Recipe for a perfect day with your sweetheart:
1. A sunny blue-sky winter day.
2. A gorgeous chunk of wetlands.
3. Canoes that you don’t have to load and unload.
4. No agenda, no rush.
5. Plenty of time to paddle slowly and explore the marshes and swamps.
6. Cypress trees covered in moss and backlit by the sun.
7. Occasional sightings of egrets, vultures, a bald eagle, lots of little birds, and an armadillo.
8. Blooming red maple trees. My favorite.
9. A waxing gibbous moon rising white over the treetops in the blue sky.
10. A lovely group of people to share the trip with, but mostly spread out so we could soak in the scenery and the quiet. It was very quiet.
It’s amazing how restorative it is to spend a day away from clocks, phones, computers, lists and agendas. We both came home mentally refreshed and physically tired in a good kind of way; tired from physical exertion, not from stress.
If you live in New Orleans and would like to do something like this, you can check out Canoe and Trail Adventures. We go on a few trips every year with Byron Almquist, who manages the outings, and they’re always memorable.
Enjoy the slide show! (Wow – slide shows two days in a row!)
What’s your favorite way to clear your head and take a break from your regular schedule?
Nice pictures! We have a river near us that winds through many small communities and we like to go to one of the parks along the river and just take it all in.
Sounds beautiful, Christine. I love to walk along the edges of rivers.
Beautiful pictures and great post Carla. I too live near NOLA and it is a very beautiful place with wonderful wildlife and even the swamps are beautiful.
I’m glad that I came across your blog via your comment on The RandomBlog2011 Challenge (http://whatsbuggingmetoday.wordpress.com/randomblog2011-challenge/). I’ll definitely be back to read more. 
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed, PD 69! Having readers makes it more fun to post daily. Cheer!
Oh, so lovely and tranquil, what a joy to be out on the water this time of year. New Orleans is on my list, now you’ve given me even more reason!
So glad you stopped by the blog! I do hope you make it to NOLA – it surprises me every day with something to enjoy or appreciate. Cheers!