Finding peace has become increasingly difficult during this pandemic. Luckily my psychologist (Mother Nature) isn’t far from home these days. We are fortunate to have some beautiful parks and outdoor spaces near our home here in Colorado Springs.
We do our best to abide by the “shelter in place” order, but when the sun is shining and we’re about ready to lose our minds—that’s when nature calls. No… Not that nature. If we encounter another person or party we keep our distance. We also only go as far as our gas tank will take us, so as not to have to stop in a town or county outside of our own to fuel up. Luckily, we don’t have to go very far to feel like we’re far away.
Garden of the Gods
Our first outing since the order was put in place was Garden of the Gods in March. What a magical place that is, and that feeling never gets old. We were there from about 4-6 PM, which made for some incredible lighting. Golden hour is my FAVORITE hour of the day. We tramped along Palmer Trail, taking in the wonder and beauty of our surroundings.
Eleven Mile State Park
Our most recent escape brought us to Eleven Mile State Park. I had visited the park once before, last September with a friend. This was Mike’s first visit, though. The reservoir was still frozen and some people were ice fishing not far from the shore. It was a beautiful day with a bit of a breeze, perfect for hiking around the large boulders that are scattered about the shoreline. There is something surreal about this place. The world seems small when you’re surrounded by these large boulders, then you climb to the top of one and you can see for miles—and just like that, you’re back to being a nanoscopic speck on the planet Earth.
There weren’t too many people there, so it was easy to keep our distance. Unfortunately, the lack of park rangers meant there was a lot of trash strewn about. We picked up as much as we could carry. It’s disheartening to think that people are OK with leaving that much waste behind. I’m talking an entire tent with an air mattress, a tarp, a styrofoam cooler, lots of bottles, shotgun shells, and other miscellaneous items. Come on people, don’t be jerks. Despite the disgusting amount of trash, it was still a beautiful day to be outside and a welcomed escape.
I hope that where ever you are, you’re healthy, happy and finding ways to cope with this bizarre world we’re currently living in. Here’s hoping life will start getting back to something resembling normal soon (fingers crossed).
