The Adventure Continues

The adventure continues...

I must admit, there are many things I miss about the GTA. Family and friends are the most important of course, but the phone is always near by and the Internet probably keeps me as well updated with many whether near or  far. The detail may not be as precise but the message is there. Even a smiling, distant face is but a few keystrokes away.

Other than missing “People” though, the big hurdle has been, plainly put, variety! But I guess that’s the tradeoff for simplicity! 

When the best cup of coffee within hundreds of miles is the one from your own kitchen, or getting a national paper is a week or two past its publication date, you truly come to realize that tradeoff. When your fresh herb selection is limited to basil one week, oregano the next and nothing the third, the dried variety is no longer a convenience, it’s a staple. A gas station with a “Supreme blend” (the Jeep prefers it) is well over fifty clicks from here; and they don’t sell a national newspaper either! 

I haven’t seen a set of stoplights in almost four months. The stars shine brighter than can be imagined (if you’re willing to stay up late enough). The air is fresh. I always get a great parking space and never wait in a queue. Not all the roads are paved, but they’re all edged by wild flowers. Slowing down has never been so easy!

Yes, slowing down has never been so easy... But, is that because there’s less to contend with, or less to choose from?

Less to choose from means you make your decision between two and not a dozen. Less to contend with means you deal with what needs dealing with, right away, and get on with everything else. Getting on with everything else is what makes the difference.

And that’s where the adventure continues! 

My “everything else” is the landscape! The boreal forests and the clear, deep waters that carve their way through them! And the bounty they have to offer!

Now that summer is fully upon us, the spruce forests are offering us their fruits. For those willing to take the time there are berries to harvest and fish to be caught. The rewards? Some fine foods and a small sense of self-sustainability. 

It may not be the St. Lawrence Market, but when the "produce" is harvested by one's own hand, the flavour, the satisfaction, and the sense of accomplishment is intense!