My Turquoise Bag

Last month we celebrated our second wedding anniversary.

Two years married already!

To celebrate, we planned a five day camping getaway at our beloved Balsam Lake.

We’ve been to Balsam Lake many times before, but this trip felt a little more special because it was our first time back since getting married, and essentially, our first time back since the pandemic.

The itinerary for our anniversary getaway was to:

• Unplug from devices and the virtual world
• Reconnect with tactile life and nature
• Be together without any distractions or to-do lists
• Relax at the beach
• Hike in the great outdoors
• Cook delicious camping meals outdoors
• Share dreams and reflections around the campfire
• Sleep under the stars

We packed up our yellow tent and a bottle of champagne, and away we went.

We spent five days of waking up to rainfall and the smell of coffee in the woods. Five days of slow life and the freedom of doing whatever we wanted to do. Five days of sleeping under a shimmery August sky every night.

How wonderful it felt to not be rushed or consult a to-do list. It was the ideal anniversary vacation of just being.

And taking our sweet time with it.

I intended on soaking in every single detail of our time there. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the taste and the touch.

So I soaked it all in, and I brought it all back here with me.

The mornings

The sun beaming on our yellow tent after a morning rainfall, the aroma and sound of sizzling bacon, the aroma of fresh coffee, the view from our outdoor kitchen nook, pancakes.

The beach

A tote bag full full of towels, books and snacks, and the colourful lineup of canoes along the shore of beautiful Balsam Lake.

The rain

Therapeutic sounds of rain landing on our tarp while sheltered safely in a glowing yellow tent, flipping through pages of books barely touched, and the smell of rain droplets on evergreens after the storm has passed.

The slow life

Hang to dry clothesline, morning journaling, campfire reading, making Heavenly Cream tea, and having all the time in the world.

The trails

Venturing into a familiar trail framed by a lineage of moss, accomplishing the hike up the Lookout Point, and the feeling of the afternoon sun on our cheeks.

The dinners

Guacamole, tacos and my husband’s signature Mac’N’Cheese.

The campfire

Crisp evenings warmed up with tea between the hands, anniversary toast and S’mores as our anniversary cake.

The stars

Looking up in awe at a blanket of shimmering stars, and knowing that there is a splendor above us too grand to touch.

The end of our trip concluded with tanned shoulders, a rested mind, an empty bottle of champagne and a packed up yellow tent full of new memories.

I’m so happy and grateful we were able to return to our beloved Balsam Lake. As noted in my journal:

“We’ve been here half a dozen times. The strawberry and daisy cooler, the multi-colour parasol, the fish and palm tree towel. All these familiar visuals have come on this camping trip in our life before we were married. And here they are, with us again. So much has changed since the last time we’ve been here, yet our love and contentness for Balsam Lake has remained”.

I hope you also find some time to reconnect with yourself, the people you love, and give into the beauty and splendor of nature.

xo 💛⛺✨