Capricious Spring

The weather can't decide what to do. This week we've had rain, snow, wind, cold, and a bit of sunshine. Last Sunday afternoon Tim and I headed to Witty's Lagoon for a little walk. Although the sun peeked out occasionally, its warmth was stolen away by the wind.

 Mugs of steaming tea, drunk while seated on a driftwood log, warmed our insides most satisfactorily. In the distance we watched some Canadian Navy vessels doing an exercise in the Strait - ships and helicopters went to and fro. 

Last Friday I received a call from one of our pastors - "There's been a cancellation on the Mexico trip, would you like to go?" It came out of the blue and I had to decide quickly. And so, on Saturday morning Tim will drive me to the ferry where the team (43 of us) will be sailing, then busing to Seattle, flying to San Diego and driving in vans to a town in Baja California. Some of the team will be constructing a house, some will be working on a church, and I will be using my rusty Spanish to communicate. 


I'll be gone for 9 days so if you don't hear from me, you'll know why. But I've pre-posted a series with simple spring photos accompanied with quotations from L. M. Montgomery that you might enjoy. Montgomery's characters, which include Anne of Green Gables, Emily of New Moon, and Valancy (The Blue Castle) are spunky and likable. I've read them all over and over, not for the quality of writing but for her superb characterization. Many of her characters' expressions are ones that I can identify with, such as 

"I do know my own mind...The trouble is, my mind changes and then I have to get acquainted with it all over again."

L. M. Montgomery - Anne of the Island

It was a very Happy Thanksgiving

I snapped this photo in October, on Canadian Thanksgiving Sunday,  a wonderful, amazing weekend. Pictured above, leading the way, (mostly hidden) are our son (DS) and daughter-in-law, parents of the Little Miss, and behind them, our eldest daughter and son-in-law (DD1).    

The preceding Friday afternoon I awaited, with hope in my heart, a Skype call from DD1. At first she looked so serious that I thought, "oh no." But then, her husband, standing behind her, put up two thumbs with a huge grin. YES! Another grandbaby is on the way. Great rejoicing ensued and thanks to God.

Just a month ago, I was invited, along with Gerry's mom, to the gender assessment ultrasound. I bought two little onesies and wrapped them up. But I only came home with one of them - the blue one. Yes, we're having a second darling granddaughter - a girl cousin for the Little Miss.  We have about 3 months more to wait - such exciting days. 


I've been teaching this week - Christian Perspectives and Home Economics. Being with teenagers is paradoxically both invigorating and tiring. I come home from school tired and happy.


Today I'm playing with the Little Miss. She's napping just now, and there's a chicken carcass simmering on the stove, filling the air with savoury goodness. Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are on the list of things to make today, and some tidying up. Hopefully the rain will desist long enough for a walk this afternoon. 


What's happening in your world today? I always love to hear.

Craving Colour

On one of my walking routes I pass by an older home set back from the street. Each year, in spring, I anticipate the burst of colour on the lawn. 


Naturalized crocuses have spread there over the years, and the result is a green lawn speckled with various shades of purple. Mossy rocks line the driveway and the bed alongside is now full of crocuses and the last of the nodding snowdrops. I saw one sunshine yellow daffodil blooming and there will be more to follow. 


Today on southern Vancouver Island the sun shines brightly but there's a strong, cold wind tempering the warmth. Still, I think we'll put on our hats and gloves, bundle into our heavy coats and brave a walk on the beach. 


How are you spending this sunny Sunday afternoon? What's bringing colour into your world?


Linking to Mosaic Monday and Sunlit Sunday.

Birds of Different Feathers

Signs of spring are popping up all over. Colours are still muted, the browns, tans and greys of winter in much evidence. Birds rustle and twitter in the dry grasses and skeleton branches of trees and the increasing light brings hope of spring and summer colour.

Frost during the night means a thin layer of ice on the pond in the morning. As the ducks waddled I could plainly hear the ice cracking beneath their feet. Reaching the edge where the ice no longer bore their weight was no problem, they switched to from waddling to paddling with no hesitation.

