival here impossible, trees will somehow adapt and thrive.
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Trees, I’m pretty certain, will thrive. They seem to be an intrinsic part of Nature.
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Lol. I can’t tell anyone, ’cause then you’d have to kill me!
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Between the time we purchased our first home and when we moved in, a large evergreen tree demolished the bedroom of our new neighbor (no one was hurt). He greeted us by suggesting we take out the one tree that seemed to be dying on our property. We did. Currently we live on a big hill that was forest until it was developed when I was in high school. Some of the very large trees were grandfathered in and some of the plantings have grown quite large in the intervening 65 years. One thing has remained constant: the battles between “save the trees” and “save the views.”
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The houses in my neighborhood are pretty close to one another. One of my neighbors has two gigantic trees in his backyard. Both are close to his house, and one of them is pretty close to mine. Those trees are a potential danger. They should have been removed 50 years ago.
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Many of us, including myself, should exercise more than we do. Agreed, trees are the best. We live in an older neighbourhood with a lot of mature trees too, which provide really nice shade coverage when going for a walk. But the next time I go for a walk, I’ll make sure to look up through the sky through all the branches.
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Hi. Your neighborhood sounds like a good place to live.
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The beauty and danger of these huge trees😊
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Indeed.
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You are doing it right, and an appreciation for the trees boosts the benefit! Loved the bit about try not to oink. 😅😂
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I plan to do yard work today, despite the blazing Sun and high temperatures. I’ll be sweating like a you know what.
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Ha!😅🌞 I do hope you get cooler temperatures very soon though. Sweat is not our friend!
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