Beneath My Feet

No surprise that I saw this message beneath Jenn's feet! Thanks Jenn.  Books are a uniquely portable magic . ~Stephen King Imagine unlocking a secret superpower that sharpens our minds, expands vocabulary, and imagination. A good book can  knock our socks off  -- all from the comfort of a favourite chair  by taking us on a fantastical journey.  Whether flipping through fiction, diving into a biography, or exploring new ideas in a self-help guide, every page turned has the potential to transform us in unexpected ways. Engaging deeply will naturally boost our memory by remembering the plot, characters and important details that keep the story alive. We're likely not even aware of the new information and knowledge gained until it comes up later in a conversation, or, how reading enhances our creativity. Reading traditional books or listening to audio books (which I've come to love) allow us to slow down, relax from our fast-paced, screen-heavy lives and ignore the ...

Stairs in Mount Tolmie Park in Victoria, BC 2024 You've likely heard of Blue Zones --  5 specific areas in Greece, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy, and California.  They are places where people live happily with extreme longevity and few health conditions. They do many things 'right' without even trying, through their diet, exercise, and often gardening.  After living for 3 1/2 weeks on an extremely rugged island in the Aegean sea in Greece, without a vehicle,  I've come to believe one of the most effective* forms of exercise is to climb stairs (or hills). Our accommodations were perched high on a steep hill, requiring us to walk down into town and back up at least once a day. Huff-puffing our way up with hearts pounding, we thought we might keel over, lest we stop for breaks at least 3 times. We lost count of how many actual steps  -- 300+. Some days it felt a little easier, but it was always a challenging leg and cardio workout.  STAIR STATS reveal they are less...

 Guadalajara, Mexico 2024, Instituto Cultural Cabanas - Gallery Exhibition "Text" "The first draft of anything is shit."   ~ Ernest Hemingway Remember the beloved typewriter? Or, even putting pen to paper? Flash back to crumpled wads of paper piling up at 2 o'clock in the morning. The scribbled research note cards scrambled your brain, or perhaps it was the strong coffee, as you attempted to hammer out the essay that was due in seven hours.  We've all been there -- racking our brain over what to write and finding just the right words. Professional writers will admit that it is rarely easy for them... "you just have to pour it all out and get started." Worrying about being judged or trying to get it perfect the first try won't help. So let's show any uninvited voices in our heads the door. Aside from writing, I believe this goes for any type of endeavour or artistic process. Just start from the heart. “ The solution is never to sit down and ...

Photo: Rippling wave designs on a narrow street in Guadalajara, Mexico. Each street in this Tlaquepaque area has distinctly patterned paving stones. February, 2024. "You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf." ~Jon Kabat-Zinn heat waves                                                tidal waves         ocean waves|                       microwaves        seismic waves                         hand waves                light waves           brain waves                          emotional waves      heart waves             ...

  The maple leaf, with its distinct shape and vibrant colours, holds a special place in the hearts of nature enthusiasts and Canadians alike. I remember sewing one on my backpack for my first trip abroad. Along our way, we handed out mini-flag pins like candy. I believe that we Canadians are represented by one of the most striking and easily recognizable symbols. Apparently, after considering over 1000 submitted flag concepts, the government didn’t ‘leaf’ well enough alone, and selected the new replacement version. It seems like yesterday to me, but that was 1965… almost 60 years ago. Check out the  red and white motifs that will be adorning our athletes at the upcoming Olympics. Just like back bacon, maple syrup is celebrated as a truly Canadian product. Before European settlers arrived, for centuries, Indigenous peoples tapped the maple trees for this “sweet water”. They also revered the resilient tree for its medicinal properties. Like all trees, it holds a valuable place ...

  Walking on the Moon -- our feet eclipse the giant moon installation at St. John's Cathedral in Saskatoon, Sept, 2023. We've had our eyes to the skies of late. A few weeks ago we were fortunate to be in a location where we experienced the solar eclipse. Then, the recent geomagnetic storm that swept over the earth created beautiful auroras, causing skies to sparkle and dance with colour at lower latitudes than usual. Witnessing these events fills us with wonder and awe. Here we are in this small place on our planet, marvelling at the grand cycles of an infinite universe.    Traditionally, many of us consider the passing of May's full moon to be the gardeners' go-ahead.  A quick search led me to the date for the next full moon, May 23rd. What I also discovered was that there is a name for each month's full moon, and these names vary from culture to culture. I like that our Indigenous peoples refer to May as having the Flower Moon , to signify the flowers that bloom t...

"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever" ~Unknown I so love the tenderness and sense of adventure in this photo -- perfect for a Mom's day tribute. It doesn't matter how old our children, and especially when they are living or working far away, moments together are cherished deeply.  Alayne wrote: Two women, one young, one older -- a daughter and her mother. A beautiful moment in time.  We quietly sailed along, Just the two of us and the two man crew On an old Kenyan dhow.  We watched the moon rise over the Indian Ocean. Together, side by side, woman to woman. Her strong energy beside mine. Equals.  Today, thousands of kilometres separate us. I can feel her sun-kissed warm toes under mine. It doesn't matter the distance. We will always be close in spirit. Photos are from my dear friend Alayne Sewell, 2023, sailing in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa near Lamu island, Kenya while visiting her daughter. Adrie...