just breathe.

the weather on Sunday was beautiful, so we packed a picnic and drove to Peel Forest. there's a little chapel there called the Church of the Holy Innocents, tucked away down a winding dirt road, set at the foot of a hill amongst trees that seem to stretch on forever toward the sky.

inside the church, stained glass windows are set like arched jewels in the thick pale cream stone walls, and it's cool and dark and secret.

outside, underneath those magnificent trees and scattered through the long grasses and wildflowers are gorgeous old gravestones, some dating back to the early 1800s. there's nothing to hear but birdsong, the endless breeze whispering through leaves, and the sound of the river that flows through the valley just beyond.

after we ate, Lauren and I wandered around taking photographs, while Ivan napped on a wooden bench in the sun.

it really would have to be one of my favourite places on earth. ♥

(there are more photos in a flickr set here. )