Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Serene Autumn Hike in Oregon

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey friends, for the best Get Sleepy experience, be sure to check out our supporters feed Get Sleepy Premium for our free listening weekly bonus episodes and access to our entire catalogue. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make the free version of this show possible. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm your host Thomas, thanks for tuning in. Tonight's story was written by Nicole and will be read by Heather. We'll join a lady named Meg and her dogs, Holly, Maple and Drizzle as they adventure through the wooded hiking trails of Bend, Oregon, on a beautiful autumn day. On the way back home, they stop at their favourite local bakery to enjoy its famous cardamom rolls, which sounds exactly like something I'd do.

Starting point is 00:01:14 Before we get to tonight's story, I just want to mention this coming Wednesday's episode as it's something a bit special. Many of you may remember that back in late July, we had a story called a Dream of Sherwood Forest where we met Robin Hood and his merry man as he told extravagant tales by the campfire. While this Wednesday, we'll be heading back to Sherwood Forest for another visit to Robinhood's camp. And, like the first episode, it will have an expanded soundscape accompanying the story

Starting point is 00:01:54 throughout. It's an extra long one too, giving you plenty of time to drop off to sleep while you listen. So be sure to check back here Wednesday night so you can hear it. As for tonight though, it's time that we settle down and prepare for rest. So we can can enjoy this serene autumn hike to the fullest extent. Make yourself as comfortable as can be. If you need to plump up your pillow, or perhaps remove one pillow to allow your neck to lie at a more comfortable angle. Go ahead and do that.

Starting point is 00:02:50 Make any adjustments necessary. Then gradually turn your awareness to your breath. Turn your awareness to your breath. Notice the feeling of your breath moving in through, gently in and gently out. Continue breathing in this way, deepening the count of your exhale while you do. Allow them to be a little bit longer than your inhales. Allow a deeper sense of relaxation to fill your body and mind. And eventually return to your natural rhythm. Notice how you feel, resting back into the safety and softness of your nest. And now, let's turn our minds to the outdoorsy town of Bend, in central Oregon. story begins. Seated at the edge of the Cascade mountain range, Bend offers seemingly endless views of the peaks of Mount Bachelors and the three sisters mountains. Three Sisters Mountains. Despite its striking mountainous terrain, bend boasts mostly sunny days

Starting point is 00:05:52 and is bisected by a peaceful scenic river called the Deschutes. There's something for everyone here, whether your adventure of choices on the slopes, on a walking path, or subbing a drink in one of Ben's many local relaxation spots. Meg loves living here with her husband and pack of dogs. They have a huge plot of land on the edge of the city, where her dogs can run free amongst the trees. The dogs love to play fetch with pine cones, dig for gofers, and run zoomies around the

Starting point is 00:06:52 one acre perimeter fence. A zoomie is a joyful burst of energy that manifests in an earnest circular sprint. Happy dogs love zoomies. The densely-figured area is redolent of pine, tree sap, and soggy maple and aspen leaves. It is fall after all, so the earth is blanketed with piles of vibrantly colored leaves, creating a patchwork of fiery reds,

Starting point is 00:07:41 yellows and oranges. Make picks up a big handful of leaves and throws them in the air. As they float back down, Holly, a fluffy white husky mix, leaps straight up catching them in her mouth. Meg is planning to take her three dogs out for a hike on their favorite trail today. day. They hide together almost every day, so the dogs know the trail well and have all their favorite sniffing spots plotted out. The trail is stunning. Today the sun is shining and the air is crisp and clear. The bright blue sky further amplifies the golden shades of the conifer trees in Megz Yard. The dogs know they're headed out soon, and are starting to get excited. Along with Holly, the white husky mix are drizzle and maple.

Starting point is 00:09:18 Drizzle is a chocolate brown laparad, with soulful brown eyes and a very expressive face. She's sweet and gentle and sensitive. Maple is a spry, ginger-colored, many laparoredoodle. She's the youngest of the bunch and keeps her sisters on their toes with their feisty puppy energy. And Holly is the middle sister who is very athletic and smart and feels safest when she's close to her mama. Meg is very creative and inventive, and has learned to so playful and durable bandana and color sets for each of her dogs. and color sets for each of her dogs.

