Hiking: Bridal Falls

         On our recent visit out to Harrison Hot Springs we decided to make a pit stop to stretch our legs on our way back into the city. We pulled over to explore a spot that we have driven by probably about a dozen or more times per year for the past 13 years- Bridal Falls. The falls are awe inspiring from the highway so I was excited to see them up close for the first time.

          Although this is a very well worn and maintained path it is pretty much straight up hill- so little legs can make it but apparently many diversions and rests are called for! Luckily there are many easy access spots down to the creek prime for rock throwing and pretend fishing- the icy cold mountain water refreshing on a hot July day.

         Pausing to play beneath this wonder of our province it is easy to forget we are just off the highway- the crowds dropping away- nothing but the booming waterfalls echoing in your ears. With in minutes of entering the forest traffic nightmares are forgotten- the air changes- hushed and sacred. Studies show that even a few minutes of nature each day lessens stress in adults as well as children- a necessity for all walks of people these days.

        The Fraser Valley is on our route home to the Okanagan and usually we are in such a hurry to get home to our family- this is the point in the highway where the city traffic starts to fall away and we can make up for lost time. It was such a treat to explore this part of B.C.- pausing to enjoy the sights we take for granted- stopping where we never have time to.

      Friends it is Friday once again- time to get out there and enjoy all that this beautiful planet has to offer- may the sun be on your shoulders or in your heart- Happy Friday!

Spanish Banks In March

           With all the changes going on around here these days we are finding that- as a family- it is abundantly clear we need to seriously connect on the weekends- with each other and ourselves- to seak out familiar places that hold comfort. Learning to juggle family life- a full time job and my own art practice is proving more tricky than I ever anticipated- my hats go off to families that do this with babies and toddlers- we are all learning to navigate new territory here. Trying to find a balance or at least find a rhythm to our days has led to me really appreciating quite family time on the weekends- this weekend we headed to our favourite spot in the city to recharge a little- Spanish Banks.

        Spanish Banks has always been a place of quiet freedom for my kids- a place where they can roam without too much parental supervision- although parents are usually drawn into their play- in this case the building of Inukshuks. While my family builds friendship statues with rock I can sit back for a few minutes and watch the water- the waves washing away the constant chatter in my mind- a meditation on white noise. Although a slight chill still permeates the air- warm socks and hoodies keep us cozy- across the bay fog catches in the mountains and valleys- this is March on the West Coast.

         Watching my babes stretch their long legs as they scramble over boulders and logs I am constantly amazed at how quickly this life is speeding by- as our days become increasingly full I am mindful of my time with them. For me it's not so much about filling our time together with experiences or things- it's about being together- perfect or messy it doesn't really matter what that time looks like. While this is just a snippet of our weekend- it doesn't show the laundry or the arguing- the cartoons or the dirty floors- this is the bit that I am choosing to focus on and carry with me- deep in my heart through the week!
         

Rhythm of The Weekend

         This weekend looked a little different for our family- this was my first weekend back at work- our first weekend learning to adjust to a different pace- a different rhythm. I am pleased to be returning to a company that I've worked for in the past- it's like coming home- seeing old friends- revisiting old behaviours. The wonderful thing is this time I am working in our neighbourhood- further becoming part of this wonderful- eclectic- place our family calls home.

      My feelings on returning to work as a working mother are complicated- logically I know I have nothing to worry or even complain about- I work weekends and so our kiddos just hang out with the Mr.- we do not have to worry about day care. Of course as I stepped out the door I felt heavy with the knowledge I would be missing out on all sorts of family fun- simultaneously I felt light because I knew I was stepping in the direction of our dreams.

        My days were strangely singular- when not at work I found time to sit and quietly work on my next pair of socks- sipping a coffee and noticing changes in the neighbourhood- noticing the light moving across the cobbles- noting the fall colours popping up at shops. Quiet is a totally foreign concept for me these days- it was such a gift to walk freely and quietly through the streets.

         Of course upon returning to home at the end of my days I was greeted in the best possible manner- giant hugs and squeals of joy- so happy to have Momma home. Sometimes a little absence is just what we all need to make the heart grow fonder- I'm noting an increase in patience on my part this morning. Sitting here drinking my coffee this morning in the crisp morning air I can smell Fall- it's just around the corner. The time for wooly socks, boots and sweaters is coming- time for nesting into our family- seeking comfort in the simple things. I love this time of year- the changes in our life are bringing renewed creativity- a new rhythm.

