A fern, illuminated from above, sprouts from shallow soil held by rocks along Chippewa Creek.

It continues to be a stressful and tiring time. Our mothers are facing health issues. Our cat, Tasha, has reached a health crisis of her own — hyperthyroidism. There’s too much to do, and too little rest. Still, it’s possible to find a respite in nature. Wednesday morning, before heading off to work, I took a brief, solo photo hike along a portion of Chippewa Creek. Calm now after the spring’s torrents of rain, the stream flows gently over age-smoothed stone in a gorge carved deep into bedrock. The stream is canopied by the branches and leaves of old trees. Mosses and ferns grow in tiny trays of moist soil formed in the rockface. Despite the location, near a busy street and business center of town, the scene is calm and soothing to the soul. Just what I needed.