Arrow Bamboo Patch in the Wissahickon
1-1-2026, 4:51pm (New Year's Day at sunset)
Walking on a snowy trail past the only patch of green in the woods between Andorra Meadow and Bells Mill Rd. The green is arrow bamboo, which is indigenous to Korea and Japan, but seems to be well-contained, and this patch was filled with birds.
Crunchy footsteps, the babble of traffic, and lots of birds that I couldn't see. Bonus awkward "happy new year" thrown in the middle as I passed a person walking a dog. I said "happy new year" so many times on that day (I wandered 14 miles), but I remember this one being particularly odd because it was getting dark in the woods and I think we both surprised each other a bit.