Being authentic in 2026

Starting 2026 just being my authentic self

 This year is different. I know you're thinking about the state of the world but this is more about the world within. I mean aren't all New Year's intentions about that? I decided to not make a list this year. Instead I would mentally resolve to do as much as I can but to be realistic about my goals.  I'm always wishing I could have done more. I decided to just live and breathe in the moment.

The teak figurine you see pictured is beautiful in its imperfection. It makes us smile because it is real. We are human, we make mistakes, we put things off, we stumble and fall and pick ourselves up again.  It's a good starting point, the picking ourselves up part.

Don't aim for perfection. Aim for small wins, small little miracles that might go unnoticed but in the end become something achieved. Remember it begins in your mind. Perhaps the idea of visualization is now passe. I'm not sure but try, just try to visualize something you are wishing for. Where does your heart lead you?  Maybe you just want to spend more time outside with friends and family or you may want to learn a new language or start a fitness journey. Or perhaps you just wish for more time in your day? Go slow, don't rush, there is time if you begin to see that really any worthwhile project doesn't happen quickly. The idea of giving yourself permission to do it on your own terms is worth thinking about.

Spend ten minutes just sitting on your couch, outside on a park bench, your patio, anywhere. No phone, no tablet, no connection to any wireless device. Suddenly you start to feel alive inside. There is no external anything just you existing, breathing, blinking, smelling the air, hearing the sounds. If you have always been a busy person like me it is genuinely difficult to do! It will work some magic though. It's okay if your mind doesn't stop thinking. You may even have some wonderful insights! Creativity loves quiet. 

 

 

I love you just the way you are!

 "Don't go changing to try and please me, You never let me down before,

I would not leave you in times of trouble, I took the good times, I'll take the bad times 

I'll take you just the way you are .... "

If you're not familiar with the song I'll refresh your memory.  Billy Joel wrote this in the 70s and I have spent the week listening to Diana Krall's five minute version of it on her 2002 Album Live in Paris that won both a Grammy and a Juno in 2003  and is absolutely beautiful. 

I don't know about you but I listen to so many different types of music depending on my day.  I read that dogs like jazz ... do they? Anyway dogs do like music in general so I have been playing Diana Krall a lot this week. Of course I feel a certain devotion to her because she is from Nanaimo, BC and currently does live on the Island. We call Vancouver Island ''The Island." 

I want to think of this song in terms of the people I know and also in terms of myself! I think too often we look for the ways in which we feel we could improve upon ourselves but seldom think that perhaps we are just fine the way we are!  These days social media is continually telling us that we are not enough! We need these "things" or these "products" to make ourselves feel better. Do we really though? Perhaps we could take the approach that we love ourselves "just the way we are" and the people we know "just the way they are" instead of  thinking otherwise.

Of course there is nothing wrong with self improvement but self acceptance is much underrated.  Also do you ever find yourself wishing someone you knew was different? Perhaps more punctual, more attentive, a better listener, or knew more about a subject you enjoy? What if you just focused on the things you do like about that person or yourself? In other words saying, "I love you just the way your are!" 

I think Billy Joel really captured the feeling in the rhythm of the song as well, when he wrote it. As we move through life maybe try looking through a different lens, a lens of acceptance. I feel our world would be a better place for it. 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Julie

Tomorrow I am going to be meeting a friend for coffee. Her name is Julie and we met several years ago on the picket lines during the teacher's strike. We walked a lot together. When I first met Julie I thought she was incredibly beautiful and smart. I almost felt like she would not want to continue our friendship once the strike ended. I'm not sure why I felt that but I think it was because of my overriding sense that she was somehow better than I am. Which is truly a ridiculous thought.  However not really if you came to understand that I was a child of immigrant parents and often when you move from your home country to somewhere new there is a period of adjustment. 

In my case it was first the language barrier which only took me a couple of years to cross because I was a young child. Secondly there was this other feeling that I didn't dress the same as the other kids and didn't necessarily fit into their peer groups. I did have friends in school for sure but I always felt that there was this group of kids that were better dressed and socially more skilled at navigating the peer landscape than I was. I am only trying to figure out where this feeling of inferiority came from. I mean my parents always made me feel like I was the cutest and the brightest but fitting in at school wasn't always easy.

