Back from the great outdoors...

Another lake view...ho hum...made it black and white to be different

I spent last weekend alone, camping at Sasquatch Provincial Park. A weekend of peace, relaxation and solitary pursuits. It was cold and rainy for most of my trip...but aside from the forested lakeside walk, I hadn't intended to do a lot of outdoor stuff. It was a chance for me to catch up on my reading, knitting, and writing and to let my thoughts drift where they wanted to. The place was deserted. There was only one other site (out of 42) that was occupied...at the other side of the park (I didn't actually see another person except for the guy who came by to collect the camping fee).

The mornings were misty with clouds covering the mountains surrounding the lake. There was also fresh snow on the mountains. Spring seems to be delayed this year, although there are signs of its imminent arrival everywhere. Last time I was at Sasquatch Park it was summer and the place was really busy. Being only about 3 hours from the city, it is a busy park on any given weekend during the summer. I remember one of the first camping trips that Mark and I went on was to Sasquatch. It was a long weekend and we were stuck in the last available campsite. The place was packed and we were in the middle of a whole group of campsites. We were disillusioned and felt like we were in the middle of a goldfish bowl. I think Mark had to convince me to stay. It is okay to be in a busier campground in the summer, with the kids. It's hard to find anywhere to camp that is relatively quiet unless you are prepared to travel a lot further away from the city or go back packing. So this time of year is a really good time to visit provincial parks if you want some peace.

This was the view from my chair at the campsite. Through the trees and to the lake and mountains opposite. Once I had sat still for a while I was joined by 3 Steller's Jays and numerous Robins. I didn't see any other wildlife; I think it was too cold for them.

Path towards the forest

The forest walk was lush and green. Moss covered much of the trees and hung off branches. The only sounds were my footsteps, the tiny drops of water falling from leaves and branches, and the wind blowing through the trees.

I finally got a bit of sun late afternoon on Saturday. It didn't last for too long, but it was very welcome. It was a good trip, very refreshing. My only complaint is that it just wasn't long enough. Having said that, I think I am a better mother and partner for being able to get away and enjoy time by myself. I return refreshed and with a new and better energy. Thank goodness for our VW van. And now back to reality...it is fair to say that reality is quite noisy.