day 2 on the Rock

Here we are on the eve of day 2 on our Bowen Island Adventure.  It's been a pretty smooth transition.  The girls and I had our first full day alone here on Friday when Drew commuted to work.  I was a little scared of being left alone on the island with "nothing to do", but that definitely wasn't the case.  Between going to the library, taking Sherpa for a walk, and entertaining my littles for the rest of the day, it was time to pick up Drew from the ferry at 5pm in no time.   We had dinner and then went for a walk in the dark.  When I say dark, I mean, DARK.  Despite being up here on Cate's Hill, which is a populated area, it was pitch black out there.  We all marveled at the darkness and the starts as we made our way down the hill and through the quiet Cove.  The walk back up the hill, pushing the stroller, was another story.  Now that was a workout.  By the time I got near the house, I had my coat off and was ready to take my shirt off too.  I guess I could have.  It was too dark to see anything.  Anyway, it was a good reminder that I can't really attempt that with 2 kids and a dog by myself.  A car is a necessity in these parts.

view from our living room

Sherpa, the most gentle dog I've ever met

our new temporary digs

colouring time

We saw some homes with a Realtor this morning, but nothing caught our attention.  We are off again tomorrow morning to see some more.  After that we will hit the play gym at the school and hopefully grab a coffee and walk.

We all had a BIG 2 hour family nap this afternoon.  Consequently Annie was not too interested going to bed tonight.  She stayed up later doing a puzzle.  She got it for her birthday and it's a 100 pieces.  She did it first with her Dad and then as soon as they finished it she wanted to tear it up and do it again.  This time she did it all by herself as Drew and I were busy with putting Lila to bed and cleaning up.  When I came upstairs after Lila was down, Annie said "look how much I've done, Mommy!  I can hardly feel my heart beating!".  It took me a moment to know what she was talking about, but I realized she was so excited about how well she was doing, that was her best way of explaining it.  Her heart was a flutter!  Too funny.  A little while later she finished it and we all celebrated with a great "hurrah!!" and family hug.  I told her if she can do that puzzle she can do anything she sets her mind to.  She reminded me that she still wants to be a doctor, rock-star and mommy.  We told her those were great things to want to be.

It's very dark, very quiet and my family has all gone to bed.  I can see the lights on top of Cypress mountain and that's about it.  I LOVE the quietness.  I want to breathe it allllllll in.  It's slower here, and we've been enjoying that pace.  As of today we still have 2 more weeks on the rock.  Who knows what will come to mind and heart after this little journey.

these two are pals

words for today

I was introduced to Mary Oliver recently.  I do enjoy her poems, particularly this one:

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes, 
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, 
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -- 
over and over announcing your place 
in the family of things.

by Mary Oliver

Steveston - New Years Day 2011

lost and yet found

I'm so excited.  I just signed up for a lecture by renowned photographer Freeman Patterson. It's a lecture called "Call to Creativity."  I've definitely been feeling the call of the creative lately and have missed an outlet to express.  I'm hoping to learn more about photography and perhaps that will help fill the void.  If nothing else, it's fun to get excited about a new calling.

I'm enjoying some down time as everyone is out of the house this morning.  The cleaners came so I headed out with Talia and Drew took off to Steveston with the girls.  Now I'm back, caffeinated, fed and happily listening to CBC in a CLEAN house.  Bliss.

Tonight Shepard's Pie is on the menu. this afternoon Drew, Ania and Annie are heading to Science World to see the Bodyworlds exhibition.  Annie heard some kids talking about it at school and has asked to go.  She is still fascinated with all things 'medical'.  When she had to get her blood drawn last week, I had no idea how she would react.  She was a superstar.  She watched the whole process and seemed so interested in the procedure.  We talked a lot about our body and blood after that.  I think this exhibit will be intriguing for her.

Here are my two little petunia's curled up on the couch the other day.  I just love it when they snuggle together.  Last night when I was putting Annie to bed, Lila asked to get under her covers.  Seeing the two of them side by side in bed nearly melted me.  When I started to think about having a second child the image that kept popping into my head was of two little gals curled up sleeping together.  I got a glimpse of that last night and it made me happy.  Hot damn, do I ever have a great life.
Fa la la la la la la la la

wintery ruminations

Bowen Island

I do love this season.  Not just because of all the festive pageantry, but I love the quietness of a winters night.  The crisp air in your lungs and barren beauty of the trees.  It also provides a lovely excuse to sit by the fire and drink red wine.  I absolutely love walking in the snow out in the country and hearing the crunching under your boots and the silence of winter resonate in your ears.  When you are out in the country it's as if the world has turned down the volume and you get to tune into the smallest sounds and the beauty of desolation.  Ahhh, I can't wait to spend our two weeks on Bowen Island lavishing in the sounds and scents of the winter woods.

