Such Things

Back into Routine

It's been a busy but great couple of weeks going back to school.   At these times I realize that in my heart of hearts, I really am a creature of habit.

I notice that I look forward to the same things that I posted about last year, like the Terry Fox run.  If you don't know Terry Fox, have a read.  He's one of my biggest heros.

This year at the run, we had a short encounter with Rick Hansen as well.

There's getting back into routines at school where I teach,

 

And the quiet times that I spend at home on those beautiful, cool autumn days.

 

Happy Fall to you!

Sense of Wonder

I have been enamored by a book, Sense of Wonder, that I ordered through the mail.  It was published in the 1970's by Rachel Carson The pictures show their age, most are black and white, but the words have brought me unending inspiration.

I thought I would share my favourite quotes with you along with photos from a weekend away at our beach house in Pt. Roberts, W.A.

"A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement.  It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision,

that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood."

"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it,

rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in."

"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder,

so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantment of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength."

You may have noticed an adult "figure" pictured throughout this post and the last post.  He is a dad who cares deeply about our kids.  He listens, helps, uplifts, understands, shares, encourages and loves.  Happy Father's Day, Mark!!!

And Happy Fathers Day to all the dads!!!

And Happy Summer too!

Excellent and Praiseworthy (and things that gave me a good laugh)

Hi!  I'm just thanking God for His goodness in my life this week.

This eagle that we saw from our own backyard,

Another "chalet living" weekend with a hiking trip to the Point Grey Foreshore,

Family that I love so much,

an awesome Indian cooking night with girlfriends (aka, preschool moms)- they are the best, you know!

It was so much fun, with wine, delicious food, sharing "mom" stories and tons of laughs! 

Some first buds of the season,

And I hope I don't offend anyone, but I discovered this happy face on the floor in our bedroom just outside our en suite.  It was made by little hands and I couldn't help but share it! 

I'm also thankful for these two blogs that I added to my blog roll:  Bottomland, by Caren, another mom and nature-lover who takes beautiful photos, and this amazing nature blog, Heywood's Meadow.  It's so great to know that there's other cool nature-lovers out there like me!  Are you one too?

Here's wishing you a great week!!

Vancouver Santa Claus Parade

I couldn't help but mention this fun, festive event that took place on Saturday.  It was absolutely pouring rain that morning and we were thinking we wouldn't go, when Miranda looked out the window and said, "I see a clearing in the sky!!" And there really was!  The wind suddenly blew away the rainy clouds and the sky cleared with sun!  We loaded up the van and headed into Vancouver.  I was most excited about going into the big city, which is proof of my suburbanism.  I love standing on the street with the huge buildings towering above us. 

 

There's something about a parade, isn't there?  Crowds, colourful floats,
dancing,

bands, including excellent ones from Washington State, playing every type of Christmas song that you can imagine.

There was a spirit of cheer in the air as everyone huddled together against the cold wind.  The kids raced onto the street to get hand-outs.  One cute little boy was smiling a huge grin and filling his pockets with chocolates until his mom directed him to pass them out to kids around him.

Myles was fascinated by the "neigh neigh"s.

And the parade ended, as is tradition, with the Roger's Santa Claus.
 
Ted Rogers, the Founder of Roger's Communications, passed away just recently.  His biography is on the above link, and it is very interesting to read.  He had drive and vision that turned his one small radio station into the largest provider of cellular, cable and internet communications in Canada.  I find people like him very fascinating.  Inventing, creating, building and leaving such a legacy.

Merry Christmas, Vancouver!!  And have a great week everyone!!!

Kitchen Poetry

I noticed that a couple of my favourite blogs are doing a "kitchen poetry" week with the idea that the kitchen is the hub of the house.  A place of conversation, play, joviality, sometimes dancing and of course meal prep.  What's tempted me to join in is that I was snapping photos in my kitchen just prior to reading about the "kitchen poetry" challenge.  See, I was making dinner and I took out a glass casserole dish for the baking.  I turned around to see Myles precariously holding another one of my GLASS casserole dishes in the tips of his fingers.  With a small shriek, I gently removed the casserole dish from his hand, placed it back in the drawer, shut the drawer and redirected him to the "pot drawer", from where he proceeded to take out and test each pot, pan and strainer.  Well, the girls came in shortly after, saw the pots on the floor, grabbed a couple of plastic spoons and started making a percussion band.  Next the bin of instruments was brought out from the playroom and the band got bigger.  Eventually, the wok and the small roaster made some of the biggest sounds, along with the ping and pang of the smaller sauce pots.  It was one of those moments, where you could cover your ears and shout "STOP!!", or you could join in with an uncoordinated jig.  It was one of those lovely moments.  Here's to a week of "kitchen poetry" or perhaps at the best of times, "kitchen chaos".

Paper Craft

I haven't mentioned until now that scrapbooking is my craft and especially in the Fall and Winter, I love to scrapbook when I get some time.  When I have scraps of paper left over, I save them to make cards.  It always feels good to deliver a hand-made card and they usually take a short time to make. 
 

It was Erin who told me about Ali Edward's blog, one of my favourite artitsts in the magazine Creating Keepsakes.  She's amazing and I would love to learn her techniques.  I have also discovered a couple of others that I enjoy:  blackflipflops and Just me and my 2 little chicks. 

Here's signing off for the weekend.  Have a wonderful one everyone!

ps I am so excited because I set up a flicker account!!  Yipee!

Terry Fox Run 2008

Terry Fox is one of the most inspiring Canadian Heroes I know.   His passion, dream, determination, will and endurance are beyond admirable. 