Starting point is 00:10:31 She changes their patterns with the seasons and holidays, so they always look festive and fun. Today, drizzle is wearing ball-colored vintage pumpkins. Maple has on a black bandana with the pattern of repeating beer signs, and Holly is wearing a seasonal flannel set. Together, they look picture-perfect and ready to take a nice, leafy hike. Meg piles them into the back of her car and drives the short distance to the trailhead. The dogs are allowed off leash here, as this is an incredibly dog-friendly town. She keeps Holly on the leash and close to her side, so she feels secure and lets the other two bound ahead. Vibrations of joy

Starting point is 00:11:46 pulls throughout their little bodies as they run freely through the woods. The beginning section of the trail is dense with evergreen trees, pines, spruce, and fur. Today the earth is soft and slightly wet from the morning clouds. The freshness of the mist tempers the brightness of the evergreen as it meets Meg's nose. She takes a deep soothing breath in. She loves the smell of the woods, as it always reminds her of home. She closes her eyes and takes another slow, deep breath in and sighs out with satisfaction.

Starting point is 00:12:56 As she looks up, maple comes sprinting back down the trail and pops Meg's hand with her wet nose as if to say hello, Mom. She scampers back off quickly finding the spot of ground to smell. Drizzle pops over to join in the investigation, and is similarly engrossed in the aromas of this patch of earth. Their noses switch back and forth as they each take in more and more dramatic breaths. Their nostrils now firmly pressed up against the dirt. No digging makes as she nudges them to move on. The two race each other around the bend, disappearing into the woods once again. As Megan Holly round the bend, suddenly the day shoots river comes into full view beside them. The tree line has thinned out and they can clearly hear and see the flow of the river

Starting point is 00:14:31 in the distance. The small rapids push their way over river rocks and fallen tree trunks swirling and churning, yet moving ever forward. The swishing and splashing of the river create a soothing resonance in the background. in the background. Meg and Holly continue walking up a slight incline, and as they reach a plateau, they see drizzle sitting on a bench in pursuit of a squirrel. Meg joins drizzle on the bench, scratching her head and telling her what a sweet good girl she is. Her soulful eyes, like deep wells of love, gaze back at Meg earnestly. Maple lets out a few excited barks in the distance, enthusiastically attempting to climb the tree.

Starting point is 00:16:05 Thankfully, her petite stature renders that ambition impossible, and she quickly gives up and joins Meg and drizzle on the bench. Holly lays at their feet, happily receiving some headpats and doggy affirmations. You're such a good girl. Meg assures her as her eyelids grow heavy with contentment. The picturesque view from the bench is makes favorite on the entire hike. Not only can they still hear and see the river below, but now they have a spectacular view of Mt. Bachelor and Sisters. This group of three volcanic mountains received its name since it stands apart from the larger

Starting point is 00:17:21 Mt. Bachelor. Together, they form a 15-mile-long volcanic chain in the Cascade Mountain Range. This iconic postcard view, so familiar to locals is traumatic and craggy and awe-inspiring. It also represents so much outdoor enjoyment which is of high value to the denizens of Bend. This area has hundreds of miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, thousands of camping options, and over 3,000 acres designated for skiing and snowboarding. The day shoots offers even more options for outdoor leisure, whether that be fishing, kayaking, rafting, or swimming. The natural resources here are amazing, and Meg is very grateful to call this place her home. It's time to continue their walk.

Starting point is 00:18:58 So Meg and the dogs hop off the bench and make their way down the trail. There is an area a little further ahead that is preming with fall colors and Meg wants to go and take some pictures of the dogs in the leaves. Holly sticks right by her side as they pass another group of people and dogs who greet each other warmly. They keep strolling, the colors becoming more and more dramatic as the types of trees change. Up here there are several types of maple, oak and aspen leaves, as well as some dogwood and ash. The colors range from bright gold to pumpkin orange

Starting point is 00:20:13 to fire engine red. Although creating a quilt of vibrant transitory hues, some of the trees only have a small number of leaves left, while others just started changing colors in the last few days. As a result, there's a mix of leaves on the ground and in the trees, creating a perfect postcard of an Oregon autumn. Meg arranges each dog as she composes ball portraits in her mind. Once she has them in place, she tells each one to stay as she slowly backs away to frame the shot. Each of the dogs listens to her as they have a lot of practice with their mama and they know they'll get treats if they're good girls.

Starting point is 00:21:29 Meg snaps a few shots and says, okay so each dog knows to release their hold and come running back to her for some yummy beef jerky bites. Holly drools a bit in anticipation since these are her favorite treats. Meg sneaks her in extra as the other two go bounding off yet again. She continues to take some candid shots of the dogs as they sniff around in the leaves. At one point, drizzle gets so excited that she starts rolling around in the leaves on her back. Maple designs, this must be an invitation to play. So she pounces on top of her, initiating a playful wrestling match with lots of excited doggy foagles. Meg laughs and captures a few more pictures,

Starting point is 00:22:52 feeling grateful for how much joy these animals bring her on a daily basis. They began to loop back down toward the car now, strolling at a leisurely pace, and appreciating the beautiful scenery all around them. Maple and drizzle spotted dog they know from the trail. They see Pepper and her mama all the time out here, and look forward to saying hello and smelling each other. Pepper is a mellow black lab. After a few minutes of sniffing each other and making some dog bomb small talk, Meg and her girls continue on,

Starting point is 00:23:58 weaving through the sturdy, Douglas fir and ponderosa pine trees. This area of dense tree growth resembles a Christmas tree farm and has a distinctly rich, sappy aroma. Drizzle comes running back to Meg again to check in. She has a pine cone in her mouth that she is proudly showing off as if to say, Mama, look what I have. Did you find me a pine cone?