Everyone kept talking about how this was going to be a 'cold, snowy' west coast winter.  Aside from an early snowfall in late November, we've been in the rain ever since.  Nothing usual for these parts.  I guess the prairie girl in me still misses views like this one:

Diefenbaker Park in Saskatoon

The next week is a busy one.  Lots of visiting, EATING, drinking and merry making.  This pre-Christmas yeeha is my most favourite time of the year.  I don't even care for the day itself (25th), but I'm all about the tease and lead-up.  Bring on the tacky, tinsel, garish garland, cookies, carols and all around festive fun.  It's time to get your holiday groove on!

burn brightly

I couldn't possibly say it any better.  I couldn't possibly describe how much this quote has always resonated with me.  From my early high school years through to this dark night, I will always be drawn to the light inside.  That flicker of madness that lives in all of us. The mysterious bit that makes us say outrageous things, rock the boat, laugh loudly, colour outside the lines, dream big, ask inappropriate questions and keep us searching for more.  This is my creed.

giving is good

Last week I took A too our first (hopefully annual) Christmas Wish Breakfast at the Pan Pacific Hotel.  We talked about how we were going to give presents to kids that don't have as many toys as we do.  We picked out a couple of things and woke up early the morning of the event.  It was a special date with my big girl and she got all dressed up in her holiday wear.

We stood in line in the pouring rain with our gifts with hundreds of other folks to give.  Despite the chill and rain, my girl was so good and patient.  We enjoyed some choir music and everyone was in the holiday spirit.  We enjoyed some breakie at the hotel with all the other merry makers and even got a candy cane from Santa.

I sure hope we can make this an annual event and my girls learn to equate the holiday season with giving and not just getting.  We live a very good life and I would like my gals to know how lucky they are and how good it feels to give.

It's been a busy few weeks.  With all the birthday prep for my big girl turning 4 and my folks coming into town, I've been on a Martha binge.  Baking, crafting, cooking, decorating and eating, of course!

I went a little nuts with the birthday party despite my mantra that 'less is more'.  I rented a space at the community centre and 11 kids and 15 adults joined in on the festivities.  It was a success and my girl was spoiled.  She opened present for what felt like an hour.  Perhaps next year I'll take it down a notch....or not.

life interrupted

Well, well...here I am at home.  My good intentions to write about everyday of my trip are now long gone.  Before I move on to real LIFE, I do have to mention and remind myself how wonderfully lucky I was to have experienced that trip to Copenhagen.  It was such a wake-up and reminder to myself of who I am, what inspires, me, interests me, scares me and makes me happy.  I loved walking around the city by myself.  I soaked up the inner silence and let my thoughts wander as my feet did.  The city was so safe, so down tempo and so inviting.  It felt like one big small town.

I have to say that it fueled my creative side again which was nice as I thought it might be long buried.  My eyes were drawn to see things differently through the lens of my camera and I relished any opportunity to go to galleries and think critically within that context.   I had forgotten how to do that.  It also reminded me that art really does make the world go round and how much I believe in its power to make people think, talk and act.  Art is powerful.

One of my most favourite days on the trip (and now will be up there in the top 20 of my life), was my trip to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.  I was introduced to new (old) artists like Anselm Kiefer:

 

and re-acquainted with old muses such as Yves Klein.

As I wandered the gallery and it's breathtaking grounds:

I was in heaven.  Truly, I thought this place might be heaven and if it was I was going to head straight to church.  The beauty of the art, location, natural surroundings was almost a sensory overload.  It was so lovely to experience it by myself.  Although I have no one to share this amazing day with, I so loved being at peace in this environment.  Most of the grounds that I snuck into behind the museum were empty and I just zen-ed out.   I walked beyond the museum property into the Danish countryside.  As I walked along a small gravel road I gazed at the piercing blue water and sky.  Again, it was visual bliss.

Ok, so you get the idea.  The trip was fab and my favourite bit was the Louisiana.  I missed my family and it is good to be home, but man oh man, did I enjoy the "break."

We are back into the thick of things here.  Awaiting job news, planning a birthday party, fighting off colds, researching schools and getting chilly.  Winter is on it's way!  Brrr, I can hear the heater click away as I type. 

The girls are in fine form these days.  They play a lot together.  They also fight a lot, but it's always short lived.  As L rounds the corner to "2" I see her asserting her independence and saying "no!" more and more.  Ah, the 2's.   I'm bracing myself.  This time I know what I'm in for.  I'll be sure to clean out my flask and make room for it in my purse.

Time to sign off and enjoy the silence before they wake up.  Shush!!