The Little Miss looks a bit robotic here, but she is enchanted with the ducks, running after them, calling out in high, excited gibberish, although I'm pretty sure she said "duck" a couple of times. 

All that running meant some falling, too. And it's muddy out there. She fussed about the muddy mittens so I took them off. I thought she might see better without the sunglasses, too. She's very good about wearing them, protecting her beautiful blue eyes.

A friend of the Little Miss is just a few months old and her mother likes owls. So I stitched up this owl softie for her.


Waddling and paddling birds, twittering birds, stitched birds - I think it's almost spring!

Seven Pleasures of Almost Spring

Last night the rained poured down. This morning was grizzly grey. But around 10 am or so, the wind blew away all the clouds and the sunshine poured in through the windows! It's almost spring!

If it's almost spring where you are, or not quite, here are a few ways that I like to celebrate and encourage the season:

Revel in the sight of green shoots poking up through brown dirt

Get my gardening tools in order

Hold my face up to the sunshine and feel its faint warmth

Buy a bunch of tulips or daffodils

Pay attention to the lengthening days and the clear quality of light

Play suitable music - I've been listening to Vivaldi's Spring, found on Youtube if you don't have a CD or other means of listening

Open a window wide and let the wind blow out all the winter doldrums 

(Only for a short time - it's still chilly around here)

Last week a parcel arrived from Italy. Not for me, I'm just the receiver and keeper. But our daughter had me open the box while she watched via Skype. I pulled out some of their winter clothes and then the jug pictured above, made and purchased in the town of Tropea where they spent a month. Isn't it cheerful? Alas, a plate also sent in the package didn't fare so well.

Alas, a plate also sent in the parcel didn't fare so well. But Ashley says she can use the pieces in a mosaic sometime, so I'm saving them in a basket for her. They are bright and cheery. Our travelers are now in Istanbul and having a great time. She showed me some fabrics she bought in the Grand Bazaar - for ME! 

What are you enjoying on these "almost spring" days?

Beauty and Ugliness

Vancouver's first unofficial name was Gastown, named after very talkative "Gassy Jack" Deighton. This area of town is full of historic buildings and sites, and is being revitalized with new businesses and very tony retail establishments.

In the courtyard leading from Gaoler's Mews stood the jail, and the place where convicted criminals were hung. 

Looking into the mews from the street. I didn't go into the mews, but there is a pretty tea house there, along with the historical buildings. 


This area of Vancouver is known for its history, and is very popular with tourists. But there's a sad side as well. Many homeless people live here, those with mental illness and addictions of various kinds. They are easy to spot, perhaps not so much by their clothing, but by the hollow look on their faces and their avoidance of looking people in the eye. My heart aches for these people. 

British Columbia's entrance into the Confederation of Canada was contingent upon the railway's arrival on the west coast of Canada. The Canadian Pacific Railway was constructed across the country, unifying east and west. This was the terminus of the line, built in a neo-classical style. Today it's the centre for various types of transportation.

One last photo of Vancouver - note the tuft of wire on top of the light. At first I thought it was a growth of some weeds or something, but I soon realized that all the lights had the same tuft - to prevent seagulls from alighting and making a mess. And then, of course, off to the side, the Canadian flag, flying proudly. 


Have you ever been to Vancouver? What did you think of it?

Vancouver Views

This past week Tim had a conference in Vancouver, and I didn't have any teaching scheduled so I went along. Wednesday morning, we woke up to see snow outside our window! And this view across the water to North Vancouver. Clouds hung heavy over the North Shore, obscuring the snow-covered hills for most of the day.

Constructed for the 1986 World Exposition, Canada Place is surrounded by a busy working harbour in the heart of downtown Vancouver. The building itself juts into Burrard Inlet, evoking thoughts of a large ship with its iconic sails. It's now used as a convention centre and it's here where cruise ships dock.

Walking around the centre almost feels like walking around the deck of a cruise ship. And looking up, it's easy for that illusion to continue.

