COZY AND WARM

I was sitting by my window this morning with my cup of tea watching as the rain drops fell and the fog and mist wisped through the trees. Even though it's not cold outside anymore, I felt the morning called for a fire in the woodstove so I built one just to hear the snap and crackle of the logs and to take the damp out of the air. I must have made a good decision in starting one because it wasn't long until my two dogs, one old, one young, curled up on the mat in front of the stove and descended in to a slumber that is truly a dog's life.

On days like today, when it is misty and rainy, I like to slow down a little. The homey instinct kicks in and I have the desire to bake and cook and make soup. I tend to put jazz on the stereo instead of my go to country, and I will light a scented candle to add to the ambiance. I'm all about creating the moment. Life has been so crazy busy lately that it feels so great to give myself permission to just take a deep breath and relax.

As I sat by the window, I was watching all the birds twitter to and fro to my feeder. The hub of activity that goes on there can keep one occupied for hours. We have chickadees, finches, doves, blue jays, black birds and a yellow bird, I have no idea what its called. I will post this picture of it, and if someone knows, please comment and let me know what it is.

I spent a lot of time in the garden yesterday, weeding and tilling. All my herbs except for one has returned from last year which I am very pleased about. My chickens tend to do a number on my garden in the winter so I was pretty worried, but all seems good. Unfortunately the thyme didn't survive the chicken onslaught, so I will replant this year and hope for the best. My goal is to have a giant herb garden for fresh herbs in spring and summer and dried herbs in winter. I purchased a dehydrator last year which has been instrumental in everything from apple chips to dried tomatoes, herbs and beef jerky.

My basil is also off to a great start in the potting shed. I may have more than I know what to do with so I am anticipating a lot of Pesto in my future. Fresh Pesto. I can't wait. Once you have fresh from your own garden, there is no going back to the stuff from the store. I think this year I will can some to have over the winter. If it lasts that long. It's a big favorite in this house. I have also done Parsley and Cilantro Pesto which is really good too and I sometimes replace the pine nuts with walnuts, and play around with different cheeses. All very yummy and very delicious.

Having the time to cook from scratch and utilize what grows around the garden is a joy. We are very lucky to have the space to grow volume. But I have lived in small spaces too, and know that one can grow an amazing array of veggies and herbs in pots and on a small deck or patio. It is so fun, and a healthy way to add nutrition to your meals. And the kids like it too. Radishes and sunflowers are a great starter plant for kids. They are virtually a no fail option. And kids love to watch what they have planted turn in to something on their plate or a humungous flower for the birds in the garden.

But for me today, gardening is out, and baking is in, so off I go to whip up a batch of bran muffins. I'm throwing in some rhubarb instead of raisins to see how that turns out. I will let you know!

THE TREE OF LIFE

This is the view from my family room window, and it is constantly changing. In Winter it is the stark empty branches framed against a cold blue sky, snow dusting around the trunks of the trees. In Autumn it's a myriad of colors, red, yellow and gold, the leaves of the trees drifting down to form a thick crunchy carpet. In summer the dark green leaves form a canopy of shade from the relentless sunshine, and in Spring, the new growth bursts forth in all its glory. The leaves the trees have been holding on to for so long finally coming to life in an explosion of greens.

I know its cliché but watching the cycle of the trees right outside my window reminds me of the different stages of life. Spring is the beginning of our journey, everything new and bright and fresh. Summer we are in adulthood, strong and healthy, working hard and surviving. We are forming our fruits and building up our stores for what's to come. Autumn is the later part of life, decay is starting to set in and we are preparing for the winter in our lives. But we are still beautiful, rich in color and  full of life's experiences. And then there is the winter, when we finally fall in to our slumber, quiet and peaceful.

How many times have we said, "Wow, summer sure went fast!" or "Didn't spring just get here? Man, that flew by." The same goes for life. One day I was 9 years old playing kick the can with the neighbourhood kids, not a care in the world, and suddenly here I am, a grown woman with a family of my own, not a kid anymore. And it sure went fast. Really fast. I am in the August of my life hoping to make it through Autumn and Winter.

The journey of life is an interesting thing. We are all born in to different circumstances. Good ones and some really bad ones. Some are born in to war, hunger and disease and some are born in to a much simpler and easier existence. Just like a tree. You will see a tree growing on the side of a cliff, barely hanging on to life, struggling to survive while another tree is born in to a lush forest, rich in nurturing soil, the perfect temperature and conditions for a long and healthy life. I often puzzle over the randomness of life. Why one way and not the other. I know I will never know the answer, but I think about it anyway.

