My Ocean on the Prairies...

I can't believe that I have lived in my city for 8 years and have never been to the near by National Park of Elk Island. Have I ever been missing out! I took my girls there this past weekend and was so captivated by it that I returned there again today, all by myself for a few hours of contemplation and solitude.

Many people visit there for education as it is a National Park historically rich in culture, as well as a conservation of nature at it's finest and it's inhabitants which include Bison, Elk, Deer, Moose and all kinds of Birds. Others come for the camping, hiking, boating, cross country skiing in winter - all the outdoor leisure activities that one could possibly think of.

Why did I visit there? To spend a wonderful day in nature with my girls. What did I find? I found my Ocean in the Prairies. The park is vast - it has many lakes. The one that took my breath away was one that while standing on the shore, I forgot that I was in Alberta. I was transported back to the West Coast while I looked at the sandy beach, white caps in the water, gulls, an island in the middle of the lake begging to be explored if I had a boat. The most mesmerizing thing of all, was the sound of the constant wind blowing through the leaves on the tall trees. Fall is here and you'd never know it - it was 32 degrees celcius today - but although unusually warm, the trees know their seasons and the leaves have begun to turn there fall colors.



Is there somewhere you are longing to be - is there something you're longing to have? Take a little look, go explore - it just might be closer than you think - and if it's not exactly the 'it' you're longing for - why not allow your imagination to pretend it is - even if only for a moment. Try it - you might be pleasantly surprised, I was.