On a recent Sunday when the weather was summery, my mum and I visited
Glenbow Ranch for a day hike. The hills were alive in all of their glory —
rolling meadows and trails were covered in wildflowers and strands of
grass climbing towards a blue sky. It felt less like a hike and more
like we were catching stars in our own private solar system. The ranch
itself is brimming above life's lid with all sorts of pathways, some are
paved, some are left rugged and wild, most are open with small trunk trees
and little shadows. We chose tiger lily loop, the one named after the
lilies that used to grow in the happiest parts of my childhood. A
collection of somebody's picked them throughout the years so by the time I became an adult, tiger lilies were needles in haystacks, hard to find but always longed for.
As soon as we began walking through the trails, little orange flowers started popping up like whack-a-moles you don't actually want to whack. Here I was, a little ways out of the city, standing beside hills where tiger lilies have not yet been picked. I not only smiled, I felt myself smile from the belly to the brow. If life could always be measured by little moments and tiny triumphs like flowers growing on the hillside, I wouldn't have to ever mutter the words "I feel sad."
We walked
into the sun and beyond until our faces were covered in sweat. If you
look closely at these photographs, you can see beads of water appear on
my face as if I had been running. It was hot like only summer knows how
to be and the walk was long. We needed to find shade before climbing the
hills for home. Here is where we stopped, there was a meadowlark and
raven perched on the highest branch. I stood on a stump of wood and felt
as though the whole ranch was my home, until the raven stirred up a
family of bees, it was in this moment I realized home was wherever I
wanted it to be — in the sweet peas
climbing towards the sun, in the kiss of morning light on a bedroom
window, in the forest, on a log, by my mother and where the hills are alive in the summertime.
The dress is from a new online Canadian boutique sweetly called Ever Rose ~ I felt like I wandered into a painting as I wore it. Being Canadian, it can be quite difficult to find online boutiques where the shipping and duties aren't hefty once they reach the doorstep. Today is Canada's birthday, a perfect day to wear a pretty dress from a Canadian company. I think I'll go pick some berries from the garden and toss them in maple syrup.
The Outfit
The Location
Glenbow Ranch, Calgary
