Travel at home? What the hell is that supposed to mean?

 Well, exactly what it says.

 A couple days ago, I went down to the shore of Lake Michigan to look for a Snowy Owl. Snowy Owls migrate down from the northern arctic in winter and at least one pair have been hanging out in the Milwaukee area for a few years. I've seen the female several times but not the male.

 I didn't see her that day but I was thinking how beautiful the lake looked. Shelf ice extended out several hundred yards, and the ground was snow covered. This evolved into a reverie about how fortunate I am to live 10 minutes from that location. And I usually take it for granted.

 A mile or so north of where I was is our Art Museum (MAM). The museum is comprised of two buildings - one designed by Eero Saarinen and the other by Santiago Calatrava. And beautiful as they are, I usually take them for granted.

North of that is a great beach (better enjoyed in summer) and I use it in summer, but guess what? I usually take it for granted. There are many other wonderful buildings and attractions minutes from where I was and… you know what I was going to say. A lot of people would absolutely love to see what I saw in that half a day.

 Just a half a day meandering on my home turf never more than 30 minutes from my house did it for me. I can't recommend it enough. It was about 18 degrees that day, but I got home feeling enriched and uplifted.

 How many really cool things are there close to where you live that you take for granted? All it takes to awaken new appreciation is to look at them as a new visitor to your location would. I guess perception is everything.