This view, from Canada Place up Howe Street, is typical of downtown Vancouver, where old and new architecture melds in a city that is always changing. Our hotel is the curved building to the right. All the snow was gone by Thursday, but the skies were still grey and a nipping wind blew off the water.

So much activity in the harbour. Float planes, passenger ferries, huge tankers, container ships, and smaller boats come and go constantly.


While Tim was in meetings all day, I ventured out on my own. On Wednesday I drove to Ikea and picked up a few things (there's no Ikea on the Island), had lunch with my cousin who works at Children's Hospital, and wandered around town a little. It was so cold that I didn't stay out very long, and instead went back to the hotel to read, and look out the window. 

Thursday's weather was a little more pleasant and I ventured out to visit a couple of shops. One was Dressew - a fabric shop with no website that takes no credit cards, but has an amazing two floors of fabric and sewing related stuff. Some of it is junk, but there are treasures to be found if one is willing to look closely. I did and I picked up 3 pieces of fabric and some notions. 


Aren't the colours in the Dominion Building, pictured above, striking? When completed in 1910, at 13 stories high, it was the tallest building in the British Dominion. Hard to believe now. It was also the first steel-framed high rise in Vancouver. The square in front of the building is Victory Square, where a cenotaph honours those who fought for Canada in the Great War, and later wars.


Tomorrow I'll have a few more photos of Vancouver, featuring the Gastown area.

When I Just HAVE to Decorate

Included in the furniture left in our other house to make it look "lived-in" is our dining room table, chairs and china cabinet. The dining room here is thus totally empty. It's great for playing chasing games with the Little Miss, but looks bare the rest of the time. 


Last week I did a little painting and needed the step ladder. In a whimsical moment I decorated the step ladder after I was finished with it. I hadn't intended to leave it, but it fills a corner nicely, and allows for a little space on which to place a few plants. And you'll notice my Christmas cactus is blooming - why I don't know. It bloomed nicely at the end of November and now here it is with beautiful blossoms again. I don't mind.

My painting project was the kitchen/eating area. Formerly yellow, it's now the same grey as our house in Parksville. We bought a LOT of paint and didn't use it all up there, so this cost nothing.  The shelves here are sparse for now. All in good time.

A pretty bouquet of tulips is so cheery and welcome. I bought them as tight buds and within a few days they are full, growing paler as they mature. Soon they will droop, but be beautiful still. 


A cold front has moved in along with a nipping wind. I'm glad for warming cups of tea and pink flowers to cheer up what could be a dreary day, should I focus on the weather.


What's cheery in your day?

It's Never Too Late

These days, I'm thinking about creativity, purpose, and the roadblocks to living a creative life of purpose. On my last post I asked what intimidated you. Thank you for responding so honestly. It seems that many, if not all, of us have something that we long to do, but because of various reasons, don't. 

"It's never too late to be who you might have been."

George Eliot is accredited with the above words. They speak to me of the ongoing nature of human development. As long as God grants us breath and clear minds, we can be learning, exploring, challenging expectations, and growing. Becoming. 

I made the above collage because I was thinking about our visit to France five years ago (and wishing we could go again.) Vincent Van Gogh painted his heart out. Others designed and built the Pont du Gard, the Palais des Papes, and the hall in the Conciergerie. Others garden, creating beauty for themselves and passersby.

Living a life that honors God and serves humanity can be done in so many ways. As I get older I am becoming more and more aware of the vast diversity of human experience and possibility. I want to embrace that, and let go of the things that intimidate me. 

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at the Little Red House.  

What Intimidates You?

I was called in to teach yesterday. One block was a photography class. The students had projects to work on and I was there just for supervision. So, I spent a lot of time wandering around the classroom, which happened to be held in the art room. My camera was in my purse and since the students were working on photography editing and shooting, I snapped a few shots myself.


In high school I yearned to take art, but never did. I was always intimidated by the "artistic" students - those who I thought grew up drawing realistically from the time they could hold a pencil. I envied them. Creating visual art on canvas and on paper is something I've recently dared to attempt. I love the idea of being able to be free with colours, shapes and textures - mixed media is what appeals to me. 


