“A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart.” – Hal Borland
Travels With Maggie
I came across an awesome blog this week. The Cool Hunter, http://tinyurl.com/7uop6kk .
Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park located in South Dakota's Black Hills. -- Photo by Pat Bean
It’s creator listed, with photos, some of the places he thought most beautiful in the world. I was delightedly satisfied that I had seen four of the five places that were on the North American continent, and thrilled that the fifth, The Hamilton Nature Preserve, is located in Texas’ Hill Country near Austin. .
I’ve added it to my travel agenda for April, when I will be attending Story Circle Network’s “Stories from the Heart” http://tinyurl.com/yzc585o memoir writing conference for women in the city.
A nursing buffalo calf halted traffic when I visited Custer State Park. I thought it was a "beautiful" sight. -- Photo by Pat Bean, taken through the front windshield of Gypsy Lee as rain drops began to fall.
The other four awesome places in North America favored by the Cool Hunter are Lake Moraine’s Valley of the Ten Peaks in Alberta, Canada; Multnomah Falls east of Portland in Oregon; The Wave in Arizona’s Vermillion Cliffs; and the Lower Lewis River Falls in Washington.
I agree 110 percent with Cool Hunter’s choices, but I could also name a hundred plus other places in America that are just as beautiful. If I could, I would make “America, the Beautiful,” this country’s national anthem. The lyrics move me every time I hear them.
While I would love to visit some of the many places around the globe whose photos I drooled over when I read Cool Hunter’s blog, I do know that my own backyard is every bit as beautiful – and I’m thankful that I can still hear Dr. Seuss’ words – “Oh the places you’ll go and the things you’ll see” — singing in my mind every time Maggie and I take off down the road in our RV, Gypsy Lee.
Like Custer State Park in South Dakota’s Black Hills, located not far from Mount Rushmore.
Pat Bean's blog 
I proposed to my wife at the top of Harney peak in Custer State Park. We’ve been there numerous times on vacation. Definitely worth visiting.
Such a beautiful sight. We were advised never to get too close to those animals, so staying in Gypsy Lee was a good idea.
Thanks Bob. I was in a group hiking in Yellowstone that was once bullied by a bison wandering onto a trail. We all took a wide detour, thankfully. Your comment, however, reminded me of my youngest daughter’s encounter with one of these great beasts when she was only about 8. The incident added years to my life. I’ll tell you about it in today’s blog. Thanks for the inspiration.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com
Beautiful photos!Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Susie