There is something so powerful yet gentle about these creatures. With their long horns, they can be a bit scary. But if you really look into the eyes of these Highlands, you’ll see a tender softness. This particular Highland had just become a big brother, although he wasn’t much older than a year himself. He was very curious about the new little bundle who tried to run on such wobbly legs.

There was a lot of sniffing and poking. And, eventually, a great long tongue emerged and licked just the tip of the little baby’s nose. It was as if to say, “Welcome to the long horned, cinnamon colored, Highland Family, little one.”

How delicate and fragile they seem, floating on tissue paper wings. The warm breeze pushes them through the air. They land so delicately on the flowers, holding on with perfect balance. Oh, to have the grace and beauty of a butterfly.

With a little luck, they’ll perch upon an outstretched hand or shoulder, soaking up the warmth of the sun. These creatures of winged elegance flutter against the expansive backdrop of a periwinkle sky.

This is not a normal sea. It is a sea full of sturdy stalks, topped by blooms of every imaginable color, trumpeting the arrival of spring. They stretch as far as the eye can see, fading from one color into the next. The blooms beckon to onlookers as they sway in the gentle breeze.

The heritage of these simple, elegant blooms is centuries old. For over 500 years they’ve slowly poked through the cold, damp earth, announcing to all the world that the season has changed and new life is beginning.

There is a place, long since forgotten by time. A place where the blowing grass grows tall around an open doorway. What secrets does it hold? Why is it empty and deserted? It’s a place where your imagination can run wild.

And the place HAS run wild. It’s wild with animals and plants and bugs. They’ve taken it over. Reclaimed it. Made it their home. It’s shelter from the wind that howls across the wide open spaces in winter. In some ways this place has been forgotten, but in others, it has just been discovered.

This is home. There is something so calming about the big lake. The waves carry your troubles away as they roll back out. The air smells different here. The breeze feels different. And it’s nothing but water as far as the eye can see. Footprints are made in the smooth sand, then quickly washed away with crashing waves.

Children and adults alike scour the beach, searching for that infamous stone. A little bit of luck and an eagle eye is all it takes.  There is nothing quite like the feeling of this calm hunt. It’s just you and the lake and your thoughts, together in this peaceful serenity.