“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”   ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Walking with my Higher Self. 24×48 Oil

One Year ago exactly… I went on a road trip to visit my dear friend Mary-Louise in a very small Saskatchewan town called Eastend.

Eastend is a town situated in the Southwest corner of Saskatchewan Canada.

Website clearly stated:

Eastend, Saskatchewan
is located in the middle of nowhere
and miles from the nearest city.

Surely not too hard to find… But when the road is flat, good tunes are playing… memories of good times with my friend are fully present… I manage to miss the right turn.   Minutes then hours start to add up to panic that I am off course.  Where AM I??

This brings up memories of a road trip, again in Saskatchewan with this same friend.  Talking so much we miss the turn and add 3 hours to a simple 6 hour trip to Saskatoon… that is another story.

I am LOST!  Cell phone reception is low.  I manage to call my friend.  “You went to far,” she informs.    I could be upset with myself, but rather I quickly accept the fact that I was meant to visit Gull Lake.  To my amazement I begin to travel south over a vista of amazing gold covered hills.

Feel like I have found my gold at the end of a rainbow.  It was double, triple fields of amazing bright yellow gold with sweeping blue skies.  Very similar to a painting I began before the trip called “Walking with my higher self”.  It was like I had to go this way to see this view.  Thanks Universe!

I was so overwhelmed I forgot to take a picture and with my usual “Why did I not stop to take some pictures” … I decided to implant the vision into my memory  bank.  I did proceed to stop later when I couldn’t stand the beauty anymore, but the view you see here is not the jaw dropping spectacular view I saw coming over the hills.

This is INSPIRATION!  Mother Natures perfect visual gift to me.  The best things in life are free.  One year later I am still thinking about this scene.  It gives me warm fuzzy feelings and goosebumps at the same time.  It is a “SAVE IMAGE” memory for sure.

I finally make it to Eastend.  What a little treasure this town in the middle of the Cypress hills turns out to be.  Quiet, quaint, where good friends await.  A place where the town parade is 5 min long and they still toss candy.

A place where shopping for Art is self serve on Saturdays.

A place where kindness of strangers unfold and offer you a place to stay while you visit.

A place where dogs are encouraged to visit public places.

A place where good friends reunite.  As usual my dear friend Mary-Louise has reminded me of embracing the SIMPLE LIFE.

It is her birthday…but turns out that she is MY GIFT!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful friend.

With Love and Gratitude for friendship, getting lost and realizing the simple things in life are always free.

Michelle