Dear Santa Cruz Mountains,
The fog that glistens on your green redwood peaks brightens my mornings and warms my heart. I see you on all sides of me, and appreciate your loving embrace around the valley I call home. Though I often admire you from a distance, hiking through your chilly forests and wading through your bubbling creeks brings me no greater joy. I especially adore the way you care for the many creatures that call you home: great horned owls, California newts, and red-legged frogs alike are eternally grateful for your kind hospitality. The atmosphere you create is like no other. The nutty aroma of bay leaves after a rainstorm, the crunchy sound of my shoes on your earth, the lovely sight of your endless green—these sensations make your mountains my favorite place in the world. I hope to be able to visit you for all of my life. I hope you know that I will always return, no matter how far I seem to be.
Forever marveling at your effortless beauty,
Julia Kemp