Everyday he ran a marathon.  Every day.  He ran on lonely highways through the worst of weather, enduring pain, discouragement and eventually the spread of cancer which took his life in 1981.

When I was a student teacher, my sponsor teacher took out a gigantic folder of photos and newspaper clippings from the time that Terry Fox did his Marathon of Hope across Canada in 1980.  She was making a display for the school.  As she put in the staples, she told me she had attended Terry Fox Secondary High School and that every year, her family attended the Terry Fox Hometown Run.

Her enthusiasm about Terry Fox got me really interested in who he was, his dream of a cure for cancer, and the run. 

Now every year, rain or shine, I attend the Hometown run myself.  Even the year that we taught in Kuwait, Mark and I ran the Terry Fox Run put on by the Canadian Embassy.  Apparently Kuwait's run raises one of the highest amounts of money in the world.

As we approach the run, the crowds are already gathering.  This is the largest turn-out they've had for a couple of years.  The weather is fantastic.  There are bands playing, and people registering, buying t-shirts and finding a place in the starting line.

The run starts with O Canada, then speeches by local people who new Terry, such as his gym teacher, and often Betty Fox, Terry's mother, is there to give her heart-warming words.  One year we got to talk to her after the run. (I am proud to say that I was the first female to finish that year in Pt. Moody!)  Betty Fox was so fascinated with Miranda, who was only five months old then.  Rick Hanson, another Canadian hero, usually speaks at the Hometown run and we saw him come across the finish line today!

Just before the race starts, Never Give Up on a Dream is sung, which brings tears to many eyes.

Then off we all go...  Some running for fun,

some running for family and friends with cancer, and some in victory of cancer that's been overcome.

The run is 2.5K, 6K or 10K.  There are runners, walkers, bikers, roller bladers, and in our case, a runner, a walker, a stroller and two on scooters.

I think what I take from this experience most is not so much about cancer, itself, but about Terry's character.  About his dream and how he followed after that dream with such perseverance.

And now, years later, his vision continues as people all over the world run for Terry's cause, and the money and research has helped people to survive.  

Now that's the kind of legacy that I hope to pass on to my children. 

And them to theirs.

Farm Adventure

I'm sitting here on the couch listening to the rain pelting down on the roof. It's a sound I haven't heard for awhile and a sound that I enjoy late in the evening on the odd summer day (note that I said odd...). Memories are so great, because on the rainiest of days, these summer memories can be brought to mind with instant joy and pleasure.

Reminiscing again, I think of the fun adventures that we have at the Schneider farm each year that we visit, spontaneous and carefree.

Last year it was a 4x4 jeep ride up the mountain. Miranda loves it when we don't wear seat belts. That's farm freedom.

Then we climbed this microwave tower to get a tremendous view. It was a steep climb up a 100+ step ladder. Mark was full of fright and I was fit for the dare.

This view was awaiting us at the top, while Rachel held my baby boy and entertained three toddlers and a five year old.

This year our adventure took us a ways into the mountain, so that Rachel and Erich could timber some trees for Rachel's furniture-making hobby and (I hope) soon to be business. Rachel takes Jack pine right from the woods and strips the bark, sands the wood, builds tables, stools and even beds, varnished and ready to use. I wish I had taken more photos of her craftsmanship.

Meanwhile, the children were throughly entertained by the wildflowers,

and by feasting on wild strawberries.

Then back to the farm for some fine cuisine...

Summer salads: cheese, a nut and a berry

Sometimes I long for Europe. The flavour of Europe: the fashion, markets, cheese shops, piazzas.

That is why I love to visit our good friends, Rebecca and Matthew, who live in one of the most beautiful places in Vancouver: False Creek, near Granville Island. This is a place I go for inspiration.

Rebecca is a teacher and a mother of three. Matthew sells real estate and has a popular real estate blog, 604 homes, which is listed on my blogroll. Their home is fun, welcoming, there's great conversation and Rebecca is always ready to serve a fresh mug of coffee.

This is their lovely patio:

Rebecca enjoys cooking and I want to share one of her ideas in a new category called "simple cuisine".

Having a family of young children can be very busy and some of my friends who used to entertain quite often, now find entertaining more difficult due to the food prep, cleaning etc. But this doesn't have to be the case when simple, delicious recipes are used.

Rebecca uses her own unique concept to create summer salads that are fresh with great taste. She takes a bag of organic mixed salad greens and combines this with different combinations of cheeses, fruit and nuts. Here's the salad she served us and I served it to guests recently myself. The ingredients are raspberries, pine nuts and chevra cheese:

Other combinations could include:

slivered almonds, cashews, raisins, blue cheese, swiss, fresh grated Parmesan, feta, there are endless ideas.

Here's the same salad with watermelon:

Rebecca did her shopping at the Granville Island public market, but the same items can be found at a local store, such as Safeway.

I hope this idea has stirred your creative juices as much as it has mine! Happy entertaining!

Quilting

On the topic of quilts, which followed the beloved topic of lint in my last post, I was excited to receive a personal email from Jeanne Williamson, who wrote The Uncommon Quilter. I also came upon a blog called allsorts with a most lovely quilt story.  I haven't quilted myself, (apart from a baby doll blanket that my mom helped me with, which I still have, in fact), but from a young age, I remember the women in my church gathering together to do "quilting".  I remember being in their presence as they sewed the pieces and lengths of fabric, as their hands worked with the thread and their quilts grew to completion. There is such depth to a quilt as each patch, stitch and piece of fabric has a story to tell.  There could be a lot of metaphors drawn here, but I will relate it back to lint, because lint has a special depth of its own, especially when it is infrequently removed from the lint trap.