My younger brother Tom and his wife finally made it out to visit me in California one summer. I had been living in Marin County just north of San Francisco for several years, and wanted them to see what a different world it was there from my home state Michigan.

I had a few activities planned that I wanted to share. One involved a “nature hike” that I thought would really be memorable that I wanted to do with my brother. I decided it would be great for Tom and I to head out alone for the morning; it had been too many years since we had been able to do anything like that together!

So I drove over to where he was staying and picked him up and said we were going somewhere really cool, but didn’t say exactly where we were going. Off we headed in my car towards Muir Woods, which is a dramatic setting of ancient redwood trees with hiking paths strewn all throughout the forest there.

Depending on the time of year it could be foggy and a bit cold and damp there; which is the way it was as when we arrived to start our hike. We knew the “big trees” were there, but it was a bit frustrating not being able to look up and see just how big they actually were.

About forty five minutes into our walk things began to shift; the fog was starting to lift some and new silhouettes were gradually appearing above us. Then all of a sudden golden-white shafts of sunlight began to burst through from above. The beautiful rays were eventually shooting through the enormous tree branches all around us; it was absolutely mesmerizing!

We were standing there heads tilted upward in total awe like two little kids seeing magic being performed as we took it all in. “What fantastic timing!” I thought, as we smiled at each other..

The rest of the hike was full of sweet natural light showering us with unique, inspiring, visual surprises; like a Sunbeam Serenade.

“Wow…” is all we could both say repeatedly as we drove off from our incredible forest experience; “now that was something!”

Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, solo piano, soothing piano music

I enjoy creating, working with arrangements, expressing, and listening to music because I get a chance to travel with it. It always takes me away to a place that is other worldly in a sense, but actually very real for me. That’s the draw I suppose; the freedom my work allows me to experience.

Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, solo piano, soothing piano music