Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of Natural Lands, a non-profit organization that saves open spaces from development and encourages connection to nature and the outdoors. Mariton has become one of my regular places to visit whenever I need some alone time. Because it sits on the top of a steep slope called Bougher Hill, there are enough trails to get in a decent workout.
This small pocket of space is quiet with many birds and a decent amount of trails to get in a good fitness walk. I started coming here a few years ago acquainting myself with the land and its changes throughout the seasons.
Today the temps were somewhere in the mid-40s. The winds made the dried leaves on the beech trees rattle and shake and the tree trunks creaked as they rubbed against each other. It gave me something nice to listen to and drowned out any car noise I could hear coming from the street below the hillside. A Pileated Woodpecker shuffled around on the ground looking for bugs in the leaves. I kept my distance and watched him until he flew into the trees and hammered at the bark. I found an old tree stump to sit on and watched four turkey vultures soaring through the sky enjoying the breezy day. The longer I sat, the more I began to notice. About arm's length away I noticed a tiny Bloodroot flower, one of the first signs of spring, poking up from the leaf debris. Sometimes being in the woods in Pennsylvania reminds me of being a little kid outside playing. It usually takes me about an hour to wind down when I first get on the trail, but when I do, I always come back home relaxed, happy, and reset.
