It's been a long time since I've posted on my blog. A recent trip to Hayward, WI to visit our dearest friends, the Lewandowskis, gave me reason to pause and reflect once again...
I have never been what you call an outdoorsy person. I am Chicago bred and raised to the age of 15, and suburban living since that age has done little to change that. Camping, in anything other than a 4 or 5 star hotel, is a definite "not gonna happen". Fear of spiders and other multi-legged and winged creatures has not evaded me as I've aged. I still quiver at the sight of a spider or worm! I have, however, developed a passion for all things beautiful in nature - a doe and her fawn, an eagle or hawk soaring, the cerulean blue of an autumn sky with the fall colors glowing in front of it, a sunset over a lake, or the scent of pine in a national forest. My passion for photography has fueled this drive to see and do more. In my older years I have done more hiking than ever, despite two bum knees and a whole lot of arthritis trying to set me back. I have pushed myself and it has been worth the occasional aches and pains that follow. Two years ago a two-mile hike would have been deemed impossible, but total knee replacement on my left leg has allowed me to move on - literally and figuratively.
Being away from home in the gorgeous setting of the North Woods of Wisconsin allowed me to breathe a little deeper, ponder, and most of all escape to spend some quality time with Artie, and of course our wonderful hosts Lou Ann and Joe. Experiencing the north woods with Joe, who is incredibly knowledgeable about the area, its history, and all of the things to see and do, was incredible. Theirs is the only home I can feel completely comfortable in - free to be without makeup, no fuss-no muss. I could lounge in my jammies until 10 if I wanted and no one cared. I could sit and read without feeling I had to be initiating conversation. The pauses in their world are welcomed ones. Sitting on the sofa and staring out their windows at Lake Callahan was better medicine than any doctor could provide. Food for the soul. I never would have dreamed, growing up a city kid, that the sight of a nuthatch, chickadee, blue jay or woodpecker would set me all aflutter. Communing with the deer was an experience I will never forget. Feeling the trust of a young fawn as she allowed me to get within 10 yards of her to take photos will live in my mind for as long as it works.
Our time in Hayward reminded me of what poets and great thinkers who wrote about nature must have felt when they penned their memories and thoughts so eloquently. Being so close to all of God's masterpieces and being privileged enough to be part of it emptied my mind at times, but also filled it with ponderings. I was amazed at how time does seem to stand still when it comes to close friendships. I have been blessed to befriend so many wonderful people in my 57 years, but few stand the test of time like our relationship with Lou Ann and Joe. We can pick up where we left off between the months that pass where we do not see one another. I think that is a rare gift.
The photos I've posted are among my favorites of the 450 shots I took. They give a flavor of the wonderful time we had, and the mind cleansing we experienced.