Starting point is 00:24:41 Meg asks her proudly, what a good girl. Drizzle bounces the pine cone onto the ground, eagerly chasing it around and picking it back up again, thoroughly entertaining herself. Maple, not one to miss out on any chance of fun, bounds over and joins the game attempting to tug the pine cone free from drizzle's mouth. They both clumsily push their way up against Meg's legs, as her hand reaches down to pet their soft lab-redoodle curls. New two were so silly, she says. After another few minutes of hiking, Meg and the dogs reached their car. Each girl has her favorite spot in to get some cardamom rolls.

Starting point is 00:26:11 These rolls, originally hailing from Sweden, have become a bend specialty. Often times the bakery will have a line all the way around the block with people willing to wait for their sweet and sticky baked delights. Luckily, as Meg pulls up front, there's only a short line so she won't have to wait too long. The dogs curl up in the back, knowing their mom will bring them each a treat from the treat jar if they're good girls. Plus they're tired now from their hike and are ready for a little rest. A short time passes and Meg returns to the car, treats in hand just as expected. She tells each dog how good they are and hence them their treats. As she slides back into the driver's seat, she can feel the warmth of the rolls through the bag. The spicy sweet smell of cardamom sugar fills up the car. Tempting her to

Starting point is 00:27:52 take just a few bites before driving back home to share the rest with her husband. She reaches in and pulls off a piece, steams whirls out of the bag, hofting up toward her face. The smell is enticing. She takes a bite and can feel the caramelized cardamom sugar melt in her mouth. These roles are tantalizing treats at any time of the day, but they feel particularly delicious after a crisp morning hike. Meg eats a few more bites, mindfully, thoroughly enjoying the entire experience of consuming her role. The butter brushed dough slathered with crushed cardamom and melted sugar, twirled around to form a spinner, then baked to plump perfection.

Starting point is 00:29:15 It's a true work of art all the way around, she thinks to herself. Maple pokes her way up onto the center console, nudging Meg to share with her. No ma'am Meg says, not for doggies. She coaxes this maple back into the backseat, wipes her sticky fingers, starts the car, and heads for home. It's easy to get around bent, as there is very little traffic. Even though Meg is driving across the city to get home, it will still only take her about 15 minutes. As she drives down familiar roads, the dogs each stick their heads out of the windows to smell whatever is wafting in the air today. Every so often, one of them will let out a snort or a sneeze and pull their head back inside of the car for a brief reprieve. Not wanting to miss out on anything, but also needing to process all the sent information from time to time.

Starting point is 00:31:12 Meg pulls into her driveway, closing the gate behind her and parking in her usual spot. As she lets the dogs out of the backseat, they each rush to the front door to greet their dad, who's waiting for them. They sure did miss him and feel very happy to see him again. Their tails and entire bodies wag with exuberance as they each scourm in to get petted. Meg Hanser has been the rest of the cardamom rolls, promising that she only ate a few bites, even though she wanted to eat more. The dogs prance into the house, lap up some water, and immediately head to their respective beds and lie down. Meg and her husband sit down on the couch together, Down on the couch together, the bag of rolls still warm and fragrant, and watch as each dog begins to nod off. Holly Yon's deeply opening up her entire mouth and letting out a little noise,

Starting point is 00:32:46 then lays her head down and closes her eyes. Drizzle's eyelids begin to droop over her sweet, soulful eyes, until they eventually also fall closed. Maple, surprisingly, is already asleep and dreaming. Her little paws blex and extend rhythmically as if she's still running through the woods in pursuit of a squirrel. Her lip curls up as she huffs and huffs in her dreams. Holly rolls over onto her back, haws in the air, belly exposed, head now cocked over to the side. Each dog is sleeping peacefully and drifting further and further into a deep sleep with each

Starting point is 00:34:04 passing second. The adventures of the day now play out in dreamscapes as their bodies relax more and more. more and more. Totally at peace and surrendering to rest. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

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Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Serene Autumn Hike in Oregon

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