Exploring Pink Lake

Let me take you to a green oasis tucked away in the lush nature not far from home in Canada.

Later this week, I'll focus on the harsh realities of our world, with wars, human suffering, and bad governance simmering on a planet that is heating up like a pressure cooker. You will find plenty of other sources if you are only interested in these kinds of issues; any newspaper fills its front pages this year with those stories.

I take a different approach. Since I started this newsletter, my writing has always represented the balance I try to find in life, where I learned that the weight of my work-related focus on the impacts of environmental destruction only becomes bearable by regularly spending balancing time in nature.

A few hours of walking always does wonders for the mind and body. I hope that sharing nature with you via photography, video, or writing gives something similar even to those who can't spend time in nature. In other words, I let you join me virtually on my travels.

So, in the days before the world should (and perhaps will) turn its attention to the climate crisis during COP28 in Dubai, I'll take you on a three-minute walk in nature to provide some balance. The video is a short version of a walk of a few hours I made in late September when the weather was pleasant, and trees in the forest were still mostly green, with only a few leaves starting to show their spectacular autumn coloring.

So here are three minutes in paradise:

In the video, I briefly show a sliver of mica. In the 19th century, this mineral was valuable for its use as a heatproof window material and, later, as an electrical insulator. Mica mined in the park was transported to Hull, now part of Gatineau, where it was cut and processed. However, only a few of the more than 14 known mines in the park were actually exploited on what can be considered an industrial scale. Many were little more than surface scratchings by farmers looking to create another source of income.

The largest mica crystal removed from this area weighed more than 500 pounds (about 227 kilograms). I found my tiny piece near the remnants of a smaller mining operation next to Pink Lake. This mine functioned only for a few years at the beginning of the 20th century, but you can still look into the deep shaft of the mine.

I hope you enjoyed the virtual walk. Soon, I will focus my attention on COP28, but I hope to also share some photos or stories of other walks I made before the end of the year.

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