Super, Natural, British Columbia

I moved around a lot as a kid.

My parents separated before I'd turned one. Between bouncing back and forth living with my mother and my father, and both of them moving from place to place, by the time I'd graduated High School I'd been to nine different schools.

As such, I never felt grounded to any one location. I never really had a 'home town' that I felt attached to.

From small towns in Saskatchewan like Etonia and Pontiex, to small towns in Alberta like Innisfail and Redcliff, the whole "small town" thing lost its appeal real quick. So I tried a city. Calgary, Alberta was a fun place to live-- but the scenery didn't inspire me. And the weather? Hoo, boy. No thanks.

So, I set off on an adventure and moved to British Columbia.

And holy hell, it's the most gorgeous place I've ever seen.

I live in a mid-sized city named Chilliwack, which is nestled in the scenic Fraser Valley. I can hop in my car and be at the foot of a mountain hike within thirty minutes, or I can head west to Vancouver, one of the best cities in the world, which is only an hour away. It has everything I could ever want.

The following photo is a vista I drive by every day on my commute to work. The sun hits those mountains and the sky lights up with oranges, pinks, purples. Everything is green. So, so green. Seriously, I drive by this every day. How lucky am I?

Thirty minutes from my home is a three-hour hike, complete with hand-made footbridges and fallen trees to cross waterfalls. The top overlooks Harrison Lake, a stunning reward for your exertions. Pre-children I went on this hike nearly every weekend. It's my favourite spot, and it's off the radar for most tourists. When people go hiking they usually go to Lindeman Lake, which is gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but this little piece of heaven is my jam. There's something about being alone in the forest that hits me right in the feels.

The next few photos are from the Harrison Grind / Campbell Lake Trail in Harrison, British Columbia.

Even in the winter when it's cold (not really that cold, compared to the rest of Canada), it's a stunning place to live. Chilliwack has gorgeous walking and biking paths, lots of parks for the kids to play, and nature reserves galore.

Bridal Falls is about a fifteen minute drive from my house. It's very popular with tourists, so you should head there early in the morning. It says not to approach the falls, but everyone does it. Just watch your footing!

My home? I got lucky. Really, really lucky. My house backs on to a river (okay, it's technically a slough), so in the summer I can walk out my back door and jump in the water. Mosquito season sucks (okay, it really, really sucks) but that's nothing some bug spray and antihistamines (and perhaps some tequila) can't fix! Totally worth it.

No, I didn't grow up here. But I'm going to live the rest of my life here. It's my home town. And the fact that I chose it, out of everywhere else in the world, makes it that much sweeter.

My kids are lucky enough to be born here. They'll grow up here and probably won't appreciate it as much as I do, but that's fine. When they become adults they can explore the world on their own and find that one special place that speaks to their soul, just as I did.

Photos are taken by me! You can check me out on Instagram: lindsay.maple