See you in March

Lee (hibernating) in the house...If I could sleep through the last few days of February, that would suit me fine. I usually have a pretty heavy duty winter funk and this year Ive done pretty well with eating better and getting some fresh air and exercise (need more of all 3 tho). But for the past week or so, I can feel the dread of winter...wanting it to be March 1st so bad! I know March has lots of nasty weather as well but it does feel like the home stretch till spring. I know its all psychological and that every day and month is as good as the other..it is what you make it, etc.....but today I feel like I have a cinderblock of dread of my shoulders. I will have to fight it off. I am bringing in wood from outside which is my fresh air and some exercise...I will walk the dog for more of both...I will do my yoga tape for sanity and stretching... I will eat fresh fruits and veggies..I will play music and enjoy the sunshine. At least I am aware of this problem I have and not in too deep to dig myself out. 3 days to go!!

My Scottish Mum

February is bitter sweet for me, I'm celebrating the birth of my first born child who will be twenty in a few days, February 9th is just around the corner, its been 23 years since my mum passed away. You'd think the separation of a few decades would soften the blow, but you know it feels pretty intense.. still after all these years. There have been so many milestones in my life where I think of my mum and feel sad knowing we didn't get a chance to experience them together, the good and the bad. Life is... I try to not project too many what ifs as I do believe it is crucial to live today, knowing that the time I did have with my Scottish mum built the foundation of my life. Its difficult someday to remember not to be sad, February is always the most challenging. I get through it, we light incense a candle.... pick up some carnations or daffodils and set them by her picture. I look into her eyes and feel such gratitude well up inside me for all that she was able to give me. I thank her for the wisdom, her spontaneity, her loving and nurturing ways that have inspired me to become the mum I want to be.... most of all I thank her for Dad. So you big kids out there who have a mum near by that you can hug and give flowers to, give her some daffodils and let her know what a gift she is.

Namaste
zee aka Gracie

Quiet time!

Lee here...After last week with too much to do, this week we dont have alot and I am so thankful for it! Its nice to just go outside, maybe pop into the library, do a craft, make a pot of soup.......I know this time of year we usually get cabin fever but we have been out so much that I really appreciate this! We are planning a little trip to a water park in Niagara Falls for maybe the end of next week. We went last year when we were all so desperate to be out of the house and the girls were craving wearing bathing suits and having fun in the water. Its a little more money this year sadly, but we are trying to swing it...not without pain tho. We havent done a big thing as a family in a while and I cant even remember the last time we stayed in a hotel. Its a great break in the winter.

Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

bưởi aka Pomelo

Happy New Year Everyone!

If you were born in 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
congratulations you are an Ox!

We had a great time visiting family in Toronto this week. Lots of yummy food, tea reconnecting with friends and family. The kids hung out and played games, chatted and ran up and down the stairs in search of treats. Monday morning brought the family home once again to enjoy a hearty bowl of vegetarian Pho soup for breakfast, New Years day is vegetarian eating!! The kids received beautiful red envelopes with lucky money from their aunts and uncles. After some more time visiting, we got into our cars and headed over to the cemetary to bring offering of food and incense to grandpa. Dh and his brothers shoveled a twenty foot path in the deep snow to make way for everyone to get up close to the tombstone and place the incense, fruit and flowers, I'm sure it was at least 20 below. We had to head home after the cemetary, but the rest of the clan headed downtown to visit the Temple.

It's time to get a move on and start thinking of change, what can I work towards in this new year to make the lives of those who surround me near and far better, and what could I be doing to improve my own situation. Life is Good!

Namaste
zee

Unexpected guest!

Early Tuesday morning, I slowly opened the curtains, as I do most mornings, so as not to scare the birds from their breakfast at the feeders, when I saw the most incredible unexpected guest sitting on a branch of the tree!

He was not spooked at all, and I was able to run for the camera and snap this shot. Little did I know that he was actually sticking around for the little chickadee that was in the lower branches of our old christmas tree...suddenly, he (I guess it could have been a she...) flew down and flushed the chickadee out of the tree and literally, 'chased' it around the tree 3 times before the chickadee was able to dive back into the center of the branches. The hawk (we ID'd it later with our new "Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds", as a Sharp-shinned Hawk) then flew up into the oak tree in the yard and the chickadee immediately

flew off into the huge hemlock in the driveway. WOW! Watching that was both incredibly amazing as well as terribly frightening. The hawk looked HUGE and the chickadee looked like a butterfly beside it and they moved SO fast! The hawk was back later in the afternoon as we happened to see it fly in to the birdfeeding area and caused a little junco to hit our window. Then when we were out in the yard, we found evidence that this was not the hawk's first visit to our feeders and that he had been more successful than he had been today...So what are we to do? I feel terrible knowing that we have set up a "feeding station", not just for the birds, but for the birds who eat birds!! Yet, I know that we are providing needed feed to so many of the birds. Aidan says that hawks get hungry too...and that is a good point. I think we're just going to have to spend a lot more time out in the front yard and get Buddy to hang out there more too, just so the hawk might think it's too busy an area to hang out. Sheesh, nature, in all it's beauty, can be cruel...

Happy Birthday to Kathee!!

It was this past friday:) I hope you had a great day:) Big hugs!!

Wishing you good health and happiness and time together with friends!

Look what I got in the mail!!!!

Lee here...my first order from a website I love to spend time looking at...This is from the Layer Cake Shop http://http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5968077that I found thru Etsy. http://http://www.etsy.com/

I love how kitschy these are. These are gnome cupcake toppers that I thought would be cute to have. Annie has had fun playing with them...setting up little scenes. I'd like to collect more..and little woodland things like deer, toadstools little trees etc. I am definetely developing an interest in gnomes and tomtens and would really like to find a little cement one for my garden..tis a fine line between tacky and kitschy cute tho! I guess tomtens and gnomes are related but from different parts of the world. Their personalities can be unpredictable but I know any in my house will be polite and playful;)

They will be very helpful in the garden too!