Away We Go

           This past weekend found our little family on the road again- heading out of town early Friday morning we quickly left the city behind- coming to the place where spaces grow larger in between. Finding that space and breathing room is something we all cherish- our neighbourhood is so full- packed with life- which we love- most of the time. We always arrive at a tipping point where we need to seek out that space- to carve out a little quiet- to touch the earth and gather it's magic.

        Plenty of these spaces in between exist- a person just needs to know where to look- for myself I find these pockets of quiet in the early morning garden- listening to the buzz of the earth- watching the sun slant through the young garlic plants. I find these spaces down at the lake- where my childhood lurks behind every Willow Tree- where I can see the roll of the mountains behind closed eyes- I know them just that well.

        I hope for my city kids that giving them this time will keep them grounded- keep them in touch with the sacred bond of nature- help them to grow into protectors of the earth. I can see as they grow they need this time more and more- time to stretch their limbs and run unsupervised- time to poke at dead fish with a stick- time to make mud and throw rocks- all seemingly unsupervised- with out adults breathing down their necks. I hope to give our city kids a little bit of what I had as a kid when life was so easy and children could be fierce! Going  home gives us all something that our souls need- something to fill us up till the next time!

Here We Stay

        More and more I find myself having to chose between time spent here- writing in this space- and creating- the actual act of making things that satisfies my soul- and that I can actually sell! It may be that this wee family is not so wee anymore- we are all growing in leaps and bounds- this means more time is being spent away from the house- soccer- swimming- beach time with friends- call it what you will but we are just plain busy these days. So when an opportunity to get some actual work done arrives on my doorstep I grab on and get busy in the studio- which is just what I did this weekend.

      On Saturday morning we woke to grey skies- the Littles voiced their choice to snuggle inside and watch movies- throw in some free time with the art supplies and they were content. With my family occupied I settled in to work on a project near and dear to my heart- for several months now friends and customers have been asking when I will expand my line of clothing- the same basic but cute style that I use on my children's clothes but for the Mommas. I am so pleased to report that the first of these sweet little slip dresses rolled off the line this weekend- soon to be available for pre order!

P.S.- we also went for ice cream and the first local strawberries of the season!

         Still buoyed up by the studio time from Saturday I jumped right back in on Sunday morning- starting up a fresh indigo vat out on the deck. Indigo is so magical- starting off yellow green and the changing to deep blue as the air oxidizes the pigments- a little witchy and all sorts of surprising! Into the vat several bits and pieces that will soon find their way as finished products to my Etsy shop!

    I find with the Internet bringing so much of the world right into our home it is so easy for me to get overwhelmed with inspiration- bogged down in the planning process if you will. Really nothing beats time spent getting my hands dirty in the studio- mucking about- making mistakes and working through it. Sometimes I just need to put my head down and ignore what is going on in the world a little bit- dig deep to find the focus and just get work done.  

   Sitting here this morning I am feeling rushed- both Littles are home and rearing to head out on today's adventure- the teacher's strike is giving us a bonus day for a family field trip. I want to capture and express the feeling of my weekend- it isn't very often that I get to dig in and work- not for them- my darling family- but for myself- unleashing my creativity. As I said earlier I'm buoyed up and excited about what took place over the weekend- excited to come home this afternoon and get back at it!

A Peek At Our Weekend

        Some weekends are just too lazy to even talk about- weekends that are decadent with the sleeping in, doing nothing and large amounts of coffee. Puttering about if you will. That is exactly what this weekend was to us- we played with friends, read books, built a huge blanket fort out in the hallway- and ate hot dogs outside- it was exactly what we needed. Small projects were wrapped up- bed rooms  cleaned out- preparations for a much busier time were begun.

      You see looking at the calender it is clear that the next few months- through well into July- will be jam packed with travel, parties and other such goodness. Camping season is right around the corner which means busy weekends where we just need to grab our camping gear and go. Beach days are also right around the corner- goggles must be located and swim trunks must be tried on. Birthday season- yeah it never ends but just gets busier- the Birthday box needs to be sorted and restocked. If all these easy tasks are taken care of now- our lives will be so much smoother when it's crunch time! Now is that time.

