Into The Woods We Go

       Yesterday morning we packed up first thing and headed into the woods- to get there was quite the journey but well worth it-  the cost of a bit of quiet solitude beside a stream in the woods. As with last weekend we just needed to get out of the city- the weather would not have allowed any other plan as it was the first really hot day of the season- yes hot enough for swim suits and ice cream cones!

       Our destination was Golden Ears Provincial Park- a place I had not visited in several years- the last time I was there was with a dear friend and her wee toddler- that wee toddler is now on the brink of being a teen- time really does move too fast. I remember sitting by the shores of Alouette Lake- all those years ago- and watching my friend with her daughter- thinking "I'm going to bring my kids here... one day".

       The Littles found a little spot by the stream and played in the glacial cold waters until their feet were numb and they didn't even notice- the sunshine warming their backs. We played and snacked, relaxed and visited- you see Opa joined us on our adventures this weekend- and so the Littles were spoiled with love and treats. River rocks were collected and sorted into colour coded piles- then tossed back into the water with resounding splashes! Sticks were thrown and giant branches were maneuvered into dam like structures that immediately washed downstream- but fun was had by all.

       I pulled up a spot on a beach towel and started work on yet another wee tiny hat for another wee tiny baby soon to be born- this hat is special- knit with lots of love in the dappled sunlight next to a little creek- infused with giggles, fresh air and fun. This hat has magic in it.

     All too soon it was time to pack up and head back to the city- our hearts calmed by the gurgling waters, our bodies tiered by the hard work of play and our minds stilled by the wind in the trees- living as our family does- in the heart of downtown- we need to seek our connection to nature- it is so easy to be out of touch with that aspect of our souls. So with our cups filled to the top with happiness and nature we leave the woods- connected and at peace.

   P.S- lessons I learned this weekend: I need more than 1 first aide kit- as in I need a 1st Aide Kit in every bag I carry- ditto with the sunscreen, also once children of this age go into the water they rarely wish to come back out- even to eat- account for this at breakfast before heading outside!

The Story of Sunday

        February was put on the calender for one thing and one thing only- to give people and the earth a chance to rest- to relax and catch up on sleep- in my totally scientific opinion that is what February is for. That and Birthdays- but Birthday month is technically drawing to a close! Sunday in Vancouver this week was wet and the perfect day to spend indoors- relaxing. So the Mr. and I grabbed a second latte and settled in to watch the weekend news while the Littles played one of their favourite games and munched on P.B. & J sandis- a perfectly relaxing Sunday morning.

      While last weekend was all about connecting with friends and community this weekend was spent fairly close to home- just relaxing- not really doing anything at all. After lunch on Sunday we tried to get some fresh air with a walk through the neighbourhood and as you can see it was  pretty damp. The Littles went with the Mr. over to his office and I strolled home for some much needed quiet Momma time.

     Being kid free does not happen too often for me- I usually have at least one of them with me- so I took full advantage of the situation and stopped into a few favourite shops on my way home- Community Thrift is seriously the best thrift store in our neighbourhood- really well curated- fresh stuff all the time. I scored this adorable embroidered dresser scarf that I am going to sew up into a summer top for Miss Lo. There are two Community Thrifts- one of Cordova for men and one on Carrall St for women- they also carry a small selection of children's clothes- really unique and interesting finds.

     I also could not pass up the opportunity to stop in for a gander at our neighbourhood yarn shop- Wool Is Not Enough- between Carrall and Columbia on Cordova St. This shop is a super cool space and the owner is really an interesting lady to chat with- lets not even talk about the friendly cat who lives there and can often be seen chillin in the window display. I found some gorgeous linen and silk yarns that I am excited to try out in a project later this week- not your regular knitted item- stay tuned!

     Now this lovely chunky Merino wool will pair nicely with this over sized wood button (picked up on Saturday) - either I'm going to knit a cowl for me or another pom pom hat for Miss Lo. I think the successful domination over my tunic pattern last week has spurred me into creative mode- all I want to do is sew and make things!

    I am by nature a very quiet person- as in I like to be quiet and be in quiet- I enjoy meditating and just listening- I was so grateful for the opportunity to do just that for a few hours Sunday afternoon. A few hours to sit and sew- I didn't even turn the radio on- although I may have talked to myself a bit! I think like a baby my senses get over stimulated by the busyness around me and I can get out of sorts- a few hours of quiet is balm for the soul- the whir of the sewing machine and the rain outside was music enough for me- plotting and planning what to do with that wool!

Sunday Stroll- Lynn Canyon

       Yesterday dawned cloudy, cold and yes raining again- now as promised I am not complaining just stating the facts- it was a bit damp out to say the least. Our weekend was deliberately and luxuriously slow and lazy- I spent every spare minute curled under a blanket reading a book while the Littles and the Mr made elaborate Lego structures- listening to the giggles and disputes erupting from the living room was music to my ears! Sunday was no different- we had a long morning that stretched into afternoon- cooking and kitchen dance parties, fresh espresso and eggs- all the good things about a lazy Sunday morning. We decided to do a hike that would inject a bit of excitement into the day and so we went in search of Fairy Doors in Lynn Canyon.

     We decided to hit one of the most popular spots in Lynn Canyon- the Suspension bridge and hike to Twin Falls- hoping that due to the weather it would be not so busy however even on this grey day it seemed that a lot of people had the same idea as we did! The scenery in Lynn Canyon is spectacular with the remains of old growth forest combining with breathtaking water falls. Opening in 1912 as a tourist attraction the cost to cross the suspension bridge was .10- now it is free- apparently the only thing in Vancouver to go down in cost.

