How does my Garden Grow?

My Herb Garden
Hotei stands watch over the coriander and chives, laughing.... possibly because of Dharma the cat's antics. The big tree trunk in behind the Herb Garden is where the club house will be built. This way the kids can climb down and gather up some fresh berries and return to their shelter where they can read comics and talk.

Buddha In The Garden
One of our favourite children’s books, Buddha in the Garden, written by British Columbia writer David Bouchard. The story reminds us that what are looking for is right under our noses.

Blessingway Gift
This statue sits below our flag pole, surrounded by orange lilies and broken plant pots. This was a beautiful blessingway gift given to me when I was pregnant with my wee Tinh Ly.

Peaceful

This is one of my most favourite places in the garden. It's a collection of perennials, no rhyme or reason. I closed my eyes and imagines what went where and voila unorganized chaos. Lee gave me a shell that represents her grandpa, it sits in my favourite part of the garden. The most interesting grapevine grows into the trees that form a canopy over my garden.

Quan Am Hollow

This tree hollow that was created the night of the ice storm has long since healed. Each time I see it from my window I imagine something there using that space, something simple. My Quan Am statue, one who inspires mothering sits quietly observing and patient.

Hostas!
Thanks to Lee I'll have two new varieties a Grande Tiara and June Hosta .to live and grow in my garden. I can't wait to place them in their new home. Hostas are such wonders. Low maintenance, dependable, beautiful and sometimes unpredictable. I have sun lovin' hostas and those who show off their potential in the coolest shade.

Thuy's Nasturtium Garden

Filled will dill, chamomile, nasturtiums and scarlet runner. This is where the garden started! She inspires.

Birth of this garden

Garden Beds and Bleeding Hearts.

Short hair for summer!!

Lee here!

Ok with Stefanie's help I added this photo which took about 20min to download...maybe I can do it on my own next time!

These brave children of ours shaved their heads after raising lots of money for the Cancer Society's Relay for Life this year!! It has really grown alot since these photos were taken!! They had such a blast!! Annie also donated her long hair to Angel Hair for Kids.

Wow Hummmm have to check and see why it looks so good here...Twilight Zone?

This is the dinning room furniture that Dh and I along with some constructive coercive recruiting. Without them we would not have the imagery of radioactive booger! The table was layers of country blue, purple, orange and yellow. Those GEORGOUS legs were a love hate endeavor.

We've had this awesome church pew that required some fixing up and desperately needed to shed the dark brown almost black finish. I have to admit it felt awesome to finally have this project complete and back in service.











This is a where the wood stove use to be. Someday, hopefully soon there will be a hallway right above that leads to a new bedroom for the kids.











This area here is directly across from the futon sofa,making it a perfect place for meditative space (albeit, not quiet)



















The livingroom! DHand I broke down (broke being the key word) and got the kids an actual sofa bed and chair. It has a lounge thingy on the side that can be removed to make the sofa look sofa like only.

The chiar sits near a window, a great place to watch the squirles call as they dodge Dharma the cat, this cat has some horrible Karma to work out.. not looking soo good.

This is the red lotus I've been working on

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It symbolizes the original nature and purity of the heart. It is the lotus of love, compassion, passion and all other qualities of the heart. It is the flower of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion.

A peaceful monk sits in meditation.

One Himalayan salt lamp shines a soothing pink hue against the wainscoting.

Home again, Home again Jiggidy Jig

The Ida Hill Homestead is alive and well it seems.

The husband and I, along with mes bebes have worked our knuckles to the bone. I'm posting some pictures, with the understanding that most cannot compare then and now because they have no then to base this comparison to, but I'll let you know the know is easier on the eyes, and invites a calm order that had disappeared during the cancer journey. I think its more mind over matter, but it matters to me that my mind can function better with a little nesting like tweak. I have re-discovered, over and over this last decade that my visual space is very connected to how well, or not so well I function day to day. I do mean re-discovered as it tends to be more like a hamster wheel than a euphoric ah ha moment, I really should get it by now. Clutter even organized clutter brings about feelings of defeat, bringing about a wave of compassion for myself or others afflicted with clutter. It washes over me, not unlike the concern 0ne feels for someone who has acquired a flu bug and needs time to recover. I feel as though folks who are affected with this disease or is it a disorder? require an intervention, along with heaps of compassion and understanding. The reality is, there may not be a cure or vaccine for clutterism of this kind. A milder form is observed during the seasonal changes, such as fall turning to winter when we gather up stuff to bring inside only to release it in the spring back to the outdoors; this usually resolves itself with little effort.

I’m happy to be home, happy to be surrounded by trees and the reality of its attainability. This homestead is as close to a hundred acre woods that I covet outside my reality. Home is where the heart is, this I believe, but dang it’s a lot easier to feel at home when I have space between the homes of neighboring homesteaders. I suppose this would be a clue as to what my meditations might become focused onf during these upcoming winter months. Yup I said winter, W.I.N.T.E.R. real Canadian living…. hold up with my Poutine, Zippers, and my trusty Telephone.

Well it’s off to get these pictures uploaded, wish me luck!

Lee… it’s a wonderful life!