This week's Ladies of Hive Contest has my name all over it. Except instead of picking one favorite happy place, I'm going to name a few. Because of course I am. Gemini can't just choose one.
You can check out the contest post here. This week's questions:
1️⃣ Do you have a real-life hero? If so, who would that be and why?
2️⃣ If you could pick a favorite "happy place," where would that be?
I might get crazy and answer both... let's see what happens.
My Happy Place
To absolutely no one's surprise, my happy place is nature.
Super specific, eh?
I'll name a few spots that have inspired my soul and captured a piece of my heart.
1: The Kootenays, British Columbia, Canada.
Fresh water and big trees are my thing, especially deep in the mountains. This picture was taken near Nakusp, BC, an area with several hot springs. Here, you can see a hot spring (to my right) flowing into a snow-fed river.
The Kootenays are a mountain range and general region in southeastern British Columbia, home to the eccentric town, Nelson. The area attracts lots of people who may or may not self-identify as hippies, as well as outdoorsy and active types, plus many who are seeking to escape the world and live somewhat self-sustainably in a relatively sparsely-populated area of Canada.
Why are the Kootenays one of my happy places? Hot springs, clear rivers, big lakes, gorgeous trees, and magical people.
Next up...
2. The Redwoods, California, USA.
It has been far too long since I've been to California. The last visit was in 2012. Every time I go, I spend at least a day or two in the redwoods.
These trees are stunning, powerful, sentient beings. They create a sanctuary of peace for anyone who takes the time to spend time among them.
Redwoods once covered much of northern California. Sadly, they've been logged so much only a small fraction remain. These gentle giants are some of the most amazing creatures on earth. I truly wish everyone could stand in awe of them, in recognition of how small we as humans are. Perhaps then, we would show nature more respect.
3. Live Oaks, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Like the Redwoods, the Live Oak trees in New Orleans (and elsewhere) sing to my soul in a big way. Here are a few of many pictures I've been honored to take with these peaceful, ancient friends.
4. The Ocean. Anywhere. Earth.
Like big trees and massive mountains, oceans remind us to be humble. They are in constant motion, containing multitudes, powerful enough to kill, yet walking on the beach always lulls me into a sense of deep, abiding peace.
The photos here were taken in 2010, when I spent two months living in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. However, I've found my happy place at the edge of the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. Wherever there are waves and endless blue, my heart knows it is home.
My Hero...
And now, for the second question in the Ladies of Hive contest: who is my real-life hero, and why?
Honestly, any person who can make it through the intensity of life with kindness, love, compassion, and hope in their hearts is my hero.
We all have our moments of doubt and despair, but if you can come back to love, one way or another, you're amazing. Each of us can be a hero, in this sense. Carrying compassion for each other, for nature, for the future of this planet... this is the stuff of heroes.
What about you?
Where is your happy place? Who is your hero? Feel free to participate and make your own post!
(@rhondak, I'd love to know what your happy place is, if you want to participate!)
Thanks for reading!
Peace @Katrina-Ariel / @LeiaTalon
All photos mine
I am glad to hear that your are nature lover because I also like natural beauty very much. I think that natural beauty give us peace of mind. Your all photos are so awesome. I love staying at beach. Thanks for sharing this amazing post.
Thank you! I agree, that peace of mind is so important to me. It's why I live in the country, though I wish I was closer to the beach!
I love nature too. Lovely post and so many beautiful happy places you have. 😍
Thanks so much! 💖
Nature is purely beautiful.... I love all your pictures. This just reminds me how peaceful and unique nature is.
Goodluck in the contest
Thank you! Yes, so much beauty and joy to be found in nature. I appreciate the thoughtful comment!
You are welcome
You are really flexible and a lover of nature
Beautiful places you have been to,
But don't you think happiness starts within us??
Absolutely. I just find it easier to access when I'm in nature. 😁
Yea true sometimes when i want go cool off my head, i just go out to beautiful place
any person who can make it through the intensity of life with kindness, love, compassion, and hope in their hearts is my hero.
I aspire to be your hero, @katrina-ariel, hahaha!😄
Beautiful, beautiful places.
Don't you wish we could be in those places always?
Thanks for sharing, and good luck with the contest!
Aw, thank you!
I do, definitely. It's why I live in the mountains. But I sure miss the redwoods and the ocean. Hopefully I get some travelling time sooner than later.
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I love this post, and I can see why these are your happy places, you words and the photos of you are radiating joy and happiness and love. And that oak tree wow, beam me up please xxx
much love to you beautiful Goddess xxxxx
Thank you, sweet friend! Yes, that oak tree is something special. Sending big love back to you!!!
Underwater !
Nice! That's a wonderful happy place!
i hope to hug someday trees that big as the ones of The Kootenays hehe it must be an incredible experience to walk around a forest full of them. Nature is amazing. great post, greetings.
