This magical time has crept up on us again and to think one year ago we were in Greece.
My brother, David, came over for a great visit. I never get enough of the beauty of Christmas. I have celebrated the advent season & wreathe for several decades. And...in the midst of it all is my Venetian glass Christmas tree safe at home after being lost in my bag for 7 weeks.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
A GREAT VIEW: Dov's move to New Westminster/Fall/10
Only 5 minutes away from Lougheed by skytrain which is really a nice feeling! Dov loves his new view over the mighty Fraser River in New Westminster. Never a dull moment with so much happening and right in front of his window is Mt. Baker. Again...great weekends to enjoy together.
ENGAGEMENT PARTY: Danielle & Andrew/Sept/10
10 months ago Andrew asked Danielle to marry him and this September I arranged a surprise engagement party including family & friends. Wow--what a house & yard full!
I think we pulled a pretty good surprise on them...
I think we pulled a pretty good surprise on them...
Sun Valley Trout Farm, Mission, Fall, 2010
Dov's friends who own Sun Valley Trout Farm & Camping/RV Park in Mission asked Dov to look after their spread while they were away. Dov moved from Vancouver, put things into storage and settled into looking after their 2 dogs--Pepper & --& the house. I spent most weekends at the Farm. The highlights were having a day at the fish pond totally by myself fishing and catching my limit of trout--the first time I had ever set up my own rod, worms and all. The trees were red and golden and I thoroughly enjoyed my days at the pond immersed in quietness & autumn beauty. We had 2 special family days when family shared the experience with us.
Again, how lucky can we get?
Again, how lucky can we get?
In the garden...still...Summer, 2010
I AM doing what I said I wanted to do. I am in my garden! My fuschia coloured hammock is set to go. I never get tired of its welcoming soft embrace as I sit or stretch out in it for a cat nap.
Yes, I am home at last!
Yes, I am home at last!
In the Garden, Spring, 2010
Early spring saw Jennifer, my daughter, and I very busy planning a vegetable garden. Yes, can you believe it! Jennifer has expressed interest in learning to be more self-sufficient so I was but barely one half step in front of her, learning and reading. I bought the book 'Organic Gardening on the Pacific Northwest Month by Month' . It wasn't long before I realized with great humility how so very little did I know about plant growth, let alone gardening. I soon developed a deeper respect for farmers and the huge network of transportation that gets my food to my local stores.
I ordered in about 10 yards of compost soil, 2 yards of sand, peat moss bundles. I moved a lot of it myself. I designed with Chris, a new contact, several hoop greenhouses at the rear of my house. Complete with raised beds I still had a long ways to go. For the first time I planted vegetable seeds inside my house along the window sills. For the first time I delighted in sprouts poking above the soil.
The spring was a very wet and cold one. I planted the garden at least 2, sometimes 3 times. I finally resorted to bedding plants. My most successful vegetables were potatoes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. I'll be overwintering the eggplant and pepper plants in the greenhouse hoping they will do a repeat performance. The main trouble is I forget to water them. Hmmm...either too much rain or not enough watering.
A big variety of fruit plants, trees: golden plum, apple tree with 6 types, raspberries, gooseberry, red currant, rhubarb. My grape/kiwi arbour supplies the local raccoons. More planting of asparagus and artichoke. Next year I'll be set!
I ordered in about 10 yards of compost soil, 2 yards of sand, peat moss bundles. I moved a lot of it myself. I designed with Chris, a new contact, several hoop greenhouses at the rear of my house. Complete with raised beds I still had a long ways to go. For the first time I planted vegetable seeds inside my house along the window sills. For the first time I delighted in sprouts poking above the soil.
The spring was a very wet and cold one. I planted the garden at least 2, sometimes 3 times. I finally resorted to bedding plants. My most successful vegetables were potatoes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. I'll be overwintering the eggplant and pepper plants in the greenhouse hoping they will do a repeat performance. The main trouble is I forget to water them. Hmmm...either too much rain or not enough watering.
A big variety of fruit plants, trees: golden plum, apple tree with 6 types, raspberries, gooseberry, red currant, rhubarb. My grape/kiwi arbour supplies the local raccoons. More planting of asparagus and artichoke. Next year I'll be set!