What does this have to do with Julie? Well even though my past experiences made me think that she wouldn't carry on our friendship this was far from the truth. I think I always had an inner confidence and in high school felt pride about my background but these feelings that you have as a young child can certainly impact the way you see yourself in later years. We had no difficulty in becoming friends and I am certainly glad for it because she is the type of person that really ''gets me?'' We laugh a lot at circumstances and experiences in our lives. I think it is one of the healthiest kinds of relationships, being able to laugh and feel free to speak your mind.

I don't see Julie nearly enough and of course the pandemic did not help! The pandemic put a full stop to so many things! We cannot even measure the full weight of what it has done to society. I'm just glad that for now we are able to once again see friends and family. 

Tomorrow we will probably spend far too much time catching up and of course laughing. I tend to be very much a homebody these days so it will be good to get out a bit. I don't mind that really because I absolutely love doing things at home. We also have two dogs to take care of and they love me being at home as well. Even though I have been toying with the idea of going back to work. That remains to be seen!

 I know that since losing our child I did also lose that feeling of wanting to socialize. When I was younger I had a lot of friends. After a loss it changes you. You do become more insular and partly you are trying to readjust to your environment and navigate it somehow,  because inwardly you have changed so you are basically re-introducing yourself to the world as a different person.  

Here is a plant pot that I purchased this winter with pine cones on it and a favourite breakfast of mine. It is not one I have everyday but it is waffles or pancakes with blueberries, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup.  

 

Staying in the present moment, well most of the time

I feel like my last post was pretty meaningless. I mean why am I thinking about the past so much? I think that the goal of staying in the present moment is far healthier. To be realistic, yes I had wonderful experiences back then but it does not mean I cannot have them now. I think the problem stems from a desire to have things stay the same. We know that's not even remotely possible. Life is about change. Change is inevitable and it is also the way forward. If things did not evolve and change we would not grow as humans and understand ourselves and others. It's easy to slip back and think about things like when our kids were small and how everything seemed so perfect then. Well we know that it wasn't but we do idealize it.

I will admit that time was very special to me and I adored being a mother. Not everyone feels that way and that's okay too. I was just meant for it is all. I also think I was the kind of person who felt love for more than just one individual. I think there are different kinds of love too. I'm talking about romantic love here but I do think that it can take many forms. Now that I'm older I would be far more discerning of people than I was back then. I was more forgiving. I guess it is the naivety of youth. We accept more but that doesn't necessarily make it right. I know this all sounds kind of vague but I don't regret the love I felt for people I knew back in the day. The problem seems to be that I can genuinely miss them still. If that makes any sense? 

Would it even be possible to see a person twenty years later and still have the same relationship? No, most likely not because both people would have changed so much. So again it brings me back to living in the present moment. Maybe much of what we feel is just in our minds so to speak. We think we miss people but in reality if we were to meet them again it would be radically different. 

I also spent some time this morning thinking about how when we speak to one another we often keep certain feelings and thoughts to ourselves. It is as if we have a hidden self. I mean I have always thought that I was a very candid and open person but not really. If I were, then I would talk about how much I miss my daughter for example. No one really wants to know about that so I keep that piece tucked away. Why would I bring it up? It would lead everyone down a sad road and even I wouldn't want to go there.  

I've also thought quite a bit about how I feel the same inside as I did when I was quite young. Why is that? I feel like our inner self stays pretty static and as we grow older and experience life in all its forms we can still be that same person inside. That probably isn't very radical thinking is it?

I feel super fortunate to live in Canada. The rest of the world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket as they say! I mean what kind of a weird expression is that? It has various origins but honestly it is kind of true isn't it? Not that we are perfect here? Far from it! We have our problems to be sure but ... I won't start a political discourse here no I won't.

We did just get through a big snow storm which fortunately lasted only about a week. I for one did not drive anywhere! Ha ha ha As I write this it is very quiet outside and raining. This is typical weather here and it is a balmy 6 degrees C! Just kidding it's not that warm at 6 degrees but it's at least not the minus 12 we had! 

 This is a cute picture of me with my husband taken at a restaurant in Vancouver. We don't go out to eat that much because I really like my own healthy home cooked food better! Not to brag but I am a pretty good cook! I also love all the new recipes I have found on Instagram this year...especially the vegan ones! It is amazing what you can do with chickpeas and coconut milk and curry! 