None of us ever know what's coming our way. Good or bad. It's all the mystery of life which is what makes it so exciting and fulfilling, but scary too. We never know when the journey ends. When will the lumberjack come along and chop us down or a disease set in causing us to wither and die.

On this planet we can only make the best of the moment we are given right now. The past is gone and the future is the unknown, so all that really matters is right here right now. So if right this moment you are drinking a cup of coffee, savor it. Take in it's scent, and enjoy it's robust flavor. If you are sitting by a window, take a moment to look out and enjoy whatever it is that lies beyond, whether its a beautiful forest, an architectural marvel, a skyscraper, or people walking by. Whatever you are doing at this very moment. Enjoy it. Feel it. Experience it. It's our gift. And it's amazing.

MY MOM

As a Mom I always think about all the ways I'm failing. Things that my children are going to come back to me with one day and tell me how I ruined their lives. Hopefully I'm not all that bad. And even though I make mistakes as a parent everyday, I hope that as a Mother, I make more good decisions than bad. But what I do want to acknowledge is that in my life I have a very good role model. And that's my Mother.

She would be the first to say she isn't perfect. She has her ups and downs like every one else. But one thing stands true. She is my Mother thru thick and thin. I have made her proud, disappointed her, told her I hated her ( that was in my teen years ) and held on to her when I felt my life was falling apart. She rubbed my stomach when I was sick, held my hand when I had my first baby, and made sure I succeeded in life no matter what I had to face. She has never turned her back on me, or left me alone and I know that no matter what happens, I always have a soft place to fall. My Mom is one of my best friends and I call her on the phone every day. She gives me advice ( although after all these years, I still don't listen ) and she tells me to go to church.

I have friends that are facing their first Mother's Day without their Mom's to share it with. And I am giving them a lot of thought today. It makes me appreciate my Mom all the more. We never know how much time we have left together, so it is so important to appreciate the people in our lives as much as we can.

So here's to you Mom. I love you. Thank you for always being there for me, listening to my problems, worrying about me and making me feel loved. Thanks for being proud of me and helping mold me in to the person I am today.

As a Mother myself I know what it feels like to hold my children, want only the very best for them and the need to keep them safe no matter how old they are. And I also know how hard it is to let them go when the time comes, and how at moments you just want them to be little again.

Being a Mom. The best job in the world.

OUR CHILDRENS FUTURE

A topic that is very near and dear to my heart is food security and the right of every citizen, especially our country's children, the access to nutritional food, shelter and clothing. It has never sat well with me that in this beautiful and free country of ours, that children and families have to do without. They do without proper nutrition, heat, clothing and basic necessities that a lot of us merely take for granted. The ever increasing strive for profits has left in its wake poverty and hopelessness.


This is a picture from the top floor of Atlantic Superstore here in Yarmouth.

I actually always take a moment to stop and marvel at all the food and products available to us as a society. We no longer have to eat what is in season. We can enjoy exotic foods from right around the globe. We can purchase an avocado from Mexico, garlic from China and a T-Shirt made in Bangladesh by an individual making $38 a month, all in one place. We make ourselves feel better about the fact that they only make $38 by saying money goes further in those countries, or better yet, at least they have a job. Yet I can guarantee none of us would take their place in a million years if given the choice. No thank you, I will buy and wear that shirt and not give a passing thought to the hands that sewed it. As I write this I am wearing a Joe Fresh shirt that was sewn in Bangladesh and it nauseates me to think the person that made it could now very well be gone because of their poor working conditions and my need to buy cheap clothing. All because of profit margins and consumer wants and needs.

Now my closet is full of Joe Fresh clothes, so I am not speaking from my high horse or passing judgement on any one of us. It's just that as I educate myself, and take the time to read and learn, I am changing some of my views on what is important in my life and what I want to teach my children.

Which brings us back to the affordability of food. I read an article today that said the average Nova Scotian family of 4 needs to pay out $839 a month to meet their basic nutritional needs. To that add another $36 if you live rurally. Now personally, we are a family of 5 in rural Nova Scotia, and that cost is more like $1100. We also must pay gas, heating oil, electricity, phone, internet, insurance, car payments, mortgage, clothing ( hence Joe Fresh ) and any extracurricular activities for the kids. And that leaves no money for anything else which is why Credit is so popular these days. And this is what every family in this country faces. My family isn't original or different. In fact we are lucky that my husband is employed and that we do have an income, although we are far from able to eat and drink and do what we want. Money is very tight, like it is for a lot of families, and I really don't see the situation getting better for any of us.

