West Virginia, a state that is made mostly of curves and winding roads, is the place that I call home. Traveling the backroads through this beautiful mountain state, particularly this time of year is undeniably gorgeous. There is one extra special bend in the road that I adore, and whenever the car winds around it, and I see the light reflecting off the majestic, rolling hills, I know I am approaching the best place to be, home.

This mountain state is also filled with lots of chance encounters, and not just with people.

This mountain state is also filled with lots of chance encounters, and not just with people. These encounters come to me often, as soon as I step foot out my door; the lively chirp of the birds fills my head with music, and the magical scene of the baby fawn trotting across the road to meet his mother makes my heart overflow with warmth.

I spotted a hawk perched on the fence post on the edge of a field.

The other day, while on my way home, winding around my favorite curve, I came across a particularly spectacular sighting, one that you don’t see every day, even in this wild state. I spotted a hawk perched on the fence post on the edge of a field. He was just sitting there, eying the mulch pile and planning his next move. I stopped to savor this remarkable, shared moment in nature, as it’s not every day that you have a face-to-face with a raptor. I listened and watched as the Tercel flew over the field, scanning it for prey, and screeching to his peers. I wondered what he was trying to say, and I wondered what the view of the mountainside must have looked like from his angle. Was it frightening being up that high or was it freeing?

It is a true gift to live in such a spectacular, lively and magical place…

That evening, as I watched the fireflies begin to light up the night blanketing the hills with their magnificence, I felt so lucky and once again in awe of this beautiful place that I call home. It is a true gift to live in such a spectacular, lively and magical place where I get to experience so many surreal acts of nature each and every day.

– Willow Ferguson. HashtagWV #133. July 2021. Read more of Willow’s writing at willowgraceferguson.com