Everyone unwinds in their own way. For some, it’s curling up with a good book, cooking up a new recipe, or just sitting quietly in the garden watching butterflies dance from bloom to bloom. For me, relaxation means something a little more. I love my garden, but since gardening is also my occupation, sometimes I need something a little different – something fast-paced to really clear my head. And when I feel that way, I grab my mountain bike and hit the trails at Balm Boyette Scrub Preserve.
If you’ve never been, Balm Boyette is a hidden gem. Miles and miles of winding trails through pine flat woods, shady oak hammocks, and open scrub. And options for beginning bikers or those that want to challenge their skills. But one of the things that makes riding out there special for me is the wildlife that always shows up to keep you company.
Last week, I was a few miles in, coasting through a quiet stretch where the trail opens into a grassy clearing. I slowed down to take in the view and that’s when I saw them, a group of deer that appeared to be a doe and two older fawns. They froze for a second, sizing me up. Then, as if someone hit the ‘go’ button, the young ones took off in a burst of energy, bounding through the grass with wild, joyful abandon. (Click here for a video).
It was like watching a dog with the zoomies — you know that moment when your pup suddenly decides it’s time to sprint full speed around the yard for no reason at all? That’s exactly what these deer were doing. Jumping, twisting, chasing each other through the scrub like it was the best day ever.
I don’t know why, but this moment really made me smile. I had a great bike ride, it was a beautiful afternoon, cloudy and perfectly warm, but stopping in this clearing and watching the unfiltered joy of these deer was just sort of contagious.
There’s a lesson in that, I think. Nature doesn’t really schedule downtime. It doesn’t plan a weekend getaway or carve out an hour for self-care. It just is. The trees grow, the birds sing, and sometimes deer get the zoomies because life feels good and the sun is shining.
That’s the kind of relaxation I want to bring home — the kind that happens naturally when you give yourself space to breathe and just be. Whether that’s pedaling down a forest trail or sitting in your backyard garden watching the world move at its own pace, the effect is the same.
As we move into the holiday season, when you need to carve out that space for yourself and unwind, we’ll be here to bring you joy with Return to Wonder. There will be some great family pictures spots, a little Florida snow on the weekends, and of course gorgeous poinsettias, Christmas cactus and reindeer philodendron. All starting Thanksgiving weekend.
You may not spot deer doing zoomies at the nursery, but you’ll definitely find peace, a little laughter, and a reminder that the best ways to unwind don’t come from stopping everything — they come from being part of it all. Here’s to living life outside — joyfully, wildly, and maybe just a little bit like those deer.
