COTTAGE TIME INSIGHTS

I'm back from my week at the cottage! I'm tanned, caught up on some reading, got numerous bug bites and swam, and swam and swam. 

But I also spent a lot of time doing nothing, nothing at all...just staring at the water and watching the clouds roll by. 

In that rare, languorous time I discovered the universe is always sending out insight when you sit long enough to listen.

First thing I noticed, Moms are always on duty - always. My daughter and Prince Soren were with us and she is in the thick of it. 

I watched this mom swim by with her gaggle of ducklings in tow; probably dropping them off at the sitters on her way to work.

Some treasures, like these blueberries, are small and well hidden. They are there, you just have to look for them. 

Sometimes, just go ahead and over indulge. Vacation time is a good time to do that! Or, if it's your birthday, stuff your face with cake. 

On the stillness of an early summer morning, the lake is like glass. But somewhere a fish leaps, or a loon dives, or I stick my toe into the water and swish it around. Ripples appear and begin to travel, spreading further and further out into the lake. The smallest act can radiate out and impact well beyond what you can imagine. Knowing this, I will try and make those impacts to be positive ones: a kind word, a prayer, an offer to help. 

Enjoy your holiday time if you have it - swim, read, indulge, be kind. And in the down time, listen. Just listen.

GREEN MEANS GO!

I'm biking home from work. The air is hot and thick, like some large fire breathing dragon is huffing and puffing down on me. I stop at a busy intersection for the red light and I can hear the intro to AC/DC "Thunderstruck" playing full blast though the open window of the white pick up truck beside me. I try to behave but the jam takes over and I'm bopping my head to the guitar riff. I kinda hope the light stays red so I can enjoy the tune! 

The light changes; green means go! At the next intersection I stop again. Seems a good looking young lad in a car is checking me out. He's not. Beside me is a leggy blond with shorts shorter than mine on roller blades and born about 40 years after I landed on earth. The light changes and off we go, me on the bike, leggy blond in the short, short shorts on skates.

Still summer is when I got game! I thrive in it. 

I'm warm from fingers to toes

The sun comes out to play earlier and likes to hang out longer.

Every week seems there is a gift from the ground of fresh produce.

At a local farm stand there are local cherries. I have only $10 left of my allowance but I gladly spend $5 of it on some of these ruby red gems.

Strawberries took a while to get started but they are here now. I pop one in my mouth, warmed from the sun and juicy-sweet. It confirms what I've suspected for sometime; that there are strawberries in heaven and my sister Heidi is quite likely enjoying them. 

Dinners involve salads and fresh vegetables and at all costs, eaten outside.

Fireflies blink, blink in the twilight, playing their version of Marco-Polo! in the garden.

My Mini Cooper MiCi is warm and responsive. 

It's Summer time. It's a Green time and Green means go!

MY HOME AND NATIVE LAND

Today is Canada's birthday! This part of the earth I call my home and native land is celebrating 152 years as a nation. It is a breath taking, beautiful, rich and free country I'm honoured and humbled to call it home. 

We recently did a quick trip out to Banff Alberta to spend a family vacation with the children together. We rented a condominium and a big van and took in the amazing sites of the region.

It was cold hiking up the mountain but oh so beautiful.

Of course, I had to get a pic with Soren with this historically Canadian background!

Up the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain will get you views such as these:

But back at home in Ontario, there are charms that can be just as endearing.

I caught the tail end of my first roses blooming from the garden.

And the strawberries are at their peak

We spent Canada Day at Wellington in Prince Edward County where we took in the local parade

The small town charm and Canadian pride could be found everywhere; the crowd sporting red and white in abundance

In the basement of the United church  strawberry shortcake was enjoyed, like it has for the past 100 years or so.

It was a big hit with Soren too, taking in his first official Canada Day!

If you are fortunate to call yourself a Canadian, bedeck yourself in red and white and celebrate! This country has so much to offer and should not be taken for granted. 

Oh Canada, My Home and Native Land