I also plan to post a couple of new items on my liinaloom.com tomorrow! Happy Wednesday! I hope you all have sweet dreams! If you're in our time zone that is ... lol ...

 

Get Back, Get Back, Get Back to where you once belonged ...

Okay I decided I definitely had better get back to writing. I mean it's simply not productive to just "think" about what I want to write. I need to Get Back to it. The only way is through doing it. I have so many unwritten things I need to finish. I tend to just read the news lately. I am almost forced into it when I link my shop to different sites. Then I go down the bunny trail of reading news items that really can bring you down.

So looking back I can say I spent far too much time making reels for Instagram for my shop. I mean I enjoyed the creative aspect of that, especially finding music because I love music but it didn't really bring customers my way as much as I had hoped. I started liinaloom.com to have my own website and it's really cool for sure but liinaloom on Etsy has more sales.

What do I dream of? For some reason I dream about going to a rural community and teaching again! My first teaching job was when I was 24 years old and I moved to Clearwater, BC. I taught in a little school called Dutch Lake Elementary! I mean how cute is that? It really was, all of it! I loved teaching and I had a lot of friends most of whom were also teachers! My next door neighbour was Indira Chauhan and she taught in the same school I did. We had so much fun comparing notes about the funny things the kids would say.  She almost had an arranged marriage but decided against it and ended up marrying a local guy who wasn't Indian.  We never kept in touch but I sincerely hope they were happy together. 

The only downside of going to Clearwater was that I left the love of my life back on Vancouver Island. I dated so many other guys but no one compared to him. We fell in love when we were only 19 so what can I say other than it was my first love. Isn't that always the best one? Well if not it so often is the ''idealized one''. The distance between us was too great to keep us together and so the relationship ended when he met someone else. I feel like that coloured my entire life. Maybe coloured isn't the right word, more like tainted? I'm not sure but if I were to be honest here it did interfere with me finding someone. I eventually did get married and we were a good match but I do often reflect on what life would have been like had I married the first love guy.  As you may have guessed I won't be divulging his real name ha ha ha , hereinafter referred to as ''the first love guy''. 

Here are our two beautiful dogs Shiloh and Finn! Shiloh is a puppy and is the white one with the tan and black face and black spots and Finn is the black and white one! Shiloh is a handful because she is still a puppy!

I feel like I have always been a writer at heart but not particularly an accomplished one. I mean I think what I write is good but does anyone else? That remains to be seen if I can actually get something published. I will try! One of my books that is half written is so close to my heart that I honestly think of the characters as people I know! Yeah! Weird isn't it? I imagine they have these lives that I have created of course. The main character is currently on the West Coast of Washington state and I need for her to keep moving forward in this story!  It's a pretty exciting one and she left her old life behind in Vancouver BC to work in this remote place. I guess I better not give too much of it away but honestly I want her to have a kind of spiritual awakening! I'm not indigenous so I can't really write about the original people of the area without prior knowledge of their roots and ancestry but I would love to be able to go down that path.

I will however let you know if I have continued to write. In the meantime if you're bored you could always check out my shops! I have the one I mentioned earlier liinaloom.com and honestly the clothes are in such amazing shape for vintage. That's because I handpick everything. I also have liinaloom.etsy.com and stonehousechic.etsy.com 

I'm going to post some fun pics now! Here's one of me with my daughter when we were visiting the capital city of BC, Victoria. I looked through all my pics of the past year and was surprised I had almost none! I'm wearing this weird hat here, just forgive me for that okay? Catch ya later! In the slow lane! ha ha ha 

       

Aah it has been awhile! As in two plus years! Yes, it was over two years ago that we were able to visit Hawaii.  Now?  Now we really cannot travel.  Yes,

for our own safety and the safety of others.  It seems hard to believe that in just over two years this crisis in the world has occurred.  The pandemic situation.  If you think about it too much it can eventually ruin your perspective on life.  I know that sounds dramatic I know, but this is true.  Of course we must all face it and think about it.  Of course.  But we can't become consumed with it.  That would lead to many problems. So it is best to try to live life to the fullest under the constraints that have been placed upon us.

