It is important to keep our minds in a place of wonder. This month, ponder what might awaken a new side of you, inspire you, and help you feel renewed.

Here is a short list to get you started:

Northern Lights  Also known as Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere, this phenomenon occurs when “electrons from space flow down Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere in a ring or oval centered on the magnetic pole of Earth. The collisions produce light much like how electrons flowing through gas in a neon light collide with neon and other gasses to produce different colored light bulbs.” {Click here to learn more}  Click here to see a prediction of where viewing might be possible.  Click here for viewing tips.

Blue Ghost Fireflies  These special little guys are only found in our region and emit a steady, soft glow, in contrast to the flashing pattern of the more common species. Some viewing areas include: DuPont State Forest (Corn Mill Shoals, Hooker Falls and Lake Imaging trails); Pisgah National Forest (Pink Beds Loop and Sycamore Flats trails); The Cradle of Forestry offers guided tours, with paved trails for easy viewing; and Cataloochee Valley (Great Smoky Mountains National Park).

Roan Mountain on Carver’s Gap  {Elevation 5512ft} This special place hosts many rare plants, one in particular, Alnus crispus (Green Alder or Mountain Alder), can only be found here! It’s an adventure akin to a journey Dora the Explorer might take: walk through the boreal forest to the grassy bald: look for the rare Gray's Lily {be sure to go in June or July – I once hiked for 10 miles looking for this lily only to discover I had missed the bloom time!}, then into the woods to discover the poisonous Delphinium, Monkshood, that will be accompanied by Monarda (Bee Balm) and Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan). As this special area creates its own weather, it is advised to always have rain gear on hand.

The Eternal Flame, located in the Shale Creek Preserve in Chestnut Ridge Park, (Western New York), is an ethereal phenomenon where a continual flame fueled by a natural gas emission resides in a little grotto behind a water fall.

Blue Whales of Southern California  Here you can find one of the largest gatherings (an estimated 2,000 per season) of these whales, as they feed on mass amounts of krill. Click here to see drone video footage of the biggest mammals on earth.

Monhegan Island, ME  This tiny island boasts one of the largest and historically rich collections of landscape paintings by well-known artists like Robert Henri, George Bellows, Rockwell Kent, Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth. It truly is like stepping back in time, as not much has changed since the 1800s. Book a ferry and look for puffins and seals on your way to the island, and either shlep your bags or let a golf cart shuttle take you to your inn, as only service vehicles are allowed on the island. Make your first stop the Monhegan Museum of Art & History, and you will get the feeling of walking into the paintings as you tour around the island. It's a surreal and unforgettable experience – I promise.

So get out your paper maps, binoculars, traveling shoes and hit the road. You never know what you might discover!