Home and new community connections, Spring, 2010
After my bag was back after its 'holiday' of 7 weeks, I began to feel settled. I was very content and excited to be home after 6 months in Europe. Boy, but what a 6 months! And as I began to reflect on those 6 months it hit me just how very unique a time it was. How very fortunate to have done and seen so much...and also to relax at the end like that on Naxos, Greece in our hillside villa overlooking Apollo's temple, the Aegean Sea, the sunset.
It was a rare time to sit still in one place and to write my book 'If I Could Teach Over Again', to begin to sing, to play the harmonica, to play on the old keyboard, to do several experiential mandalas of the 6 month trip, to have special fun time with Dov. Weren't we some lucky!
Shortly I returned I joined a writing critique group which met just down the hill from me into Port Moody. It had been meeting for years; where had I been? Up the hill obviously busy with other things. It was a great impetus for my writing, especially for my memoirs of my 2 trips to Sri Lanka after the tsunami.
It was a rare time to sit still in one place and to write my book 'If I Could Teach Over Again', to begin to sing, to play the harmonica, to play on the old keyboard, to do several experiential mandalas of the 6 month trip, to have special fun time with Dov. Weren't we some lucky!
Shortly I returned I joined a writing critique group which met just down the hill from me into Port Moody. It had been meeting for years; where had I been? Up the hill obviously busy with other things. It was a great impetus for my writing, especially for my memoirs of my 2 trips to Sri Lanka after the tsunami.
Where Are Our Bags?...Travelling Home through London, England & Early Spring, 2010....Trying To Settle Back Into Home
We had arrived from Athens to London with British Air to deal with snow and labour disputes with baggage handlers. The next few days were a nightmare except for the kind hospitality of John, Connie, Claire & husband close by the airport.
20,000 pieces of luggage were stockpiled and moved to warehouses. We put in a lost baggage form and headed for Vancouver with neither of our large bags. These contained most of our gifts, most of our good clothes.
We began to settle in and had a late Christmas with my family which was most meaningful. My family had even set up the Christmas tree & hung stockings as a welcome-home gift!
One week later, Dov received his bag in the early am. I had to wait 7 weeks! 7 weeks of long-distance phone calls being put on hold, checking on- line. I had already started a claim as I had been told that it probably would never show up. I never felt like I had fully landed. Imagine my shock when I got a phone call from Vancouver airport, end of February, that they had my bag and they would deliver it at 2am. When it arrived the corners were squashed, trim broken but everything was there, even a fragile Venetian glass Christmas tree unbroken. If only that bag could talk and tell me its story!
I soon realized when back that I never really felt back ...because part of me, a big part of me, was still out there...somewhere! As I sat and looked at my bag in the early am. hours, I realized with great awareness how much we identify with our things. The things we travel with become important allies. Now we were all home, I could relax into being home...finally!
That experience was part of being 'On the Road Again'--a part I hope to never experience again.
20,000 pieces of luggage were stockpiled and moved to warehouses. We put in a lost baggage form and headed for Vancouver with neither of our large bags. These contained most of our gifts, most of our good clothes.
We began to settle in and had a late Christmas with my family which was most meaningful. My family had even set up the Christmas tree & hung stockings as a welcome-home gift!
One week later, Dov received his bag in the early am. I had to wait 7 weeks! 7 weeks of long-distance phone calls being put on hold, checking on- line. I had already started a claim as I had been told that it probably would never show up. I never felt like I had fully landed. Imagine my shock when I got a phone call from Vancouver airport, end of February, that they had my bag and they would deliver it at 2am. When it arrived the corners were squashed, trim broken but everything was there, even a fragile Venetian glass Christmas tree unbroken. If only that bag could talk and tell me its story!
I soon realized when back that I never really felt back ...because part of me, a big part of me, was still out there...somewhere! As I sat and looked at my bag in the early am. hours, I realized with great awareness how much we identify with our things. The things we travel with become important allies. Now we were all home, I could relax into being home...finally!
That experience was part of being 'On the Road Again'--a part I hope to never experience again.
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