I for one am still carrying on with my Etsy shop Liinaloom. You can find it at etsy.com/ca/shop/Liinaloom. I feel that the quality of my clothing has increased over the years as I am able to really discern what is of value and and what isn't in terms of vintage.  I love the fact that it is the most sustainable option for everyone.  Re-using clothing.  What could be better?  

On the home front we are still living in Coquitlam near Vancouver.  I suppose you might surmise that we have been extraordinarily fortunate in this regard.  Our province has fared very well during the pandemic comparitively speaking of course. 

I am still going to work on my book ideas.  Well the one book is almost one third written.  I like to call it my 'adult' novel which it really isn't!  Ha ha ... that just means its a book for adults.  It is set on the Olympic peninsula in Washington State. The main character is a middle aged woman who goes to a small town there to run an art gallery.  She has left behind a lot of grief and pain in Vancouver, BC and is on kind of a spiritual and physical journey.  I have really grown to love the characters in a weird way.  I mean after all I made them up!  So they are kind of part of me in a sense but they are fictional.  

I think about them quite a bit and how I might write their stories.  That has been a lot of fun and I need to get back to it soon as I seem to be caught up in my Etsy shop most of the time.

I also started planting a garden!  Well a patio garden really.  Lots of veggies which are super awesome to go out and pick just before dinner!  I have really enjoyed it.  I will post some pictures here for you.  The flower at the top of this post is my Clematis.  It really bloomed this year!

Time to go and bake some chocolate chip cookies!  I bought Callebaut chocolate but because everyone in the area is on a bit of a baking craze all the dark chocolate was sold out so I had to settle for milk chocolate.  Lol... Not that much of a problem! I really do have lots to update everyone on so I promise to come back tomorrow!  In the meantime stay safe and take care!  xoxoxoxo

A Finnish Canadian visits Maui

So here I am back at home in Canada watching the snow fall and wondering if I had dreamt that visit to Maui?  It was my first time and I have to admit that I did not have a burning desire to go and see the enchanted Hawaiian Islands.  But circumstances prevailed starting with a failed Alaska Airlines flight to San Diego. Hence we received a voucher which always forces you to take another trip somewhere whether you like it or not! lol!  Forced to go to Maui! But hey lets be real here...you would not otherwise spend thousands of dollars on the other trip if it wasn't for that darn voucher!

Luck would have it and we ended up with a super cute place at a condo complex called Pacific Shores. It was literally steps away from a beautiful beach called Charlie Young. After I researched Maui I wanted us to be able to walk to things without always relying on a vehicle so I settled on South Kihei.  Very nice!  Very walkable.  Of course that would depend on perspective.  Not everyone wants to haul their groceries in a backpack several blocks but I welcomed the opportunity to use my back muscles rather than alway sitting in that Honda Fit I drive. As much as I am attached to my vehicle I also value my health.

The condo was wonderful! (minus the teflon pots and pans....please not teflon that is scratched!!) Note to owners who rent out condos....it is not healthy or pleasant to eat flakes of teflon with your dinner. The whole point of a condo is so you can do some cooking... of course we enjoyed a few local restaurants too.  Aside from that Pacific Shores was awesome!  The pool was beautifully maintained and had these tiny little blue tiles.... pretty!

My first impression of Maui was that there were more cars than I expected! I guess I thought it would be a deserted Island? Yes I'm afraid I did have some romantic notions of secluded beaches. I'm sure they are around...in fact I know they are...but we just did not go there.  This is where Charlie Young really shone....very peaceful and not overcrowded.  Just lots of turtles!  And wonderful soft sand to walk on.

I was weird in Maui because I had to go and hunt for vintage clothing for my shop... Of course there were dozens of Hawaiian Shirts!!  Of course!  But I wasn't interested in those.  I was looking for buried treasure which yes I did manage to find.  You can access it on my website which is now on Etsy as well as at www.liinaloom.com  I liked the things I found but unfortunately I had a bit of an overweight suitcase issue when checking in at the airport!  Next time I will bring a bigger carry on.

