National Parks – Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author

Hello Friends,

I have returned to the land of the living, feeling much better from a week of Covid, about 90% so. I’m still taking it easy because Covid isn’t meant to be taken lightly. But I’m grateful to feel human again. I’m sharing a poem I wrote from one of our day trips with our daughter in Tennessee. We visited The Natchez Trace Bridge, which I will share photos and a piece of writing (in progress) a little later. But the poem today is about our drive along The Natchez Trace Parkway. A brief history is also included.
I hope you enjoy the journey…

**Photo taken at one of the stops on the parkway.**

The Old Natchez Trace – pulled from the National Park Service

The Old Natchez Trace is one of the oldest transportation routes in North America; its human use dates back 10,000 years. The Old Trace consisted of a network of trails. For centuries, American Indians traveled and traded along this corridor, which traverses the homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations. The parkway is a 444-mile scenic drive that connects Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. It’s a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road that’s open to motorists, hikers, and bikers year-round.

The Natchez Trace Parkway

The tires roll on the graceful parkway
flanked with thicket of forest on both sides.
My imagination turns whimsical where
fairies, gnomes, and unicorns coexist
within the density of the woodland.
I exit my tenacious thoughts stirred from
world events, and I revel in wide-open spaces
and a vast valley that continues forever.

Hemlocks, maples, and pines dot
small sections, and I delight in leaves
skipping across the road, letting the grass
catch them in soft embraces.

Our car leapfrogs with a lone cyclist,
but you wouldn’t label our journey a race.
It is a gift to savor where the clock
does not personify a dictator.

My eyes watch butterflies ride the gentle
breeze and crickets hop among the myriad
of greenery. A smile finds its way,
and I am lost in the wonder of every living
creature and how each feels about
our presence in their homeland.

Autumn ensures her presence to come
with hints of golds and crimsons.
I can almost smell the cinnamon.
I can almost taste the pumpkin.
What a delicious season to welcome!

When we reach the end, I direct my
mindset to remain in such a magical state
because not only am I in the best company
of two loved ones,
but my mind and soul feel exhilarated
to release heavy cargo.

Instead, after leaving the heavenly national park,
I find it meditative to observe a man with silver hair
contained beneath a ball cap,
sitting in his chair on his massive, mowed lawn,
simply watching the grass grow.

Let us all immerse into the tranquility of stillness
where time is nothing but irrelevant.

Fall into gentle poetry by clicking on the
image to purchase your copy. And if
you enjoy my collection, I hope
you’ll share a review. 🧡

Thank you for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!
Lauren 🧡🍂🍁

I’ve been on a break and during that time, my husband and I visited our son in VA . He was able to dust off his ‘tour guide’ and ‘host’ hats again, and of course, he did a fabulous job. Just spending time with him in his apartment, catching up about life and enjoying wine and good food, is something special we’ll never take for granted. But he did have fun playing tour guide, so a few places we visited were Arlington National Cemetery, Harper’s Ferry, Shenandoah National Park, and the Teddy Roosevelt Island. Some sights were simply breathtaking while others such as the Cemetery were somber. We couldn’t help but get teary-eyed. It was relaxing driving around the area too, reveling in the sights of acres and acres of lush green grass. Just gorgeous!
Here are a few photos that I hope you enjoy;

*Arlington National Cemetery – The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier*

The Appalachian Trail runs through Harper’s Ferry, and I am proud to say we walked a few miles on this iconic trail! It was fun and inspiring to talk to some hikers who were just beginning their 1000-mile trek up to Maine!

*Tunnel on Skyline Drive (105 miles long) in Shenandoah National Park*

*Another vista in* *Shenandoah National Park*

*Walking from our son’s apt. to our hotel – a 5-minute walk.*

Teddy Roosevelt Island Memorial – an 88.5-acre island and national memorial located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The land is generally maintained as a natural park, with various trails and a memorial plaza featuring a statue of Roosevelt. No cars or bicycles are permitted on the island, which is reached by a footbridge from Arlington, VA on the western bank of the Potomac.

And to top off this post, today is my father-in-law’s 100th BIRTHDAY!! He suffers with pain but walks with a walker, and his mind is as sharp as ever. It’s beyond amazing! He didn’t want a big party, so we had a small gathering with family and friends, and he was very appreciative. When the celebration was over, we took him home so he could take a nap!!! 🎉🎉

*He doesn’t eat cake often, but he indulged in this delicious cake for his 100th*!!

Thank you for stopping by! Work continues on my upcoming book, and the release month is now June for ‘summer reading.’ I’m also working on reviews for some wonderful books I’ve read this year. I hope you are doing well, and I wish you a bright start to this new month of May.

~ Lauren ❤️🌸