Category Archives: Food and Cooking

Thanks for the natural attractions

15 Sunday Oct 2017

Posted by in activism, community, Food and Cooking, Health, therapy, Travel, writing

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It was an extended Thanksgiving holiday peppered with family gatherings, feasting and a lot of car travel. It was also one tarnished by news of another assault on a sacred site in the nation’s capital.

I spent most of my vacation week traveling with family to visit others in the Greater Sudbury area. The long drive was accompanied and enhanced by the natural fall colours. We enjoyed a couple of days of conversation, feasting, playing cards and going on an outing to a natural attraction. We drove farther north to Onaping Falls to visit the AY Jackson lookout.

AY Jackson lookout at Onaping Falls

A walking stick rests after a tour of the natural beauty of Onaping Falls

The lookout was named after a famous painting of the falls by Group of Seven member, AY Jackson.

I enjoyed the fresh, cool air and exercise plus another chance to catch up with older and wiser relatives.

Blonde woman at the bridge over Onaping River and Falls

Blonde woman at the bridge over Onaping River and Falls

When I returned home stiff yet elated, I was relieved that one of the offspring heeded my request to visit le petit apartment and check on the cats.

Tabby cat resting in front of house plants

A peaceful Sunday setting in the Tabby cat’s habitat

While I was savoring the memories of visiting Onaping Falls and viewing photographs of its natural settings, my activist friends in the Ottawa area were having to educate the public, the politicians, anyone who would listen about the shameful activities happening again at a sacred site in the Ottawa River.

You too can be informed. Read this interview of Algonquin Elders.

On this Sunday morning, my pen name got involved with sharing her views on this glitzy invasion at Chaudière Falls and its islands.

Thanks for dropping by. Spread the word. Free the Falls!

T

 

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Wherever you go – it may be raining

06 Saturday May 2017

Posted by in Art, Food and Cooking, Health, pets, therapy, Travel

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Spring travel whisked me away from the rainy Ottawa Valley to Vancouver Island.

It rained there too. 

My objectives were made months in advance:

  • Travel somewhere within Canada
  • Push my air travel anxiety limits – further than before
  • Visit with family
  • Do touristy things
  • Do not think about work

My destination was Vancouver Island, just off the coast of British Columbia. The long stretches of flying, sitting, waiting, flying, sitting, etc. tired me out. At various destinations I welcomed opportunities for walking tours and restaurant outings. Soon that tired me out too!

I practiced mindfulness as much as I could, savouring moments and reminding myself to breathe.

One family member took me for a drive up the east coast of Vancouver Island, humoured my request to stop where I could dip my toes into the Pacific Ocean.

Theresa dipping her toes into the west coast ocean waters

Pacific Ocean (well… some inlet) I am in you!

Soon I was on a bus then another bus to the beautiful city of Victoria. I was happy and comforted that relatives were waiting for me, extra umbrellas in hand to provide an escort to my hotel.

While in Victoria, I was treated to sufficient walking excursions, visited a castle and tried food from different restaurants. We had one sunny, windy day.

I spent one rainy afternoon by myself, enjoying bright flower gardens and inhaling the scent of trees in full blossom.

Flowers rain Victoria

A rainy tourist outing in downtown Victoria

A wet park bench

A wet bench and colourful flowers

Soon one of my adult children joined me after his own cross-country tour by train, ferry and bus. He got to meet one set of cousins for the first time. He accompanied me for a walk by the docks, an appropriate lunch and a walking tour up to Emily Carr House.

Lunch at Red Fish Blue Fish – Victoria

As with my tour of the castle a couple of days earlier, we exited through the gift shop and I picked up a few souvenirs.

Blonde Lady sitting at tea table in Emily Carr house

A chance to sit down during a tour of Emily Carr house

Did I achieve my objectives?  Yes! I practiced mindfulness moments wherever I was, taking in the experiences, breathing in and breathing out.

After a long day of travel east, I returned to Ottawa in the rain. I observed the local news about severe spring flooding in our region.

I was glad to be home, to have the chance to do laundry and rest in my creature comforts.

Snuggles was glad to see me too and perform his morning routine of waking me up to serve breakfast and read the online news together. Creatures of habit…

Black cat on lap

“Good. You’re back where you belong – with me!”

Thanks for dropping by.

T

Giving Thanks

12 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by in Food and Cooking, Health, Travel, Warm fuzzy

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This time of year you can’t skim through blog post titles without encountering many about giving thanks.

I think that’s great. I think we should do this at least four times a year if we’re not able to perform the ritual every week at some place of community worship. We can each express gratitude, repeat “thank you” when we wake up to start our day, and when we lay our heads on our pillows, reviewing our experiences and serendipitous encounters throughout the day.

These are just a few of the things for which I am thankful:

  1. Family and friends;
  2. Food and wine;
  3. Books!
  4. Freedom, the right to vote. Opportunity to vote in advanced polls during this longest election campaign in Canadian history; WTF?! #ABC!
  5. Freedom of not having to openly declare myself associated with one particular belief system or political party;
  6. Opportunities to learn about different belief systems, political parties, platforms, candidates and guides. Sometimes, you may not be thrilled with the leader or the bombardment of negatively comparative messages but can identify with some of the teachings, platform promises and really admire the work of some of the representatives; (apologies for that clever analogy!)
  7. Full time employment;
  8. Vacation time away from the daily grind, time for reflection on my experiences, accomplishments and plans for the future;
  9. Opportunity to push myself with my flying anxieties again, this time in a larger aircraft and for a bittersweet journey down memory lane;
  10. My nerve-damaged yet persistently expressive hands on any QWERTY keyboard;
  11. The Internet, virtual and real communities, and blogs;
  12. Opportunities for narrative in rewriting my own stories, taming that inner-critic to bring about major changes in my life.

 

 

How about you?

Thanks for dropping by.

T