Maui has very blue ocean...very mild weather...and very very very tropical rain. The one night it rained so hard that I thought we would have to be evacuated!  It was quite something to listen to. The busy market area a few blocks up was super flooded.... but somehow it all just added to the excitement.  I will say that 8 nights was not quite long enough.  Every place has its own rhythm and I felt that I was just becoming adjusted to Maui time when we had to go.

I have some pictures here to share! The first one is an amazing reclaimed wood framed picture of dozens of surfboards that was in the living room of our two bedroom Pacific Shores condo.  We rented it out through vrbo and it was great! The second photo is of my daughter and myself on our first day in Maui heading to Charlie Young beach. The other photos are of Charlie Young Beach.

How Strong is your Need to Write?

This post is a bit of an admonishment to myself for spending years writing on scraps of paper and then losing those scraps into the many boxes of children's art work and unopened mail and mementos of places visited.  Not sure if anyone can relate to this but life was so busy for years with work and family that writing efforts were more than once shelved.  

So now I ask myself how strong was my need to write? I would say very strong. Perhaps even very very....strong. I continued the link throughout our children's childhood with little stories here and there and nightly made up vignettes that sometimes became popular enough to turn into weekly bedtime series. 

Okay well pat myself on the back? no no no!  I chide myself (you may notice that I use Merriam-Webster's definitions of gentle reprimand in my use of these words) for not having pursued writing more seriously. The only thing I can do now is to continue writing! I cannot find or retrieve any lost stories so I have to continue anew but with more of a goal and vision than in the past.

What about you? How strong is your need to write? Is it compelling enough for you to keep a daily journal? That would be an excellent beginning!  Start one now! Not a haphazard one that only receives bi-yearly contributions but a from the gut actions and feelings to words kind of documenting. Okay if you don't want to spill your emotions on every single page then just write down what you did that day....it all constitutes writing.

If you are at all serious about this you know that writers are the most keen observers of life around them. Typically we are not as self absorbed as some and tend to easily find other people and situations engaging.  Which of course is why we like to write! So if you choose to not write about yourself you can always document your observations.

So start today if you can. Grab that journal that has been gathering dust in your ''gifts I don't know what to do with'' pile and begin to open a window for your untapped creativity. It may just become the therapy you have been needing for a very long time or perhaps a way to focus on your goals....writing down what needs to happen in your life and what has already been.  

I hope that in your day you find something that inspires you to write it down.  I found this copy of an old journal that belonged to my daughter and decided that an early morning wake up at 5:30 am with a good cup of strong coffee and a vintage Christmas lantern were all I needed to revive the writing arm.  Happy journaling!

Happy Writing!

Paddington the Resilient Bear

Today Michael Bond the brilliant author and creator of Paddington Bear passed over to the other side.  A place where I like to think that no dark thoughts reside and everyone has a special bear to comfort them when feeling lost or alone. 

In reading about Mr Bond he had revealed that he also went through a very terrible period in his life where he contemplated ending it. He said that Paddington rescued him because he did not want to let the bear down by giving up. Saved by a bear of his own creation and his own imagination. 

As a small child growing up I did not have a teddy bear.  I have a very distinct memory of visiting family friends in Toronto who had a lovely large well worn bear that sat in their living room. It belonged to one of their teenage sons who obviously no longer needed it. 

 I was about six years old and while the adults chatted outside on the patio of this suburban home I would sit in a large overstuffed chair in that living room and just stare at this bear. I desperately wanted to take him home. He looked as if he would have given me comfort through thick and thin.

Alas it was not to be. For some unknown reason I received dolls for Christmas and birthdays. Bears were not in my parent's repertoire of gifts suitable for an immigrant Finnish girl. Back in those days we really did not have that many toys but were thankful for what we did have. I do however remember asking for a bear like the one I so coveted in that living room. Perhaps this was a way to create resiliency or perhaps the idea that a doll would allow me to develop my nurturing side more than a bear would. 

I really don't know the answer to this but I do know the importance of bears and stuffed animals in a child's life. Anyone who has ever had children or is around a child knows how they can love a toy like this more than any other. Now Paddington having been a displaced bear from darkest Peru made him all that much more lovable. A bear who had been given a chance with a new family. Was it Mr Bond's intention to develop empathy and kindness when he wrote the story?  

