Winterizing...

Dave and I spent most of the day today at Nova Nada/Birchdale. We are part of a group ''Friends of Birchdale'' and we wanted to help a little by winterizing the vegetable garden. This garden fed us throughout the Nature & Yoga Retreat this past August. Even though it wasn't sunny it was still nice and warm (the flies were buzzin' around). It only started to rain after we were in the car coming back.

I can't think of another place in nature that gives me as much peace as this place does.

I brought back some still crispy swiss chard and as I am typing this the house smells heavenly with some Chick Pea and Swiss Chard Curry on the stove.

Miss Daisy

We are dog-sitting this cutie pie until Sunday. Her name is Daisy. Her owners (friends of Luc and Liette) are out of town. Daisy loves Dave to pieces.

CSN Product Review

Yes, another CSN product review is coming up on this ole blog but before that can happen I need to figure out, from the many, many, many products they have, what product I'm going to review this time around. I mean seriously, if you haven't taken the time yet to check out ''some'' of the items they carry... you should. I say ''some'' because with all that they carry you'll only be able to view ''part'' of what there is each time you visit. They carry everything from shower curtains, pizza wheels, braided rugs, diaper bags to fireplaces and yes, if you're in need of a dining room table they have that too.

I am less and less of a mall shopping person and loving this on-line buying thing ! And with CSN Stores there is no need to jump from one on-line store to another... it's all there, under one gigantic virtual store.

Stay tuned, my product reveal is coming up.

Better

Thank you so much for your kind words on my last post. I have such an amazing group of blog friends. The kids have been such heros throughout this ordeal. Making sure Dave and I are copping as best we can. Honestly, I still miss her like crazy but it's getting better with each passing day. We all know and accept that Miss Tabi is in a much better place than she was the past couple of weeks. I hope family and friends understand that we are not ready to talk about our painful day. When the need arises, Dave and I share joyful memories and a few tears and talk with the kids. For now, that is all we need - ourselves !

We burried her under a beautiful apple tree in the field out back. Yesterday we placed a marker at her resting place made from a huge flat rock we found on one of Tabi's favorite beach.

Next Sunday Dave and I are planning a one-day getaway to the place that gives me the most peace and solitude... and hopefully do one last kayak run before the cold season hits.

Wishing everyone a pleasant week !

Farewell

I remember the day so clearly, like it was just last year. It was early morning, Dave came in from outside and said there were these two cute little puppies hanging out in our backyard. We eventually ended up giving one of the two away; the healthiest of the two. I knew from the very beginning that the tiny, starving and abused one would stay with us and hopefully for a long time. I fell in love with her that first morning. We became best of friends, she immediately chose me as her master and she showed her love and admiration for me and for the rest of the family every single day - the most gentle dog ever. She only wanted to please, that's all. We would take walks together, car rides, beach and bird watching. She was the fastest runner, seeing only a cloud of dust behind her. I would talk to her as I would any other human being. She was my companion. She adored me with those big brown eyes.

Than she started slowing down, sleeping more and limping from her arthritis infected leg. She enjoyed those retirement years very much but missed her running outside-in-the-fields days.

Yesterday, 16 years after that early morning encounter with Dave, we said goodbye and released Miss Tabi into puppy heaven. We know she is running pain free at high speed with her cousin Princess.

Making that appointment was one of the hardest decisions I had to make.

Be well my friend. I enjoyed our time together. I will carry fond memories of you every day. I'm sorry I had to make that decision but I could'nt stand seeing you suffer any longer.

xxox

Ayurveda and yoga

This past weekend I went to a yoga and ayurveda workshop with Kerry Lawson. We did some yoga asanas first thing in the morning, than some theory on ayurveda and finding what our dosha is and than we headed to the kitchen to get everything ready for cooking ayurvedic meals. At 1 p.m. we all sat down for the most delicious and nutricious meal.

We had the entire Inn to ourselves. What joy !!! I needed this weekend to rebalance and ground myself for what was waiting for me later in the week (details to follow in next post).

I love hanging out with people who think, live, play... like me.

(All pictures were borrowed from Kerry Lawson)

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian Family and Friends.

We had our turkey dinner today. The picture above sums up what I am so grateful for. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Ginette and André with their wedding cake top from August 29 last year (2009). We ate it today and it was still delicious and moist.

Luc and his fiancé Liette.

I am very much aware that I have been absent from here; sorry. Things got a little hectic there for a while and will probably still be for another few weeks. I'll try and report here more often in the coming weeks.

I am never too busy for Christmas music... yes, I played xmas music today and still love it very much.

Walk for Life

Chester and I

Sunday I proudly walked side by side with my older brother for the Kidney Foundation. He thought he would only walk half the course but he ended up walking the entire way with me (I could hardly keep up with him, he he). The weather was perfect - mostly cloudy so not too sunny and warm and a light breeze coming in from the Yarmouth harbour.

Registration

Part of the walkers

The local Chapter raised $8,500. Thank you so much to those who made pledges on our behalf.

Equinox

Here we are, changing seasons again. Please allow me to say it once more - ''I LOVE THE FALL SEASON''. It is my favorite of all four. However, I'll be the first to tell you that I need all four seasons in my life. This is the season to start collecting, preserving, winterizing....

In our field out back Dave has this huge row of grape vines that he's been growing for the past 5 years. This year's harvest is the best so far and the chickens love them. They just might end up having the entire harvest.

I planted yellow onions this year for the first time. I love that they are a small to medium size. I don't like huge onions, you never use them up. I'll plant more next year for sure. Today I ordered my organic garlic bulbs from Vessey's Seeds. Those will go in the ground as soon as they come in.

This Fall I am going to try something new with my organic compost. Instead of putting it all in the bin, I am going to make trenches in the garden, fill that up with organic compost then cover it with soil. By late Spring (comes planting time) the organic matter should have broken down in the soil making it rich in nutrients. So much nutrients get lost in the compost bin by draining in the ground. We'll see what happens.

Yes, we did !

We bought a kayak. It's a sea kayak but for now it won't be seeing the sea. We want to practice our kayaking skills in the calm waters of the many lakes in our region.

We took it for a trial run tonight. It is fully loaded - padded seats, a rudder, floating things in both ends and only weighs 80 pounds. Hah, 80 lbs you say. Easy to lift up to your knees and slide the 14 feet creature on a trailer or the back of a pick-up truck but we don't own a trailer and we have a car. So, said 14 feet\80 lbs creature has to be lifted above our heads on the furthest end of our arms to go on top of the car on the roof rack. I think we might get the hang of it after a few more lifts !

Sometimes I stop and think to myself that ''we are having too much fun'' it's not right for those that are suffering both mentally or physically. It is here that I say a little prayer for those people that I don't know (and some that I do) but that I care about just the same.