I was surprised at how intimidated I felt in that art room yesterday. All the old anxieties about not being good enough to even try came to the fore. And yet I longed to pick up those pastels and start making my own marks. And I will. 


What intimidates you? Is there something you've always longed to attempt but haven't? Why not?

Today was Nana day. The sun shone and I took the Little Miss out into the yard. She looks so tiny wandering around on the uneven ground. Tumbles didn't deter her one bit, she just picked herself up and barreled on. She played with rocks (tried to eat them), a dandelion (tried to eat it), and these dry sticks that I collected. Exploring was fun, but exhausting. She went down for a nap soon after.

New Shirts

We went shirt-shopping this past weekend. It was a success: we came home with two business shirts for my husband - not a small feat considering how particular he is.


While Tim is in the changing room --


salesman: Here's another one. Do you think he'll like it?


me: No, he thinks those kind of shirts look like tea towels.


salesman: oh. 


Salesman walks off and then I notice, he's wearing that very shirt. 


Oops.

February Afternoon on the Beach

The wind bites hard as I step onto the beach. I stop, pull up my hood and Tim offers to do the snaps for me. We walk, head down into the wind. Waves rush upon the shore in a loose meringue, then deflate and retreat. My heels dig deep into the loose sand and I think virtuously of what a good workout this is. 


A tangle of bull kelp, bleached yellow, lies forsaken under a driftwood log. One red arbutus stick waits lonely on the wet sand until the next high tide when it will again be carried off to float elsewhere. A tug boat chugs through the choppy water, the sound of its engine lost in the rush of waves and wind. Sere, faded grasses scratch against each other above the beach. I would stop and check their bases for any hint of green renewal, but I'm too cold. I pick up sea glass, white and green, smoothed by the tumbling water. 


Home again for tea and chocolate. The scent of chicken roasting in the oven dispels any lingering trace of chill. I am replete with contentment.


Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary of the Little Red House.

The wind bites hard as I step onto the beach. I stop, pull up my hood and Tim offers to do the snaps for me. We walk, head down into the wind. Waves rush upon the shore in a loose meringue, then deflate and retreat. My heels dig deep into the loose sand and I think virtuously of what a good workout this is. 


A tangle of bull kelp, bleached yellow, lies forsaken under a driftwood log. One red arbutus stick waits lonely on the wet sand until the next high tide when it will again be carried off to float elsewhere. A tug boat chugs through the choppy water, the sound of its engine lost in the rush of waves and wind. Sere, faded grasses scratch against each other above the beach. I would stop and check their bases for any hint of green renewal, but I'm too cold. I pick up sea glass, white and green, smoothed by the tumbling water. 


Home again for tea and chocolate. The scent of chicken roasting in the oven dispels any lingering trace of chill. I am replete with contentment.


Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary of the Little Red House.

Friday Fill-ins

1.  Finally, I cleared away the stack of papers on my desk. I've always disliked filing.


2.  Chewing each mouthful 10 times, as suggested by a nutritionist on television sure takes some getting used to.


3.  My Dad says: I hate being bored. (And at 77, he keeps himself very busy with all kinds of projects.)


4.  "Bekus" is my favorite nickname for breakfast - a leftover from our youngest child's efforts at learning to talk.


5.  It took a long time, but I'm starting to sew my own clothes again.


6.  Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, though I wouldn't have it any other way.


7.  And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a movie at home with my husband, tomorrow my plans include a very important date with our eldest daughter and some time with our granddaughter, and on Sunday, I want to attend church, go for a long walk, read a book, and watch "Monarch of the Glen."


Friday Fill-ins

A Fireside Dinner

Instead of bringing flowers home at the end of the day, Tim surprised me with roses at breakfast. He kept them in the garage overnight. Lovely, deep red ones.

I've not taken many (or any) photos of our home since the move. That's because most of our big pieces of furniture - dining room table and chairs, couch, loveseat, china cabinet, piano, bookcases, etc. are still in Parksville, making the house there look more attractive to buyers. That hasn't worked yet, but we're praying that it will soon. For now, we have a small couch, one easy chair, our kitchen table and chairs and a few end tables and our bed, plus a few odds and ends. Functional, but a bit sparse.


