On the way to the BIG city.

 

Lady Liberty!

 

And behind the curtain.

 

 

And the views!

 

Hiking Bigalow Mountain at foliage time.

 

I found my lucky heart.

 

View from the top.

Beauty all around!

Herbal Labyrinths, Walking Trails, Corn Maze, Hearts, and Ben & Jerry’s

 

Along the walking trail!

 

Enjoying Nature Art!

 

 

*Loved*Loved *

Loved this trail system!

 

 

Salem conjures up mystery, magic, unknown realms.

Salem is a fun town to visit. Entertainment is key.

Enjoy the ambiance, check out the tourist hot spots,

Or have your Tarot cards read!

 

Ogunquit is a beautiful place to visit any time.

Hugging the coastline, Ogunquit offers sun, sand, and fun.

A cliff walk along the edge of the natural untouched coast offers many photo opportunities.

Hiking Sabattus Mountain is inspiring.

The views at the summit make this short hike worth every minute.

Kezar Lake gives the artist in us all something to admire.

Kennebunkport is a beautiful town on the coast of southern Maine. One of many coastal towns to visit in the summertime when life slows down a bit. Summer vacation begins and all thoughts turn to the ocean. Why is that? Just to visit it for a day is a real treat. Kennebunkport offers many shops, boutiques, and galleries, food for any budget, ice cream for dessert, places to picnic and walk the sands, views of rugged rock meeting soft water, meandering roads hugging the coastline, and whale watching, fishing, or sight seeing tours.

Eagerly embrace the day and live life to its fullest. This is my motto.  Of course it seems to be easier to embrace life when it is warm and sunny outside. When the temperature outside is in the single digits our choices of outdoor activities seem to shrink to the single digits. David and I chose to go cross country skiing in Western Maine. We bundled up and headed for Bethel  Maine to enjoy mountain views and groomed trails through the woods and out of the wind.

 

What  gets you out of the house in the cold of January?  When the sky is clear and blue, the air is crisp, nature seems to be a little sharper and really stands out against the  winter palette. The tree limbs rub against each other creating a unique melody. The startled Great Blue Heron gracefully unfolds its wings and takes flight while the fox strikes a pose. What a gift to witness the beauty of nature in wintertime.

 

We chose to stay the night in Bethel. We received a warm welcome at The Bethel Hill Bed & Breakfast ,”Just past the Common and next to Paradise.”

 

The home was tastefully decorated with antiques and our room looked like a photo from a magazine. We were so comfortable in our spacious accomodations. Breakfast was perfect.  I even got the recipe for the home fries. It was nice to relax and enjoy ourselves in such a beautiful setting. We had a memorable time.

 

Everyone has heard of Imbolc, Brigid’s Day, Ground Hog’s Day, or Feast of Pan, it is known by many names because February 2nd is an important seasonal marker. Everyone feels the effects of this natural yin time of year with its decreased energy and sunlight. It is natural to feel tired and reflective during this time of year. A great way to prepare for a period of self-reflection is to remove yourself from your usual routine and get outside in nature. Our getaway was to Jackson, New Hampshire.

Jackson is a quaint little town, nicknamed New Hampshire’s Best Kept Secret. I don’t remember seeing a stop light in the whole town and we took turns driving across the one lane covered bridge. The scenery is breathtaking with mountain views and scenic parking all along the road in and out of Jackson, which is located in Mount Washington Valley. We spent time outside in the fresh air at Jackson XC. Learning how to Nordic Ski was exhilarating and a great way to clear out the winter cobwebs from the mind and body.

This is Mother Nature’s time of rest and preparation, before the burst of Spring. Making it a great time for reflection and rest for ourselves, in anticipation of the increased activity and excitement of springtime. Let’s try some reflection.
For this moment, let’s sit quietly, and just listen to Nature’s wisdom.

Kathy