     The Littles loved all the exploring and while this is not a trail to let them run too far ahead they did have their share of freedom- I would be remiss if I didn't say that in spite of the safety fences this Momma is more than a bit nervous of heights and hands were held through most of the hike! This is most definitely not a hike to do with strollers as a great deal of the trail is stairs- however  a carrier would be perfect for non walkers. 

     As part of the Baden- Powell trail which runs from Lynn Valley up to Grouse Mountain- there are some fairly rugged spots of terrain to this trail and LOTS of mud but anyone who can do stairs can do this hike- although a bit of bribery in the form of chocolate was added as incentive to get up the last set of stairs!

      With the exception of the stairs this was a very leisurely hike- lots to look at and identify- currently the Littles are interested in moss and bark- well trees in general- they will tell you all the different parts a tree has if you have five minutes to listen! Post hike we all snuggled up in the van with hot chocolate and made our way back downtown- the echo of the waterfalls still roaring in our ears and the silence of the forest surrounding our hearts.

P.S. if any of our friends are interested Lynn Canyon is FULL of Fairy Doors!

Le Marche St. George

   Right on the corner of 28th and St. George in Vancouver B.C. there exists one of my favourite places on earth- great coffee, flakey croissants and amazing ambiance. Having just celebrated it's second birthday Le Marche St. George has achieved the perfect blend of well stocked pantry and your sister's kitchen- it is the sort of place where you just hope to absorb some of that ambiance by osmosis-  to carry a cozy bit of warmth with you out the door in your pocket.

    This past Sunday found us in a mellow frame of mind- after a great day spent with my Sister in Law and Brother in Law as well as their friends on Saturday we were looking to keep it low key. Now I should preface this entire post that up until this point Le Marche had been my special place- the place I go with no kids and no Mr.- to sit and drink coffee and day dream and doodle. So Sunday I decided to share- the Littles snacked on delicious Zeppoles (an Italian donut style treat) and the Mr. and I sipped our lattes and relaxed. Le Marche is super family friendly - The Boy and Miss Lo quickly discovered the stash of toys and made themselves at home.

   Of course I could not leave with out checking out the fabulous delicacies stocked on the shelves- squid ink pasta, teas, honey, local cured meats and cheeses, not to mention gorgeous linens and new pottery by the owner Janaki Larsen- I'm a big fan of her work. We came away with some locally made perogies for our dinner and some ever so soft linen towels for my kitchen- I could have happily come away with one of everything on the shelves!  

    My only really thing that I "needed" to get done this weekend was take a few pictures of the Littles to send out in Christmas cards- since Le Marche had some beautiful trees for sale I thought it might make a good backdrop- you can see how that idea turned out!

   If you have an hour or more to spare and are looking for a place to cozy up with a mug of something hot this is the place to go! I think for me what makes it so special is that it is really out of my way- not in our neighbourhood- and so I don't get to go there often- when I do it is always really special. Meanwhile I like to live vicariously through their blog- getting inspired and always looking forward to my next visit!

A Trip to the Market

We woke up Sunday morning to grey,grey thunder clouds looming about the shoulders of our mountains, down in the harbour it felt more September that July. Needless to say our plans to hit the beach again this weekend had to be put on hold. Now what does a family with a suddenly empty day do? Well we do what we do best- took the day as a gift or sign if you will and slowed it way down. The rushed smoothies that were planned as a pre- beach breakfast turned into a sit down pancake breakfast, complete with real Maple Syrup- Im spoiled perhaps - I have a direct import line of Maple Syrup from the East.

   
     Our family is not the sort to rush about or spend hours commuting- we feel that although we live in a huge city we have, to a degree, avoided the rat race. We live where we work- literally the Mr's office is right around the corner! We walk almost everywhere during the week, saving the car for weekend adventures. Most importantly - I think anyways- is we eat almost every meal together as a family. We have a table cloth, cloth napkins, and the kids are learning to set a table properly. No elbows on the table please!

      Multipul studies have shown the importance of eating together as a family, those studies aside it is just what feels right for us as a family. To gather and share; talking, laughing, sopping up spilled whatever! In both the Mr's family and my own food has always been an important part of family ritual, something that bonds us all together. We feel that with our boy starting school in the fall we are on the verge of our entire lives shifting and so to continue as long as we can with this family tradition is paramount.

    At any rate food is important to all of us- weather we like it or not we all rely on it.  It is a necessity of life and so why not enjoy it? And what joy, if I may ask, comes from opening a frozen dinner and popping it in the microwave? Whole foods, unencumbered and free of sprays and other chemicals is a joyous thing to eat! We are so lucky to live in a place with such easy access to organic and locally grown food- during the growing season we take advantage of this as much as we can!

      The health benefits of eating locally and organic are really only topped by my own desire for our kids to know where their food comes from. City kids it has been said are increasingly out of touch as to where their food is grown and produced. Educating kids about food supply can be an easy and magical thing. At our house we have a small balcony garden where we grow salad greens, tomatoes, herbs and   the king of the crop- strawberries! We also have a larger garden at my parents house- the kids with their own plot where they are all waiting breathlessly for the pumpkins!

   One does not need to have a green thumb to teach their children about food, an easy way is a trip to the local Farmer's Market. Not only does one get to eat what is in season but you also support farmers when you buy directly from them- the middle men are all cut out and your money goes directly into the farmer's pocket. This brings me back to our Sunday afternoon spent lazing around picking up a few groceries here and there. No rushing, no losing kids in the grocery store, just wondering around and buying what looked and smelt good!

    I feel like this tale of food and slow Sundays needs some sort of moral at the end. You are what you eat? Cliche. How about What goes around comes around? Whatever the moral  you take from this story is I know for sure that this morning finds me cleaning and freezing berries so in the depths of winter we an open our freezer and still enjoy summer!