My Beloved is the mountains,
And lovely wooded valleys,
Strange islands,
And resounding rivers,
The whistling of love-stirring breezes.
The tranquil night
At the time of the rising dawn,
Silent music,
Sounding solitude,
The supper that refreshes, and deepens love.

~ John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle

Quinault Rainforest, photo by KR Backwoods Photography, used with permission