A Very Special Day

One bright, sunny morning last August, we decided to go for a drive. We packed a picnic lunch and hopped in the car. Heading North Toward trees and water, we enjoyed some spectacular scenery. We drove along Hwy. 395, until we came to a little town called Lone Pine. We turned onto Whitney Portal Road, and started driving west toward the mountains. As we drove along, we passed some campgrounds and fishing spots along Lone Pine Creek. Soon, we saw Lone Pine Peak up ahead, and off to its right was the majestic Mount Whitney. A little further on, we arrived at one of our favorite places to spend the day.

It's a place called Whitney Portal, a very popular destination for many nature lovers. There are scenic trails for those who like to hike and enjoy the view. For those who want to fish, a sparkiling clear pond full of beautiful trout. Nearby is a small clearing in the woods, with picnic tables and benches. For those who want to sit and enjoy peace and tranquility, this is an awesome place to be. We dedcided to sit here and eat our picnic lunch.

While we were eating, we noticed a little chipmunk slowly approaching. As he came closer, some blue Jays started fluttering down from the trees. They seemed to be scolding the chipmunk, warning him away. He ignored their chatter, and ventured even closer. Soon, he had come right up onto the bench next to me! The little chipmunk tugged gently on the leg of my pants with his teeth, then hopped up onto the table. He seemed to e wanting some of my sandwich, so I tore off a piece for him. He very carefully took it out of my hand and sat there nibbling. A couple of Jay birds flew up onto the table and tried to take it from him, so he ran off with it.

The birds started begging us for food, but they weren't as brave as the little chipmunk had been. Only one of the Jays would take the food from our hands. The others would grab a piece of bread off the table and fly away to eat it. We counted a total of seven Jays who came to share our lunch that day. The birds stayed around until our food was gone, and then they flew away.

After our amazing experience in the picnic area, we went for a walk to the nearby waterfall. We were blessed with a spectacular time there, as well. The water was lower than in early summer, but still beautiful. We enjoyed the sparkling waterfall, and the fresh smell of pine trees and crisp, clean mountain air. The beauty and serenity there waswonderfully refreshing. A tremendously healing experience for mind, body and soul.

After we had rested by the waterfall for a while, it was time to head for home. We enjoyed a relaxing drive, reflecting upon the events of the day. On our arrival, we were blessed with another special treat. A spectacular desert sunset, a perfect end to a very special day.