So last night, we lit a fire and some candles, spread a blanket on the carpet, and enjoyed a meal of homemade tapas. It was different. It was fun. 

One tapa was Quinoa Pepper Verrines. Verrine is a French word, and in this sense means a glass, or food in a glass dish. I found the recipe here on Tartelette's blog. Because I had no avocado, I made a roasted red pepper cream to top it off. 

Sizzling oven baked shrimp was another course, along with stuffed mushrooms, roasted asparagus wrapped in Tuscan ham, and Patatas Bravas - roasted potato slices dipped in a spicy tomato sauce. The Patatas Bravas recipe came from a Fine Cooking magazine, but the recipe is also on their website. Just click the link above.

To finish it off I made Lemon Meringue Cups - lemon meringue pie without the crust, baked in custard cups. Clicking the link will take you to my recipe blog. 


Tim is always willing to try new dishes, which is a good thing since I love to try new foods. Or serve familiar foods in different ways. This was great for conversation, unhurried and fun.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a sweet holiday - not just because of the chocolates and treats, but because it's a day to express love. However, I think it's been overtaken by consumerism and marketing. Advertisements suggesting that love is shown by a new piece of expensive jewelry or by Roses + Expensive Dinner + Chocolates + you-fill-in-the-blank can only raise expectations and lead to disappointments. 

Managing expectations is a hard task.

On the one hand, I know that my husband loves me dearly, is unfailingly loyal, works hard, is fun to be with and I need nothing. Valentine's Day sales are simply an effort to part us from more of our money.

On the other hand, marketers tell me that I deserve this, that, or the other thing and that bauble or experience will confirm his love for me. And what woman doesn't enjoy a little extra-special attention?


What I know to be true wars with the "diva me." I know who will win now. We'll have a very nice candlelight dinner here at home which I'll make, he'll likely bring me flowers, and we'll have a wonderful time. But it wasn't always so. When we were younger I expected a lot more. Putting so many expectations on one day leads unfailingly to disappointment. I've learned his style over the years and he's adjusted to mine. I'm so glad he's my Valentine.


One thing my mother always did on Valentine's Day was to bake heart-shaped cookies. I did that today. I'll give some to our children - because I love each one of them, too. For me, Valentine's Day isn't just about romantic love. It's about friendship, parental love - all love, really. 


The recipe I used is one from my mother-in-law, who got it from her mother. My husband's grandfather was Swedish and these cookies, faintly almond-flavored, with a meringue topping, were his favourites. You can find the recipe for Morkakor, Grandpa's Cookies, here.


I wish all of my readers a very happy Valentine's Day - may you know that you are loved.

Cozy Sunday, Mosaic Monday

Drizzle. Grey. Those two words sum up the weather this weekend. So we were very happy to be invited to a brunch at our eldest daughter and son-in-law's home on Sunday after early church. Seven of us (including the Little Miss and her parents) gathered together in person and our youngest daughter and her husband joined us from Rome via Skype for a few fun moments. 


Yellow daffodils shone brightly as we munched on huevos rancheros, bacon, English muffins, cinnamon buns and berry smoothies. It was the perfect way to spend a drizzly February afternoon.


I hope your weekend was equally fine. Joining with Mary of the Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. 

On A Thursday Morning in February

Grey. Misty. A fine rain. A day for just made for ducks. 

Tiny rain droplets bead on this duck's feathers, reminding me of the saying, "like water off a duck's back." I was glad he ventured close because ...

although I taught school Tuesday and Wednesday, and will be teaching on Friday, today I played with our Little Miss. She loves the ducks, watches intently, and then jabbers away in gleeful baby-speak.

On our way home we stopped to look at a magnolia tree, its buds swelling with promise. 

And this bush, getting ready to bud, too. It was a good thing we took our walk when we did, early in the morning, for rain set in and the rest of the day we read stories, climbed stairs, chased a purple ball, and sang songs. 

What made your day fine?