As I sit with my coffee, I watch the sun rise over the eastern horizon each morning. Dewdrops sparkle in the new light. I sit and listen to the silence… only to realize there is no silence at all. I hear the birds beginning their day—hummingbirds, woodpeckers, turkeys, and cranes, I hear wind in the pines. The breeze is barely there, but the air is incredibly fresh and light.

There’s so much here I’ve never encountered in my other travels around the world—so much nature, so much peace. Somehow, it feels different here. My thoughts flow without interruption, and my mind feels as clear as the air around me.

Ladysmith, Wisconsin Deep in the Heart of The Northwoods