STORMY WEATHER

Well, winter wasn't ready to let go of us yet here in Nova Scotia. We had an awesome storm yesterday with a combination of hurricane force winds and major accumulations of snow. We are literally snowed in today, as we have no plow and since it is going to rain the next few days and warm up, why bother shoveling the driveway. We have no where to go as we are off this week, and I rather relish the idea of being stuck at home. We did shovel out our walkway as such and had a grand old time building a snow man. Today dawned gloriously sunny and the beauty that surrounded us was breathtaking.  I truly don't understand how any one can not adore snow. It is so spectacular. 

 

There is something so exciting and exhilarating about a good storm. The power of Mother Nature always leaves me in awe, and I find myself getting more and more excited as a big storm approaches. Hearing the wind roar and whistle around the house gives me shivers. I know that it can be catastrophic and I would never want to downplay what tragedies befall individuals during such an event of epic proportions, but when you make it through to the other side of storm, you know you have witnessed Mother Nature at her finest. 

Having this week off has been a truly relaxing experience. Returning to work after almost 2 years was a major adjustment so it feels really good to just be home and be idle with no real plan for the days. I was successful in getting all my seeds that needed to be started done, although I am starting them inside the house this year as opposed to the hot house, as its still too cold out there, so my dining room table has been converted in to my seed station. I spent time reading and hanging out with the kids as well as just enjoying my time watching my hens peck the ground and birds at the feeder. My little dog Brody enjoys watching the chickens as well.

Now I am going to shrug on my winter coat and pull on my boots and go for good hike through the woods and enjoy what is likely to be one of the last real snow falls of the season. I want to hear the scrunch of snow under my feet one last time before we bid farewell to the white stuff and head in to the April Showers that will most certainly bring us our May flowers. 

HELLO SPRING

Well today is the first day of spring although you wouldn't think so by looking out my window. It's pouring rain right now, which is something we haven't seen in quite the while. We have had an amazingly cold winter with a lot of snow, and I have loved every minute of it, much to the dismay of some that probably want to murder me every time I grin like a kid when the flakes start falling. But I can't help it, I am a lover of the seasons and each one of them gives me pleasure.

So that said, I haven't written in awhile. My life has become a circus of sorts with me running here and there and everywhere. Between work, kids and volunteering, it doesn't leave much time for me. And considering we only have one laptop in the house, by the time I can get a few minutes to write, it is being utilized by someone else. But, thanks to the rain falling outside and no kids around for the next hour, I finally have a chance to jot down a few words.

I have had a very interesting and fulfilling month so far. I was able to cross a few things off my bucket list, one of which consisted of me flying in a helicopter which has always been a dream of mine.

The maple syrup production was a great success after burning the first batch ( I'm still scrubbing the pot ) and life is moving along quickly. Many things have happened this past little while that have not only served as reminders that it pays to follow your inner voice ( and by pay, I don't mean money ) and that when you follow your dreams and make choices in life that are always working towards what makes you happy, down the road these dreams can come true. It doesn't mean they always will, but the journey itself is all part of the tapestry of life. When I look back on mine so far, I can see how every decision, failure, disappointment and difficult choices, has led me to the place where I am now. I love my life, I love my family, and I make sure to treasure all the moments that bring me joy and happiness.

The other weekend, after training in the Cormorant Helicopter, my husband and I went on a really fun afternoon road trip. It was a gorgeous warm, sunny day, where the snow beneath the trees glinted in rainbows of sparkles. We hiked in to a lake and were the only ones there to enjoy the solitude. The pine trees towered above as we sat on a rock looking over the frozen lake. We were truly alone. The lake moaned and groaned and exploded with noise as the ice cracked and moved as the sun's heat beat down on its surface. To try to even explain the immense silence, only broken by the sounds of the ice and the wind in the tops of the trees can only be summed up in the word perfection. It was one of those moments that I will remember forever. True bliss. Nature, trees, lakes, sunshine, my husband, who is also my best friend in the world,  I just can't imagine anything more satisfying than that. Life is short, but life can be good, because it's just really all about the effort you put in to make it that way. It's these moments of perfection that give us the strength and fortitude to make it through the times where darkness descends. Because no one on this earth is without tragedy or sickness, dark times and struggles. It's part of life. And there is only one outcome for each and every one of us. And even though face book, and media depict the opposite sometimes, and make us think everyone else's life is perfect,  this isn't reality. So live your life to your own fullest potential. Turn your face to the sun and feel its heat. Listen to the birds in the forest and the wind through the trees and breathe deeply of the fresh air around you. It's right there waiting for you.

Nova Scotia big blue sky over a frozen lake. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else

SO GRATEFUL

I am just feeling so grateful these days. All around me are constant reminders of why life is so precious and that it`s all the moments that count.

I was out for a hike in the woods the other day with my husband. We were trying to get in to Four Island Lake but it was too snowed in for the car so we opted to hike in. The snow was deep in spots and virtually untouched except for the odd deer or rabbit tracks. The sky was an absolute brilliant blue and it glistened off the snow in multicolored diamonds. The hardwood trees stretched above, their naked branches etched against the impossibly blue sky and a little creek gurgled merrily, ice clinging to its sides. The air was clean and crisp as it only is during a cold winter`s day and I filled my lungs with it as I scaled a hill in the knee deep drifts. The silence hung around us as our boots creaked through the snow and we forged ahead enjoying the solitude that nature provided. A magical moment in time. 

I never want to take anything in life for granted. I never want to forget that no matter what, its only these little moments that we have.

I have been reading a book by the Canadian Astronaut, Chris Hadfield called An Astronaut`s  Guide to Life Here on Earth. I have found it very intriguing. I love how he had an impossible dream and that dream came true. But what I loved the most is that he didn`t hang his whole existence on this dream. He knew it was next to impossible so he was just going to try his utmost best to get there and enjoy the journey as he went. 

The thing is, we don`t ever accomplish all we set out to do. And most of the time, when we have a plan, it goes completely differently than we thought it would. But if we don`t get hung up in the disappointments, the could have been`s, or what if`s, we can concentrate on the path we are on in the moment. We can appreciate the finer details like a little creek, a frozen lake or the way multicolored diamonds sparkle in the snow. 

I may never achieve my dream of a Tiny House Cottage on a lake in the woods. But I sure as heck am going to enjoy my journey getting there. Because what I have learned in this life is that you have to listen to the signs that guide you, but you have to listen carefully. You must have courage and you must be willing to fail. Constantly. Because failure brings knowledge. Mistakes bring turning points. And when you can see this and learn this you are that one step closer to achieving personal satisfaction. As Chris Hadfield says, Focus on the journey, not on arriving at a certain destination.

Words to live by.