Ordinary Surprises

A while ago, I realized that if I never left home, I would never take any of the pictures that I so admired, taken by people who ventured far and wide. Who trekked the high north, the far east. Who meandered on untrodden paths.

Over the course of this past six months, however (as I've been out and about with Kane), I've come to realize that there are many exceptionally beautiful sights not so very far from home.

Finding them does require a willingness to go to new places, but they are places not so very far away. It costs almost nothing to get there (sometimes nothing at all, if it's walking distance). And there are almost always surprises awaiting.

Like this waterfall at Andrew Hayden Park in Ottawa.

The red is, I believe, from iron oxide in the water.

It's hidden in a small copse of trees. In fact, the first time we walked past it, we did not see it at all. It was not what we had expected. This was what we had anticipated:

Peaceful views of sailboats on the Ottawa River. Lots of summer clouds in a blue sky.

A windmill and a pond. (We believe the windmill was feeding the waterfall as there was no stream leading to the falls.)

I will never see lily pads without thinking of Monet.

More of the lighthouse and pond.

This place made me mindful that there are plenty of beautiful scenes right here at home that are well worth venturing out to find. I don't need to travel the world; I just need to keep my eyes open and camera handy.