Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire

This year, more than in past years, I felt all elements of nature alive and in balance at our camping site in Killarney. The six of us pitched our tents high on a rock, with the blue sky above us, the lake below us, the wind blowing through the trees, and at night, we lit a bonfire and stared at the stars.

I skinny-dipped in the lake, in broad daylight! because there was little traffic passing by our site.

I got lost in the pitch black forest while visiting the thunder box at night. It's amazing how disoriented one can be when one can't see one's surroundings. Thankfully, I wasn't far from my tent mate and she guided me back with her flashlight when I called out for help.

I am convinced that mosquitoes hover around smoke fire at night to keep warm and look for feedings. When you step away from the fire and into the cooler air and night breeze, you can see the pests hovering those close to the fire, especially those under the white mosquito netting. It was like the net attracted the pests.

We paddled, hiked and ate tremendously well of vegetarian fare. That's one of the things I love about this annual trip: I come home healthier and I incorporate more meatless dishes in my family's meals.

My favourite part of this year's trip was nestling in the crook of the rock. There were several of these crooks high up on the rock that was the foundation for our campsite. It was earth's way to cradle me while the sun kept me warm, the wind kept me cool, and the water below kept me attentive.

Lying there on a lazy afternoon, happy feelings of childhood came flooding back, though I can't recall ever having nestled in a rock by the water in my childhood. It just felt like that feeling of contentment, being protected and carefree should be a childhood memory for everyone.