My hat goes off to Michael Bond and the imaginary world he gave to his readers all around the world. To the miracle of Paddington and his uniqueness and how

loved he was. If only our world could transcend all the barriers we have of acceptance. Perhaps we could not only enjoy these wonderful stories but also embrace the values they imparted.  Thank you Michael Bond for your gifts.

*The Paddington in the photo belonged to our first born daughter and was a special present for her first birthday.  She sadly died before the age of 20. We no longer have her but we have the bear. One of the miracles of life....the human capability to survive and become resilient.   

So somehow we have come to March. Where did January and February disappear to? Gone....in a blink.  One minute it was Christmas then New Year's and then here comes Spring. Well at least on the beautiful West Coast. We have crocuses and daffodils pushing their way through the ground determined to transform this winter into something with colour. I know this is not the case for those of you back east and trust me I think about that.  How lucky I am to be into Spring already. Don't get me wrong. I love the seasons and all the stuff that comes with it. But I think I am definitely a West Coast girl. Always will be. There is a hopefulness that comes with Spring. We all go through stuff. And sometimes really bad stuff. But do you know what? Flowers will keep blooming. Children will keep growing. The sun will rise each day. Remember that ok?

So last time that I wrote was ridiculously long ago. I said I wasn't sure about certain beliefs. Buddhism being one. But having rethought some of it I also do recognize that the present moment can totally rock it. What I mean is that if you look back in life I am sure you can all remember some very special times that you look back on with fondness. The funny thing is that sometimes those times could have been as short as a minute or as long as a day or a week. This is where I think we are often deceived. Deceived by the notion of time. Time is really irrelevant when it comes to those essential and perfect moments. Sure it is important when we have to arrive at work or a particular place on time. But when it comes to those magical times then would you not agree that it can be an evening that perhaps felt like an eternity or a week that felt like a year. It was really all about the experience.

Life is amazing in that when you really think about it we just need to really grab hold of those moments. Don't let them get away.

Six Years is a very Long Time

It has now been six years since I lost my daughter.  That is a very painful subject to even write about.  I don't know if I should or if I shouldn't.  This is kind of supposed to be a blog about fashion, living life to the fullest, believing in the future etc. etc.  I really love that word etc.  It allows the writer to take all the unexplainable and put it into a three letter abbreviation. It's Latin. Et means ''and'' and cetera means ''the rest''.

So if I choose not to write about my daughter in my blog I feel as if I would be living a lie. Perhaps not. Is it necessary to reveal all things in a blog? Probably not and I would say most people don't. But in my case this is part of the fibre of my existence. Something that has shaped me and continues to do so. I also feel that I would be unfaithful in a way to her. Not to bring this up. Sometimes I feel that when I read other people's blogs that there is just too much hidden. It's like that old album title: "What's been did and what's been hid" I really love that because it is so true of life. Sometimes too much is hidden and although I don't wholeheartedly think that we need to say everything I think there is something to be said for honesty.

If a blog is a personal one and you are inviting your readers to share a bit about yourself then I feel there are things that do not necessarily have to be kept secret. In fact part of my intention with this blog is to help others achieve a hopefulness of spirit despite what they have experienced or are currently going through. I think that we can often gain strength from the efforts of those around us. Isn't that what humanity should be about? Supporting one another?

So really all I can say at this point is I am trying very hard to grab hold of life. To say to myself that others go through stuff equally as difficult and survive. I have always been an optimist so that helps. It helps me to focus on the beauty in life. But hey I cannot realistically say that this hasn't taken its toll on me. I am only human and it has been a rough road to be sure.

The other thing that I thought about these last few years is how we incorporate spirituality into our lives. I have tried to glean a bit of wisdom from each and every religion that I have chosen to read about. Essentially they all kind of point to the same things. However I have had some difficulty in understanding Buddhism. I really cannot live in the present moment at all times. I find that reliving memories of happier times is actually very helpful to me. And thinking about the future seems to be built into my DNA and always has been. So we all do what we can to better our lives.

There are special memories for me. I have posted a favourite photo taken on a tour of the steps in San Francisco. We travelled there as a family and I love this picture because I was in my element. With both of my girls. That was part of who I always felt I was destined to be. A mother. It was also an essential part of me and always will be.

