Cate Belleveau, a world traveler, was challenged by a loved one to explore her "own backyard. " That exploration toook her through the bogs, swamps, and forests and into the world-class beauty of Minnesota's northern lakes country. Launching her kayak from those shorelines, she circumnavigated 274 lakes in Beltrami County. This journey took four years, and as she continued to paddle across the quietude of lakes, she recalled the wealth of treasured memories from journeys past, such as time spent in the mountain country of Montana, a trek to Mt. Everest base camp in Nepal, exploring jungles and highlands in South America, hiking in exotic Kyrgyzstan, cultural riches in Asia and Europe as well as kayaking in Greece. This book is a collection of stories and photos which document Cate's experiences exploring the inner world of peace she found while spending time in the wild places and the transcendent beauty of her "own backyard."