Wordless Wednesday - Whimsical Westham

Break to Recreate

There goes another weekend.  June did not get my Memo clearly.

Work last week was hard.  Emotionally hard.  Too much talking, too many meetings.

I walked out of my office on Friday feeling wrung out, all in, D O N E.

On Saturday morning Allan headed off fishing and I worked out.  Thank goodness for Jazzercise.....I love those workouts - they are hard and sweaty and yet fun and friendly.  My running is stonewalled at the moment - issues with knee and arm and vision.....and loneliness I think?  Or do I miss the alone time of running?

I think I miss alone time of any kind right now......

The kids and I had a meeting over fresh baked chocolate cinnamon brioche (thank goodness I just worked off 600 calories) and headed out.  I needed to be away from the City for a bit - in open spaces where I could see and breathe.

We headed to Westham Island....across the old wooden single lane bridge and into the farmlands.

We stopped at our usual spot first - probably the earliest we have ever been out here.  Everyone was so friendly and we left with a few things but not their strawberry jam which we have come to crave with maple walnut scones that Lindsay makes.




So we stopped in at Emma Leas which is usually crazy busy later in the season but today it was quiet....and they had  fresh picked strawberries and strawberry jam! Yes!

We tootled around the island - seeing the land being plowed and planted and watered and weeded.....I felt like the land was heavy with its harvest that it will give up in a few short weeks for us to enjoy.  How lucky!  We ate potatoes for dinner that had been in the ground just a few hours before.... blessed that is....so very blessed.  Just a couple hours outdoors, windows down, fresh air, big views..... it was good for my soul.

And then I came home and power washed the yard......such good intentions to surprise Allan with this tedious task being taken care of...... but what a mission it was.... my back is paying for it today.  But I am so happy with how it looks and the time to noodle around in my head and get all muddied up was good too.  I sorted some stuff out in my head too.

Sunday was a regroup, finish some chores (like clean out the fridge which I did ably assisted by David who had this as an assignment for his Foods course!), groceries, some reading and a lovely dinner with my parents after my Mom arrived home from visiting my sister in Alaska...... some grillin' and chillin' with a delightful apple crisp made by the ever awesome baker Miss Lindsay who also knocked out a few dozen cookies and a batch of maple scones!

I feel like I had a weekend....I recreated....re-created.....restored...rebooted.

Which is good....for the week ahead......she is a doozy!

Hidden in plain sight

I will admit I feel a bit silly writing this post.  

I just discovered a place..... a truly wonderful place.....a place I think about everyday now..... a place I long to return to.....

This place is 6km from my front door.

I have lived in Richmond for 14.5 years and I just went there for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

Allan and Lindsay had been there for cooking classes, I had often heard about it from various friends and yet I had never set foot there.

This place that has stolen my heart is Terra Nova Nature Park ......what an amazing gift of wide open, natural space right on my doorstep.

Terra Nova Rural Park is a 63 acres city-wide nature park in the Thompson area with historic buildings, a community garden and a picnic area.
This park has excellent habitat for birds and other wildlife in the area. Boardwalks, slough and viewing platforms are available for enhanced park visibility and access. Various agriculturally oriented activities take place at the park including: a Waterwise Demonstration Garden, Community Garden and is home to user groups such as the Fruit Tree Sharing Project and the Terra Nova School Yard Project. (City of Richmond)

The trails are easy and varied, the views to the north are amazing and the flowers and birds and mason bees so lovely.  There are also owls and bats!

Most of all, for me, is the sense of community and the wide open space......the community gardeners chatting to one another, sharing tips and materials, chatting to us and others just out walking.  The feeling of being far away from the City.....to see grass and sky and mountains.

SO close to the City, so close to the busy airport and yet miles and miles from ordinary.

A place to breathe - I literally feel my chest expand as my lungs fill with the sweet air.

A place to slow down - to wander and to watch and to slow the heartbeat.

I truly can't believe I have not enjoyed this gem of a place before.....I look forward to many many happy hours here picnicking, wandering, connecting....

Ahhhhhhhh

PS: These kinds of places don't just happen - they take years of planning and commitment and dedication of City officials, community activists and engaged citizens - hats off to all involved here! 

Wordless Wednesday - Anatomy of a gate

Dear June

Dear June

Hello.

I wonder if you have a moment?  Being as busy as you usually are..... I need to have a word.

I am surprised to see you here again so soon.....did you wait the full 12 months before showing up again or did you jump the line?

Whatever.......you are here now and we need to set some boundaries.

You know how you like to race/speed through?  Like a crazy nascar race or never ending roller coaster....your need for speed leaves us dizzy June...... sick and dizzy and disoriented.

I am asking you.......no.......begging you.....P L E A S E.....could you take it a bit slower this year?

Take a deep breath June.....of the ever warming air......and exhale SLOWLY.

No need to try and be like April and May - they have their reasons for speeding through miserable weather and they have a few long weekends for us to catch our breath.

But you, June, you need to give us a break!

There in no need to rush through your days at lightening speed spinning off one event, one meeting, one "thing" every minute of every day.....

CHILL OUT June....OK......You get 30 days like all the rest of them.

Don't leave me all wrung out and exhausted with only a blur of fragmented moments.

I want to savour those moments as school slows and ends, as the light stretches later and later and the dawn creeps in ever earlier.......I want to enjoy the accomplishments of what you bring, June.....and celebrate the end of some things as new things peek out on the horizon for September to parade around for us.

Take a page from July and August and stretch out and linger and be gentle.....please June......please?

DEAL?

Mad Hatter Tea Party

This post is to prove that you can throw a party without spending 55 hours on Pinterest!  

I did, however, contribute to the local economy by shopping several dollar stores, a couple thrift stores, the local Michaels and a great Bakery.

Sometimes a busy Mom needs all the help she can get!  I borrowed cake stands, china tea cups, games and one or two ideas from google images! (and a couple great finds from my Mom).

As always the whole family pitched in and by 2:30pm today mere seconds ahead of the doorbell ringing and the first of over a dozen beautiful teenage girls arriving ....all was ready! 

It was a fun theme to organise .....

Signposts to Wonderland

Made by Allan!

Entrance Hall

Perfect Goodie Bags

A party favour

Tea for teens

 

Bunting made from new and vintage Alice books

Cake toppers made from playing cards