How are we as a country going to feed our children if wages continue to stagnate and prices of fuel, food, clothing and power to name a few continue to rise. How is it that our power company's have record profits, yet our bills increase annually and families are forced to turn off their heat and lights to be able to afford to eat and feed their children. Isn't there something wrong with this picture?

I live in a community that has seen it's share of hard times lately. There is a lot of poverty. I have seen people huddled in the home with toques and jackets because it is too expensive to turn on the heat. I have seen people longingly hold on to oranges and apples, only to put them back and turn to the hotdogs and buns because this will feed the family for much longer than an apple will. And I have seen week after week after week the wastefulness of big box stores as they throw out their products in to dumpsters and bins, because they would rather throw it out, if unsellable, then give it to someone in need.

One of the worst offenders of this in our community is Mark's Work Wearhouse. Every week the bin is full of boots, jackets and clothing that they haven't been able to sell. Tossed out. But they have made sure no one else can have them. They slice the footwear and clothing so it is unusable. Now I'm not naïve. I know they can't give that stuff away in this community, or discount it as it would undercut their market. I get that. But it could be shipped off to a different community or shelter where individuals in need could utilize it. I have written emails and letters and gotten no response, so the only thing I can do is refuse to shop there and spread the word. I just can't pay $100 for a pair of boots that I will see in the garbage a few months from now anyways. Its silly.

So how do we fix our society? How do we become more caring for those in our community that do without? I don't know. I'm barely scraping by myself and we have a normal income.

I do know there needs to be change on a government level. We need to educate ourselves as consumers so we can make good choices. We need to eliminate our wastefulness as a society and have greener initiatives. We need to realize that life isn't all about profit. We don't need to be rich.

Now I don't mean to be negative here. I'm sure you all realize by now I surround myself with positivity at all costs. But the reality is, to live in a positive society we must always strive for positive change. And that change needs to be now. There is no excuse for any child to go hungry or do without in Canada, or anywhere in the world for that matter. And to me, the root of the cause, as usual, comes down to money and profit. So to all those out there striving for the big profits off the backs of the families and the children of this country I say this.....YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR MONEY OR YOUR THINGS WITH YOU WHEN YOUR LIFE IS DONE! And that's a fact.

TREASURES IN THE GARDEN

One of the things I love about having my own garden is fresh produce and herbs. It is still early to enjoy too much from the outdoors and I've been a little late on the lettuce and spinach planting, but still the garden gives me gifts.

Tonight we are enjoying homemade chili made from the tomatoes from last season. We will top with fresh chives and cheese, and finish with a rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream.

When rhubarb season starts we are all about the crisp. Spring and fall is pretty much the only time we have dessert because in spring it means rhubarb crisp and rhubarb pie, and in the fall it's apple crisp and apple pie. And all these things require a really good vanilla ice cream. Oh, and I forgot about when the peaches and blueberries are ready. Then it's peach pie and blueberry pie. I guess we eat dessert then too! No wonder I can't lose any weight.

The garden is changing each and every day now and I marvel at the growth that occurs right before my eyes. Blossoms are out, the leaves on the trees are appearing and everything is green. Today we had a misty rain that left everything feeling fresh and vibrant. Droplets gathered on new leaves and the smell of the freshly cut grass permeated the humid air.

I wandered around the yard just breathing it all in. Sometimes life is stressful and pressures break in and take over the mind. A great cure for the overactive mind is a peaceful meander through the garden where you can appreciate that all things are simple and beautiful. It quiets the thoughts when you start to concentrate on the sound of the birds and the rustle of the wind through the trees. All else falls away and it brings you right back around to what's important. Rejuvenation is key, because life isn't always an easy ride. Sometimes things happen that are unexpected and can derail us from time to time. I feel very blessed to have an opportunity to step out of that zone and regroup amongst the flowers, trees and birds. What an amazing and beautiful world we are all a part of.

BUGS

So living in the country does have some downsides. Not big ones, little ones. Bugs. Nothing in life is perfect of course and the idyllic country living has a dark side. Black flies, ticks and mosquitoes. Now when the weather gets balmy and warm like it has been these last few weeks, the black flies hatch and the ticks come out to play. The black flies only last about 2 or 3 weeks, and to be honest they are a lot better this year than last which is a good thing because black flies and I don't get along. I had one bite on my finger this week and the whole top of my hand swelled up. The ticks are around for most of the summer, but they surge in the spring and then again in the fall. It seems to be that when it gets really hot, they dwindle until you almost forget about them, and then they reappear. Mosquitoes are less of a problem. We do have them but I have lived in far worse places where these are concerned.

