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

~ John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle

Mountain Lake – photo by Mihailo K, bigstockphoto.com