Here's to a year ending and a new one dawning, solstice overnight at 12:31am. When all that has been becomes spirit, the essence of the seed of what will become.

A scene from our gleaning party in early November. Most of the people who came were born in Europe: romania, poland, sweden.

A recent weekend of playing hide and seek with Mike.

I took this photo two weeks ago. Besides it being the barn of our neighbour to the east (un-used), I was struck by the lowly apple on the right, airborne and washed by the morning sun as any of us.

Were you wondering what the answer was to the quiz from October 7th?  When i wrote it i thought, isn't this lovely, your favourite body of water represents the qualities of how you love.  But i was mistaken.  That was the answer to how you like sex.  So there you have it.  Maybe this will get my blog more hits :)

A white lady bug! said winnie. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? (Be my guest...)

I took this photo in our woods two weeks ago. The wet windy weather of late has changed the scape a lot since then.

In the Forest

I feel everything

The earth continually a new

Under the roof overhanging my cabin

I sit as it rains

How many leaves are airborne at once?

Mid-fall!

The faeries like the pools

With the small coloured leaves.

 In the forest, birch branches blown from their trunks lay in pieces like broken glass.


Talking to an old farmer, i said i climbed trees when i was young but i don't think my daughter has ever climbed a tree. "Not all are so inclined", he said. 

In native animal medicine, frogs have cleansing energy. I have cleansing energy because i tend to accept what other people offer me, then in private cleanse within myself whatever feels unloving or unhealthy. More and more, i am perceiving other people's gifts and ignoring the rest. This is much easier!

I returned to the rail trail bridge with nathan september 22nd.  We started out early then the sun found us.  A quiz:  pick your favourite body of water (type like lake or stream, or river...) then describe three things you like about it.  More next post...

The earth is a gift to us.  We are of earth.  We can hear the earth through our bodies and what our bodies need, we can also hear and feel.

Like all living things, our energy imprints itself on what we touch, on what we say, on our environment. Our own energy reflects back to us. I have been seeing hearts in stones, in clumps of dog hair left on the welcome mat, and even in the center of a mashed toilet paper roll.

I'm glad I can still find new species even after leaving the "carolinian" climate of spring valley in ancaster.

I called my grandmother (she is in spirit) while i walked.  I don't do this very often because frankly it scares me but i needed her today.  She answered.  I could hear her voice inside my head.  Then she came down upon my back in a warm feeling.  I loved her because she loved living.  "I miss your flesh", i said (in my head), "Why am i in this body without you to love me?"  Then i saw a fence row with plants of such colour.  "But you can take this picture", she said, "whereas i cannot".  "You are having a journey in this body", she said.  "Your job is to love like you want to be loved". I asked for her again, lamenting woes past and present and she warmed my back three times.

Walking down our dirt road one morning with my camera, these rays through the clouds gave me a "wow" moment. After about fifteen cars blasted by me on their morning runs, i came into a deeper knowing of my authentic self. My soul loves and craves quiet.  I like the sound of poplar leaves rustling.


In the forest the morning before, the night's rain was still falling in the clear morning sunlight off evergreen branches onto glistening ground. The quiet curtains of rain drifting down through the light cloaked me in myself.  I am this glorious feeling.

I took Nathan for a walk on the rail trail Sept 1st while Winnie was in daycamp.  Very quiet away from traffic. He was excited about the bridge and the shells and rocks down in it.  I always find plants i haven't discovered before along the trail.  A dragonfly swooped in to fly with us on the way to the bridge and on the way back.

Hurray, Yvonne! Thank you for mothering my children!  And you, too Ted!  P.S.  The posts in this selection are not chronological (but not for lack of trying :)

Isn't Winnie pretty in this one? Is she an elf or pixie or something?

On the way to the campground, there were no picnic stops from home until east of Peterborough.  I resisted restaurants because they don't nourish me very well, despite feeling tempted.  Finally, I prayed for a place to stop and within seconds a little yellow sign pointed to a conservation trail.  I had to turn around it came so fast.  So we got out and explored this trail and had our lunch.

This was August 1st, our first camping trip this summer, going to Silver Lake Provincial Park to stay with
Yvonne and Ted for two nights (and Libby the dog!), then a third on our own.

Winnie worked all summer to roast the perfect marshmallow.

I have been taking pictures with the intent of painting them. Taking the pictures is immeasurably easier!

This was the first summer Nathan would touch water and even want to have a bath. There are small black fish in the water the kids fed bread to.

We also stopped at a picnic area on the way there. These in-transit stops are fun for me because we get to explore new terrain, stretch our legs, and no setting up of camp!

This is another one of those pretty pictures i may paint, or...?

I am trying to paint this in watercolour and oh it is such a struggle. I altered this photo deepening the contrast.

This light at ground level made me have to get down and see the view.  I remember as a child moving in grass under trees and feeling their shelter. Sometimes when I am walking i see the small, dry, sheltered places within trees and feel the comfort i knew even before i could speak.