Those really big trees are in the Redwoods in California, but there are some nice, not quite so big ones in the Kootenays. It is amazing to walk in a forest of them, for sure!
The love of nature shines in this particular one as the indentation of the stone slab to the left - looks like a heart! Good to see ya out and about Princess. How is the writing going?
There is a heart in that spot! The current from the river makes the other half. Not at all surprised you noticed that. 💖💖💖
Writing is going very well! I just finished a milestone for the game I'm writing, and am close to completing the last revision of the sequel to Falling, getting it ready for a proofreader before publishing. Yay! And thanks for asking!
Encourage the passion. Of course! I know you love it. One of these days, I want to get out to Cali and hug one of those giant redwoods, that would be awesome. Only ever been to the airports and through there with no time to stop. Miss you!
The redwoods are one of the wonders of the world, no joke. And I always appreciate your encouragement! I finished the last major revisions today and I'm so excited about writing now, it's fabulous! Miss you too. So glad we can connect here.
WE LOVE NAKUSP, and Kaslo, and all of the Kootenays. We are less than 100 miles from the border and have spent a good amount of time in that general area. Such a magical place, if only they will let us back into Canada without being poisoned...
Oh nice! Kaslo is lovely, too. Totally agree with you on the border nonsense. My family is in the States and I haven't seen them face-to-face for years. Here's hoping we can travel freely in the near future. Thanks for saying hello!
Ainsworth is one our favorite places. I have spent numerous nights in Valhalla and am extremely sad that we are not allowed up there. I hope you are able to see your family again, this is all just a giant pile of insanity and shouldn't cause such a divide between family members. Stupid line in the sand that is now guarded with lead and lasers.
Line in the sand indeed. So much unnecessary bureaucracy.
Ainsworth is the best! The caves, the cold plunge... I could do rounds between those two for hours. It's been a couple years since I've gotten that far out. Maybe I'll get back there this year. Hope you can come visit soon!
The cave and the plunge are really a heavenly spot for me. Sitting there looking out across the lake and absorbing as much lithium as I can from the water, it puts me at peace. Everyone deserves a spot that puts them at such peace.
If the little tyrant in charge up there would get removed we might get back to some semblance of normalcy.
Agreed. On both counts. 💖
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I absolutely feel you when saying that you can't just name one happy place. I'd also be the same and count quite a few if I would join the contest, but I definitely understand your picks. Good luck in the contest! ☺️
Thank you! I'd love to see you join the contest, if you feel up for it. This week's questions made me happy. Too hard to pick just one, it was fun to think of a handful of happy places and revisit them in my mind.
Ahhh, to be one with nature and that happy place in the soul.
YES! So much this! 💖
You know which picture I would have put as a thumbnail but it's just my personal opinion, and I have to go buuuuuubye you're the best much love!
Much love back! Keep being amazing. 💖
My happy place is my home and the mountain's summit.. My hero is my beloved mother 🥰
Nice! I love these answers!
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Nature....yes..this is my happy place as well.
The Redwoods are still logged? I watched a video of Julia Hill, a woman who lived in a tree for almost 2 years as a sign of protest. That was powerful....
I read the book about her! Super powerful protest. I don't know how much active logging there is in the redwoods now, but they are still cutting the last of the old growth trees in British Columbia. It's heartbreaking. But nature endures, and evolves. Hopefully humans can evolve as well.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Those places are lovely, I was impressed by the size of the tree in the second photo. It must be a super huge tree, I can't imagine how many meters high it must be. I also love nature, I always tell my friends that plants have something magical that heal the soul because they give you an incomparable tranquility.
This is such a nice way of saying it!
Yes, the redwood trees are huge. They tower up into the sky, and standing among them brings that tranquility you speak about in a profound way.
I knew this answer 🥰 you ARE miss nature in all ways.
You see the beauty in all you see and when you share that it inspires me so much 😍
Beautiful view, beautiful mind and I wish I saw things through your mind.
Your happy places here are ones I would love to visit some Day, and your pictures are just so STUNNING sis 😍🥰 and the poses graceful.
I also LOOVE the Redwoods 🌳
Such magestic view and I never ever hugged one in my life 😉 and seing you I know I missed out... Lol
And the beach 😊 that is a place that I go to alot, a true happy place and the ocean is magical.
Thank you for sharing and I hope you are having a fantastic weekend.
I also hope the snow is melting and you can feel the spring?
Hope the writing goes well to.
Much love ❤️🌹
And good luck
Hello my friend! Yes, the snow is melting and spring is emerging in the mountains. I'm having an excellent weekend, having completed two writing projects (with many more projects planned), plus some great time with family and my pup.
I would love to visit some of these spots with you, and hope you get to see the redwoods some day. I wish I could walk along the beach with you. The fjords are another place I've always wanted to get to, and the Scottish Highlands. So many amazing spots to visit in this beautiful world.
Sending you lots of love! Thank you for the wonderful comment. 💖