New places, new friends

I've lived here for three winters now and I am just starting to explore further away from home. There are amazing trails, and hikes around the coast. They're beautiful, if you are into the "great outdoors", not that I ever really was, but as I get older I am starting to appreciate the beauty in my own backyard. One of my "new" girls, Carol,  is a runner also, also new to the coast from Alberta, and far more of the "outdoors adventure woman" than I ever aspire to be, but she has opened my eyes to some great trails and awesome places to go kayaking.  Who knows she may convert me to some degree but I draw the line at snowshoeing or anything remotely to do with that 4- letter "S" word.  This is the place we found on Tuesday......spectacular inlets, forest, scenery, that will take your breath away......

Beginning of the park.....

 

 

Amazing park with great trails,
have to take the hubs
up here for this hike in the woods

This is the cove where you can put in your boats, quite
the little summer places around this rocky inlet.

 

 

I think the weight training classes
 are starting to pay off!



We were doing a stretching routine and
thought we test our strength


 

 

That's been my week so far, I stopped in at my mom's after our Smugglers Cove run and re-upholstered a footstool my dad had made many moons ago, he was pretty talented, and I think I follow in his foot steps but with a few less staples and nails. Mom and I were laughing that only Dad would put that many staples into holding it all together. That baby was never falling apart. So back at work and I wonder what mischief I can find to get into this week......what are your plans for the rest of the week?

 

 

 

 

 

A few days with friends.............

Since moving to the coast, I have to say that the friends I have made, have made the move a whole lot easier leaving my friends back home........even thou my home is here now, and I love it, I spent too many years not to call it my home base.

But the last few days I have spent a few hours with my new 'girls'. Monday Sue and I played hooky in the afternoon and took off to the beach for our sea glass scavenging and driftwood picking, it was a gorgeous, sunny, warm day that January seldom produces. So we took advantage of it for a few hours.

Driftwood Monster

Amazing Driftwood Root

Georgia Beach

 

Sunny afternoon at Georgia Beach

Peak-a-boo I see you!

Such a fantastic day!

Well so much for Monday and its housework, laundry, and recycling, better luck next time! Time well spent with my first friend in my new home. Thanks Sue for playing hooky!

For all my dear friends back home!
 You are never far from my heart!

Off the grid......

Sorry about being inconsistent with my blogging but my days are full and my evenings are spent in so many directions, concentrating on one thing is getting harder and harder. I think I need a technology break!

I can see a vacation in my future.

 
Work has slowed down these days therefore my mind starts to wander in different crafting directions. I have been trying my hand at painting, not just rooms but art. I haven't had any training but that's never stopped me, but I do think it would be helpful if I had a lesson or two. So that is on my agenda for this year. There are so many wonderful artists here on the coast and I tend to loose confidence in my ability but I am sure everyone goes through those feelings, but I do it for me and no one else, so I dabble.................a fellow blogger, Claudia said it best in her last post about winter being a time to slow down and enjoy the peace and get in touch with yourself. Thanks Claudia for the reminder. Love your new hat! So you!

Myself, I have been thinking about the activities that give me a feeling of accomplishment, knitting or crocheting is one of them. Its something you can do and just enjoy the moment.

I started knitting and crocheting after taking many years off.  I bought some beautiful  yarn in many colors (because one ball is never enough!), and then I got to work, crocheting furiously for two days straight until I realized that my new infinity scarf was disproportionately huge. I had to undo everything and start over, my enthusiasm somewhat dampened. But I was not discouraged, I began searching for patterns on the net and www.ravelry.com and my addiction and love for yarn grew. Why would anyone spend so much time making a hat or scarf when you can go out and buy a piece for a fraction of the cost......I will tell you why......it is a way to feel proud and more conscious of your surroundings. Granted buying yarn at Michaels is more economical than purchased yarn from local farmers or independent fibre stores but when you make something yourself you wear it with pride.

Knitting is a way to reclaim independence. We live in a world where we depend on certain individuals and companies to perform highly specialized tasks for us. There’s something satisfying about taking on some of the responsibility for clothing production and sending a message to the industry that I don’t need them to make my scarves.

Knitting can help a local industry. It wasn’t cheap to buy two skeins of that locally produced yarn, but at least I’m making a statement with my consumer dollars to a nearby farmer, endorsing his or her decision to make a living raising sheep. According to the stats, if every American or Canadian redirected 1 percent of their disposable income to domestically-made products, it would create 200,000 jobs. Cheap imported clothes become a lot more expensive when you calculate the loss of domestic jobs.

So my baskets full of yarn do have a purpose, and as of now I am busy making projects that my future generations will enjoy. Maybe premature, but enjoyable and relaxing all the same. And that's why I like to sit and knit or crochet. Nothing says love like a homemade project........

 

 

Have a great day and take time to do something special for yourself.