For those of you out there that are facing obstacles. Keep the faith. That expression simply means to not lose hope in the face of uncertainty and difficulties. The human condition is made up of that. I find what has helped me the most is to focus on working. Working at something that you love of course. I have put a great deal of time and effort into my shop and enjoy every aspect of it. It has given me purpose and something to focus on. Of course I still have a day job too and also enjoy that as well.

Scandinavian people are pretty work oriented. It does really help to be busy. But not so busy that you don't have time to take care of yourself and others around you.

Here is my photo:

Exploring San Francisco 2002

Keeping the Faith 2012 on a ship to Stockholm

So really I guess what has brought me to this point in time is being hopeful. Still hopeful about the future. Yearning often for the past but understanding that we cannot go back in time. Sadly yes this is the case. But acceptance is the key to many things. Accepting things that we cannot change. And of course working to change things that we are capable of. Don't give up. I grew up with an expression in Finnish. That we can go through even a gray rock. I tried to look for it on the internet but could not find it. Perhaps it is Swedish and my Mum had a lot of Swedish expressions too. Or maybe she made it up? Anyway it must have had some influence on me as I am still standing.

Looking Forward to next weekend in Naramata!

So I really could not resist writing about our upcoming trip to Naramata.  We have been going there now for about eleven years. My in-laws moved there from Ontario and we have seen the place evolve in so many ways. I say evolve because I believe there are many kinds of change. I see evolution as kind of a natural change and I think that the place has done so beautifully.  It has resisted the unfortunate growth that can be brought about by the wrong kind of development.  I think we all know what that means. Urban sprawl and too many ugly fast food restaurants.  This is not the case for this gem in the sea of the Okanagan.

Naramata is truly a gem. Granted it now has garnered the attention of the New York Times and probably a few of the higher end travel mags. But still a well kept secret that I believe is heaven on earth.  We first travelled there in the early 90s with our first born daughter. We kind of stumbled on it during a trip to the Okanagan and during that visit we met a lovely couple from New York who were also visiting with their little girl. We were amazed by the tranquility and peacefulness of the area. Little did we know at the time that it would indeed become a destination for the future filled with lasting memories and beautiful sunshine filled days.

 A view down the valley with grapes growing in the foreground.

 From the label of Ruby Blues wine.

 The most typical view of Manitou Beach in Naramata. And below the playground there.

Above is a pic of Wharf Park where the market is held every Wednesday and where the wind really kicks up. There is so much beauty in the area and best of all it is very quiet!  And I love the notice board and the ice cream cones from the local General Store:

Really you cannot talk about Naramata without mentioning the local vintners. Ruby Blues is definately one of my favourite wineries there.  The white Stilleto from that winery is second to none.  It is an amazing blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc grapes and the perfect summer wine. While we are on the subject of wine I have to also mention Terra Vista's Fandango, a Gold Medal Winner in 2014.

But it is truly the natural beauty that draws people to vacation here. Getting outdoors and being active is awesome!

This weekend we intend to stop at T-Bones in Penticton for crab cakes as well. It is somewhat of a Naramata tradition. We will have them with green beans from the garden, caesar salad and pair this great combination with the Noble Blend from the Joie winery.  That's the plan anyway!

You cannot go back in time. Today is the time we have. Yesterday has been and gone. We can however have the wonderful memories of yesterday and the people that we shared them with. Now is the time to create new memories. To not forget but also to live in the present moment as fully and as well as we can.

Looking forward to a wonderful weekend with family and friends, good food, good wine, and lots of exercise!

Gluten Free? Not Me! And why I love French baguettes as much as Rice

I know its all the rage now.  Just like so many things are with each passing decade and generation.  Gluten Free.  I totally realize the merits of not eating too many carbohydrates and particularly bread.  But if you do not suffer from an allergy or disease that prohibits the partaking of gluten then why is it necessary?  Everything in moderation as is said.

When it comes to this new bandwagon I would say probably half of the people on it have absolutely no need to abandon their whole grain and whole rye sandwiches.  Certainly white nutritionless gummy bread that does not contribute to a healthy diet could be left behind.  But all bread?  REALLY?  What happened to all the good things about bread?  All the B vitamins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, etc etc.  Really think about that.

