Great thread. A MUCH NEEDED thread. Please do not let this one die - in fact, I would love to see it pinned at the top of the forum!
Sniper - once again, for you to enjoy:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mst5ln5AAqIYour posts are quickly making you one of my favorite HW Crohnie's. As newfoundsun so eloquently put it, thank you for standing for my freedom as well.
I'm an avid outdoorsman and had the opportunity to go spend a few days in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in NE MN last weekend. The peace and quiet of the north woods is pure medicine for me. The weather stunk, but the fishing was decent. I wanted to share a few moments that stood out to me and hope you can "come along" too:
* Paddling down the lake, I stopped to watch a pair of bald eagles circle directly above me, riding the updrafts and looking for fish - the beauty and magnificence in their motion left me humbled and in awe.
* Laying in my tent listening to the loons call back and forth across the lake brought chills down my spine - their calls haunting my mind as I drifted off to sleep.
* Waking up before sunrise to the sound of an oriole singing in the cedar tree above my tent, as I breathed in the heavy, wet aroma of it's scent after last night's rain.
* Sipping a cup of fresh coffee at the campfire, I stared across the still waters of the lake. With no wind, it was flat as glass and reflected a great mirror image of the clouds and a great blue heron as he silently crossed the bay.
Each trip up there is special in its own way, leaving memories etched into my mind. Those images are my "happy place" when life gets crazy and I need a distraction.
Dooger