Beneath My Feet

  Primavera tree blossoms - Primavera is the beautiful Spanish word for spring!  The Primavera trees in Mexico magically herald spring with their timely yellow trumpet blossoms. After weeks of a muted landscape in the dry season, suddenly the trees burst into colour. Their blooms are bright notes that dance across the blue canvas of sky. They are a reminder that life has a way of returning -- a signpost of renewal and resilience  after a natural cycle of dormancy.  One can't help but pause, look upwards into the towering branches and admire their bloom. Then, look down to see how they gently shed their fleeting brilliance at your feet.  Primavera  Golden trumpets sing out. Hummingbirds' gossip hovers Among yellow bells swaying high. Spring spills their secrets as Petals softly kiss the ground. Moments bloom, then fade.  (My poetic attempt at a Haiku. Haha. I think the Japanese are flexible on the syllable and line count. Right?) Me standing next to a P...

Reflection of my feet. I love the story of the guy with the tattoo spelled "No Ragrets". I walk around thinking I don't have regrets, but after listening to a podcast with interviewee Daniel Pink... ya, I do. He talked about his book  Power of Regret - How Looking Backward, Moves us Forward.  His books are interesting and always backed with solid research. This time he collected 26,000 regrets from people from 130 countries. He discovered that people will talk about regrets, but most, like me, want to ignore them. This denial is likely due to believing that reflecting on regrets isn't good because "positivity is the only way" plus you've moved on. Others wallow in regret, which isn't good either. But he says we all have regrets -- the remorse or uneasy feeling about things we wish we had done differently.  In Pink's study, most regrets were about things not done, rather than what was done. It might be as simple as wishing you'd been kinder, m...

Photo of my feet in the sawdust, next to the cut saw and a can of paint. July, 2025. We've done many rounds of home renovations over the years, so as we age, we think "we are good at this". Won't it be fun to walk down memory lane, or, imagine we're starting our own episode of Fixer Upper? E xcept instead of a TV crew, it's just you and your weary spouse. Home renovations on HGTV look so effortless: a couple knocks down a wall, picks out some throw pillows, and voila instant dream home, all while wearing shiny designer heels. In reality, the only reveal you're getting is your bank account balance, and it's scarier than anything on a demolition day. Home renovations start with "we'll keep it simple and stay on budget." Until, what we've come to call the "might-as-well syndrome" kicks in. Flash forward three months and you are seriously considering a GoFundMe to pay for quartz countertops. Every trip to the hardware store add...

"Just like the trees in autumn, it's time to shed what's weighing you down so your energy can return to balance. This is a moment of recovery before a new season of renewal begins... Growth often asks for surrender." ~ Kyle Grey I'm loving our new home next to the river and walking its many paths and trails. The trees burst with colour as they prepare for the long winter ahead. They don't resist the change or cling to their leaves -- they simply let go. Perhaps there are times we have to release an aspect of ourselves, a story, a dream,  or even a relationship we've outgrown,  that's no longer aligned.  When we cling, we try to control reality.  When we let go, we invite flow; we make space for possibility -- something new to take root and  flourish.  Trust the turning of the seasons.  Time for this classic earworm! Turn, Turn, Turn by The Byrds Recent photo by Julian Miller, Angus Ontario. Oct 2025

Your heart -- since before you were born, that miraculous machine has been beating steadily, with the sole purpose of keeping you alive. 💓 We knew this spring and summer were going to be hectic with renovations and the move to our new place. Amidst the productivity and packing, we didn't foresee the added stressors that were to come. Rich is one of those rare people who was born with a bicuspid heart valve rather than tricuspid. Bicuspids are known to more rapidly deteriorate and close off as one ages. Although he was feeling well, his cardiologists, who have monitored him for years, surprised us when they said it was time for a replacement. Like when? Like, next week ... is never a good time. Undergoing open-heart surgery is one of life's most daunting challenges -- a moment where everything slows down, and the strength you didn't know you had begins to rise. It's natural to feel anxiety, fear, and uncertainty about the fact that an ever-beating heart will be exposed ...

Remember this story? Chicken Little (or Henny Penny) is hit on the head by an acorn. She runs about shouting, "The sky is falling!" and convinces other animals of this, causing them to panic and follow her. They encounter the FOX, who also leads them astray. (Hmm?) The moral, especially apt for these times, is that one should not believe everything they hear or see -- avoid hasty conclusions. It is important to verify facts before spreading them.The story is a reminder to think critically and seek the truth, rather than blindly accepting claims or spreading misinformation. Wishing you a spring filled with renewed hope, energy and life.  Photo: Some spring chicks at what we call our "chicken corner" in Bucerias, Mexico. March 2025. I couldn't get my feet in this photo, as mama hen and her adorable chicks didn't want me too near.