    So in preparation for this busy time we spent this one last weekend sticking close to home- getting these little projects sorted out- taking care of business if you will. Lots of extra stuff that we have outgrown is now in the give away pile- my Littles are mid growth spurt again- some toys broken or forgotten about- I have too many magazines than I do time to read- The Mr is a gerbil with his paper collection- all this needed to go. Living in a small space with four people- and struggling to make it work has given us all a new appreciation of less is more. As my word for the year clearly states- we are making our life SIMPLE!

    I love the quiet time of winter- tucking in while the rain lashes against the windows- the Littles happily indulging in hours of Lego- hot coffee in my hand- knitting at my side- I love those times. Now is the time when not only is the earth waking up but so too is my creative soul- I am getting itchy to create again- I am excited to watch my garden grow- I am excited to stretch our legs at the beach. So I enjoyed this past- final- quiet weekend- enjoyed the hours of coffee with a book in my hand. I will hold the memory of our first outside meal of this year close as we spend more and more of our time outside on the porch. Goodbye quiet times- Hello Spring!

Tales From The Weekend

        It's funny how most people consider Summer time the season for slowing down and taking things easy- myself I consider Winter- or late Fall as we are in now- the perfect time for snuggling in and being a lazy bones. The temperature is dipping and the clouds have rolled in to stay- personally I have very little excuse to be outside right now! That said we did bundle up and head over to the Winter Farmer's Market at Nat Bailey Stadium this past weekend- this is by far our favourite market- all of our favourite vendors in one place consistently- so convenient for the weekly grocery shop!

         The market was packed this week so it seems we are not the only locals who share in this point of view- so much goodness is still coming in from the fields! Not to mention the cheeses, butter, bread, beef jerky, sausages, eggs, dried goods, herbs- all these wonderful pantry staples are up for purchase year round. I'm sure I have mentioned before how much I prefer shopping the Farmer's Market to the grocery store- the community spirit is practically palatable on days like this- the buskers adding to the mood with their tunes- throw in a bunch of dogs and kids- its a recipe for warm fuzzy feelings!

          As mentioned things are getting chilly round these parts- even though both the Mr. and I grew up in much colder climes we have both become accustomed to winter on the West Coast- or Wet Coast as is often the case. The slightest dip in temperature sends us shivering for hats, mitts and hot chocolate- so post- market a quick stop at our favourite neighbourhood cafe- Le Marche was in order. Stepping into Le Marche is akin to stepping into a still life painting- everything is so beautifully curated- from the silver and china they use to serve on- to the groceries displayed on the shelves. This truly is one of my happy places!

           To my mind Fall is about tucking in and re-connecting with the people you love- with the neighbourhoods you love, with the food you love. Put to bed are our carefree, adventure days of summer- replaced with a time of rest. Winter Solstice is approaching- that magical time of year when the days are so short- such an ancient event that modern humans have yet to control or change. The days are short and the nights are long- time to rest and recharge one's batteries in anticipation of the return of the sun!

Tales From The Weekend

     This weekend was all about recuperating- we have had a really rough couple of weeks with nasty colds and flus making their rounds. I have heard this is very common when a child enters school- I had no idea what we were in for- we have all been sick for an entire month. After being tucked into the couch and our beds for the past few days we all felt in need of a bit of fresh air so Sunday we headed out to a place we always feel peaceful in- Deep Cove.

        A couple of us felt well enough to indulge in our favourite Deep Cove treat- donuts from Honey's- light and fluffy buttermilk donuts- simple toppings and a large coffee (for Daddy) make everything better! As does running through leaves, exploring the beach and hunting for crabs and of course a visit to the playground. This is the peace and quiet we have all been craving.

     Fall has been so good in so many ways this year- the weather has been epic and to say we enjoyed it is an understatement- the rain has arrived though and I am starting to feel darker days creeping in. A visit to the Cove lightens our spirits and keeps that darkness at bay. Now is the time to be gentle with ourselves- visit well loved places, indulge in treats that fill our souls and tummies and most importantly of all bundle up and get outside!

      I have to apologize for being absent the past few days- as mentioned we were all not feeling well- I was needed else where in addition I've been feeling really pulled in too many directions and what I really needed was to just unplug and step away for a few days. A day spent snuggled up with my girlie on the couch was heaven- an afternoon spent out running in the fresh air was equally good. A little break was just what I needed! Hope your weekend was super Friends!

