“Stuff Your Eyes With Wonder” – Ray Bradbury

Growing up, science fiction author Ray Bradbury was one of my favourite reads. He had a special way of taking you places while your hands were wrapped tightly around one of his books. His full quote goes as follows “Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you’d drop dead in 10 seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.” Wise words indeed!

Before I continue with today’s post, I want to thank each of you for your kind, thoughtful and generous comments on last week’s post, what my Dad is now referring to as my “epistle.”  Your heartfelt words and stories about our dear Mum and Dad touched all of us very, very deeply. Thank you to my friend Aerin for sending a printable version to my sister Jen so she could share your comments with Dad and Mum this week. For the past year Jenny and I had been planning to host a simple 50th Anniversary celebration in the Forest United Church in July so that you could visit with them and share your stories. Unfortunately the time and place needed to change and thankfully, because of you, your shared stories here and visits to Mum and Dad have represented a moveable celebration of life and love. Thanks so much each of you!

Today I would like to share a cherished story of my own. When I lived in Ontario, I used to take my parents on a weekend fall colours tour of either the Muskoka’s or Manitoulin Island each Thanksgiving. For two to three days I would drive us along every highway and country road in their giant purple van, in search of stunning fall colours, pristine lakes, or rustic country farms. To my initial surprise and then unending delight, Mum and Dad would gasp or clap when a particularly beautiful vista opened up to us around a bend in the road. Each year I would then research “clap-worthy” or “stuff your eyes with wonder” destinations and highways for us to travel, and as you know, in this beautiful country of ours, these are not difficult to find!

So this past week, as I ventured out on a work trip through BC’s stunning Kootenay region, I often thought of my parents and their genuine and easy appreciation of nature’s stunning wonders. When I had the time, or the road allowed, I would pull over for a quick photo that would honour Mum and Dad. And trust me, there are many, many “clap-worthy” vistas on the long and winding highways from Hope to Princeton, from Rossland to Revelstoke, from Golden to Cranbrook and…and…let’s just say I often wished I could have them with me to enjoy each special place along the way. What places would I visit again if I had more time?

Every tiny bookstore in each charming town and city! From Otter Books in Nelson, to Cafe Books in Rossland, and on to Grizzly Books in Revelstoke. These wonderful local shops curate some of the best international, Canadian, and local literature that our shelves could hold! I would also visit the quirky antique shops along the way in charming Rock Creek, Greenwood, Keremeos and Silverton. I would try to stay at least one night in the spectacular Nakusp Hot Springs (wonderful website by the way Aerin and Jimmy!). And I would drive much slower through BC’s stunning mountain passes. I barely blinked as I raced up and quickly down the Allison, Kootenay and Roger’s passes, gasping at the number of necessary “runaway truck” lanes along the way, slightly worried how each one seemed to have been used recently!

I would also stop by a few of BC’s wonderful wineries that dot the highway through the Okanagan. I took the photo you see above in the gorgeous Similkameen Valley near Osoyoos. I loved watching the sun dance on wide desert vistas backed by towering mountains and littered with winding, babbling streams and rivers. If you would like to see some of the places I visited along the way, please join me over at my website.

May you find some roads this week that are clap-worthy! My Mum and Dad would tell you that these are everywhere if you take the time to “stuff your eyes with wonder.”