Needing Nature

I read somewhere that if you see Zion National Park blanketed in snow, that it's probably photo shopped.   I have experienced otherwise and here is my story:   In a rough never ending winter, we almost booked a trip to Florida.    Flights weren't cheap so playing around on the Southwest website, I was trying to find a place with cheap flights and thought of Vegas.   Where Vegas is a place I can only stand for a couple days, I was looking at the surrounding areas and stumbled on Zion National Park.  When I booked it in January, Zion had highs in the 50's.   Where it wouldn't be a beach vacation, it sure sounded better than the never ending winter we were having in Northern Illinois.  So I booked this amazing place that's right at the entrance of Zion National Park and we counted the days to our trip.  The week before we left the forecast wasn't looking great....Snow, cold, and unusually winter like weather was in the 10 day forecast. ...

So many people we know are moving south.  I love the sun and I love a great beach, but I love seasonal changes.   I may change my mind someday (maybe next week when high temps are forecasted to be in single digits), but right now I know I'd miss Fall, Winter and Spring.  Today was truly a glorious day.   I wasn't even feeling well, but the lure of a sunny day with temps in the low 30's won out.   I'm so grateful I took advantage of this amazing day.  Today was perfectly imperfect.   I had to spend my morning doing things for work, I was scrambling to catch up on so many things, and yet I had the wisdom to drop everything so we could take advantage of the sunshine.   I came home and continued with my work, but topped it all off with a pot roast, mashed potato, and roasted Brussel sprouts dinner and as I sit by the fire I realize I made today the best I possibly could.  

  Home Really Is Where the Heart Is It's been a couple years since we took a vacation and it didn't take long to realize what I've been missing.  I haven't been to Medicine Bow in a while and it was so good to be back.   It was a pretty short trip but long enough to realize: 1.   We REALLY need to get away more. 2.   We have been recreation deprived. 3.   Working more and harder isn't making us happier.  4.   Coming home I had more patience with many of the stressful things about work.  I'm sure that will vanish after a week, but I'll take what I can get. 5.   I am committed to taking more time to get away.   I've been trying to take walks along the river, at the forest preserves, etc. but I think I need to change it up a bit.  More to come on that soon.....

Northern Lake Michigan in July after a storm.