Now if you were a baker you would say that the most important part of a beautiful loaf of bread is in fact the gluten!  Without gluten the bread cannot rise to perfection. I am sure by this point I have already taken issue with a touchy subject.  Ok let's be fair.  If you truly feel better without gluten then who am I to say?  I myself first heard about vegetarian diets when I was 18 years old.  I jumped very quickly on to that bandwagon.  Well let's just say I researched it fairly well first and then jumped aboard.  I was a little smug in my beliefs as well.  So really let's not get too self righteous here.  I'm only saying these things because well... I love bread!  Good old fashioned steaming hot or just slathered in butter (or whatever suits your fancy.... balsamic vinegar? olive oil? sardine juice? (just kidding) Anyway how do you have red wine without a baguette?  How does that work?

Summer is still here! Enjoy it and have a look at these wildflowers I photographed

Summertime and the livin' is Easy.  Fish are jumpin' now and the cotton is high.

When summer begins we often think that it will never end. At least it's like that when you're a kid. But sometimes when you are all grown up too. There are so many things that set summer apart from all the other seasons. Naturally we can do so many more things outdoors than we can during other times of year. At least in relative comfort depending on where you spend your summers. Enjoying a glass of cold lemonade on a porch or reading a good book on the beach or in a hammock. Watching the sun set and feeling the warmth of the ocean or lake breezes.

As a kid growing up in Van Nuys it meant driving over the mountains to the beach almost every weekend. To escape the heat and smog of the valley of course.  We would pack up the old red Coleman cooler which was made of metal not plastic and grab the Coppertone or Baby Oil. Those were considered essentials for the beach. My parents would sit and protect their fair European complexions under a big beach umbrella and read the paper while we body surfed the day away on the beaches of Santa Monica. This is why I still love the smell of Coppertone and why I believe that our olfactory senses are probably the greatest for inspiring memories of childhood. It is simply because the olfactory bulb is part of the brain's limbic system an area so closely associated with memory that it is often referred to as the emotional brain. 

I also think of summer as a time to rest the mind.  During the year we are so focused on working and getting from one day to the next and one week to the next that we lose sight of the here and now. Summer is not like that. We can dream. We can daydream. We can feel the future and forget the past. Or the other way around. We can fish, swim, pick berries, read, watch the flowers grow. Take advantage before it slips away.

This summer we had a chance to drive up to the Alpine Meadows in Manning Park BC and I would like to share with you some of the photos I took. 

All Things French

What is it about all things French?  Particularly the south of France.  No I have never been there but I do love all things French.  Particularly the textiles!  They have such a sense of  history and so much  character.  This can be seen in the toile patterns and the bright sunny blues and yellows of the southern patterns.   I  really love the lace curtains!  Here are some photos of some windows in France:  Enjoy them!  Yes you can try to re-create them but you must have the old window first!

This is beautiful in all its French charm and shabbiness.

Beautiful blue shutters on a house in the south of France.  Lace curtains and plants complete it so beautifully.

I love this little kitty guarding the door of his home.  J'adore the creamy lace curtains in the door and windows again framed with shutters.

The simplicity of this French designed bedroom is so pretty.  The yellow walls and the rich antique paintings that are unframed and hang from a unique little railing over the bed.  Not to mention the beautiful elegant lines of the bedside lamp.

Then there is this getaway hotel in the south of France for fun.  Because you know that its not a matter of  "if" you go there it's a matter of  "when"  Ha Ha.... 

This bathtub!    As a matter of fact we once owned a house that had a tub like this.  It was a lot of fun and I miss those days with the kids at Pender Harbour.  Just imagine the ambiance you could create in this bathroom!

I can already imagine the days worries and cares floating away.... Well at the very least if you can't get the tub you could always aim for the French print on the wall and the amazing wrought iron chair!  Something to think about for that house I have always wanted to build...

Oh and while we are on the subject of French ambiance who can forget the lavender.  Lucky for us we have close relatives who live in a place where this beautiful flower thrives .

So have I piqued your interest enough?  Who doesn't love all things French.  I won't even begin to talk about the bread and wine and cheese...  That is for another post.

So if you love all things French and particularly love the textiles take a look at this gorgeous print.  It is out of print as they say.  Vintage of course!
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/155024486/french-provencal-print-dress-blue-floral?ref=shop_home_active

Au Revoir!  Until we meet again!