Kalamalka Lake

I have to say, in spite of being a country girl for the past eight years or so, I am very much enjoying living in the city! Part of it is simply the convenience of everything, I love being able to ride my bike to the grocery store, or walk to Stephen's work, or drive fifteen minutes, and end up in an amazing setting like this! I love, love, love beautiful scenery! I love being surrounded by nature, and I love driving around, seeing different parts of the country that I never knew existed. Much as I would love to travel more broadly, it's so much fun staying in one spot, and exploring it to it's fullest!

I think it's beginning to kick in that very soon, taking off and just doing fun stuff together won't be quite as simple and uncomplicated as it's been up till now.

Not that we'll mind it that much, I'm sure. :) Things will just be different than they are now.

We decided to go to Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park to do a little bit of hiking….emphasis on the "little bit." It's about a 20 minute "hike" up to the top where you have the most amazing view of the lake!

The smell of pine needles and pine trees always reminds me of my childhood, it's funny how much a smell can mean to you, how many memories it can bring back.

The sweet and slightly tangy smell of pine combined with the heat rising off the path brings me back to the days that my dad used to direct a girls camp at Morning Star Bible Camp. I remember how thrilling it was to discover trails through the bush and run on the little paths that seemed to trip over one another. I felt like I was an explorer, discovering it for the first time, or finding it after years of disuse. I still love little paths that look as though they've almost been forgotten, somehow they're a little more fun to walk on than paths that look like they were perfectly planned out and maintained. :P