Tales From The Weekend

          The weather on Sunday was so amazing that in spite of a raging ear infection (me) we headed out to enjoy the sunshine while we could. It really is only a matter of time before we get socked in with a low cloud ceiling for months on end- yes I am a weather nerd! So with blue skies and a dusting of snow atop the North Shore mountains we headed out for an "Urban Hike" in our neighbourhood.

    Initially we had discussed a hike in Deep Cove or our favourite Porteau Cove but we came to the conclusion that a day spent close to home with no driving was needed- we have been on the go all summer and now into fall that we wanted to day to just chill out and do nothing. So nothing is exactly what we did! The great bit about living in Gastown is that early Sunday morning it tends to be deserted- the sidewalks were ours and the line up for coffee was non existent. We wandered the empty streets, coffees in hand over to Coal harbour which is always a fun walk to do- fantastic people watching.

      Of course we had to stop and check out the antique store on Cordova Street- the sidewalk out front is always packed with interesting and unique finds. In addition to interesting objects one of the stores has a bubble machine hard at work just outside their door- so of course we always pause here for a moment or two with the Littles. We checked to see if our favourite cat Miss Frankie was back from her vacation at the flower shop. Stopped to admire how the trees at the corner of Water Street and Cordova have shed almost all of their leaves. Yes this city living can be very good some days.

       I am reminded daily how different our children's childhoods are than the one I grew up with- there are of course pros and cons to city living and country living but I think when you get right down to it every family out there is doing the best that they possibly can in any given situation. At this point our kids are decidedly city kids- downtown kids in fact- they feel comfortable walking every where and balk at the idea of going anywhere in the car.

    I think that the key to a happy life is finding balance- and for us finding the balance between city and country is a struggle we deal with on a regular basis. We-as in our family- are most at peace when surrounded by nature but the quiet beauty of the city on a day like yesterday brings contentment also. This life is a journey- it's not about the destination- it's about the ride and while I'm not sure where we will end up I can confidently say this ride is amazing weather we are in the city or not!

Tales From The Weekend

        Last weekend feels like it was a bit of a blur- it went by so fast if I had blinked I would have missed it. The big event of course was the long anticipated Urban Market out at Highstreet in Abbotsford which was put on by the ladies from Spruce Collective. Set up in the middle of a brand new modern mall the Urban Market was anything but your typical cookie cutter mall fodder. Looking around you in fact would be hard pressed to even know you were in a mall- the market was so packed with vintage goods and some amazing set ups it was more antique market than anything!

        On a bit of a whim I took a batch of my Holiday 2013 cards and they sold out! And I am so happy I grabbed them at the last minute as it seems folks have Christmas on the mind early this year- with plenty of unique items to chose from shoppers were stocking up early on one of a kind gifts. I love that somewhere someplace people will be opening up carefully considered treasures on Christmas Day- a handmade-vintage Christmas is the best kind of Christmas!

         Even now two days later it is difficult to gather all my thoughts about the market- it was pretty overwhelming- so many great vendors- both craft and vintage- being surrounded by so many talented people was like a weeks worth of inspiration rolled into a day- I'm still marinating! The market started off with a celebratory anniversary party for Spruce Collective- 150 tickets were sold for a sneak peek evening which of course was full of fantastic food and beverages. I got to meet a few of my design heroes and was a total fangirl.

        Saturday morning all remnants of the party were gone- save for the twinkle lights- and it was down to coffee and business. The Urban Market was definitely one of the more well attended events that I have been a part of - the crowds were thick and business was brisk- lots of people were attracted by the vintage element- myself included- of course I could not leave empty handed! I'm such a vintage hoarder that a few goodies came home with me- a mini wreath for the dollhouse, some teeny tiny Christmas trees, an beautiful over sized rosary, enamel wash basin and my big score of the weekend- a vintage postal bag- which will be revealed in a makeover soon!

          This morning I am sitting here sipping my first latte of the day and thinking about the weekend- planning where to take my next event- which incidentally is next weekend! Plain Jane is a part of an exciting open house in North Vancouver- please comment me via my Plain Jane Facebook page if you are interested in more details. The open house in in conjunction with Crystal Connections and Catch My Drift- lots of one of a kind gift items- avoid the crowds at the mall- come on out to visit and do some shopping! Cash, Visa and Mastercard will be accepted.  Last weekend was a great reminder that the Holidays are quickly approaching- folks are starting to shop and I need to be prepared!