Now having chickens roaming the yard helps a lot because they love bugs. They scratch through the leaves and forest floor merrily eating away at all our unwanted pesky little bugs. And even though I'm terrified of them, our bats do a number on the mosquitoes so they are a definite asset to have around.

The ticks though are something I could do with out. They carry a sickness called Lyme Disease. When a tick bites you, he actually buries his head in to your skin and sucks your blood filling up the body cavity. When his body is full he will drop off. If the tick has been biting you for 36 hours, there is a chance that he can pass on Lyme Disease which is a devastating illness. It attacks your Neurological System and Heart and can make you very ill if left untreated.

Now this all sounds terrifying and makes you want to run and hide and take cover, but the reality is, you normally discover them on you long before they even bite, and when they do bite you, you feel it, and you can pull them off pronto and cleanse the area. You can take precautions when you walk in the woods and tall grass by wearing light colored clothing so you can see them, putting the cuffs of your pants in to your socks, and doing a good check on your self when your walk or hike is done.

The other day may husband and I took such a walk in the woods. As we were strolling along I turned to my husband and said, " You know, this looks like an area ticks would absolutely love. Long grass and bushy." Sure enough, we looked down and had ticks crawling up our legs. We went back to the car and picked them off one by one and put them on the hood so we could get a good picture.

Pretty creepy. But really, it's not so bad. People all over the world live with different kinds of creatures whether there are snakes, spiders or killer bees. We adjust, take precautions and get used to it. You learn to live with these little creatures that are in nature. I used to really panic when I found a tick on me and it was not unheard of for me to stop everything and tear my clothes off in a frenzy. But I have overcome my craziness and I now remain calm and collected. That does not remain true for spiders, but that's another story.

Ticks are hard to kill and they say the best way is to burn them, which is what followed after the photo op for the above little friends that tried to hitch a ride on our bodies. I felt no remorse as I stuck the lighter to them. Its us or them. And really, I don't need them to share their Lyme Disease with me, thank you very much.

So now you know the dark side of country living. Out here we are surrounded by everything nature and have to take the good with bad. And really, what's a few bugs to contend with in the scheme of things. And hey, they make the chickens really really happy.

KEEPING IT HEALTHY

It's one of those weeks where I feel like I should have a meter in my car and a drivers cap on. I will spend countless hours driving from one child's event to another. With fuel prices the way they are these days, I really take time to organize everything so that I am not burning unnecessary gas and I backtrack as little as possible. When you make the decision to live on one income it is important to budget wisely and this is no easy task.

May always seems to be busy like this. There are rehearsals and performances, not to mention summer soccer starts soon and softball for myself and the husband.

So getting supper on the table and keeping it healthy is a big challenge. We are literally in and out the door and everything seems to be happening right at supper time. I try to cook something in the morning that we can then heat up when we walk back in the door. Spaghetti, chili's and soups are a good friend for weeks such as these, and the Slow Cooker is a godsend. I still have some tomatoes from my garden last year that I had processed and frozen, so the house always smells delicious when we are having anything tomato based. Yummy.

We are trying to make a slow switch to a more Vegetarian based diet. The goal is to have at least 3 or 4 vegetarian days a week and so far it has gone well but it will be much easier when the veggie garden in is full swing.

Vegetables are so expensive now, especially where we live, so going vegetarian is actually not a cheap option for a family of five. Therefore I have to really plan what we are eating so we don't overshoot the food budget, which has been happening consistently for months now. And I'm also trying to minimize the amount of pasta and breads we are consuming so I'm definitely trying to be creative in menu ideas. If any of you out there have some great ideas for good vegetarian options feel free to inbox me. I appreciate all the help I can get. And I know we will never be complete vegetarians. We love our meat. I just wish it didn't have to be full of hormones and chemicals. That's why we will be buying a half a Black Angus cow and Organic Pig as soon as they are ready. They are grazing in the field nearby and we know the farmer which means we know what he feeds them, where they are coming from, and they don't need to be transported which makes it a very green option.

I am all about supporting the local farmer, and this is a great way to do it. Buying local, staying in your community and visiting the farmer's markets are a great way to sustain our food inventory and cut down on costs. I remember once a few years ago I was staying at a Hotel in the beautiful Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia which is known for it's apple orchards, wineries and farms. I grabbed an apple from the bowl the Hotel had provided and sat down outside to enjoy it. I was literally sitting next to an apple orchard where the trees were drooping with apples waiting to be picked. But my apple that I was about to bite in to was from the USA. Now how crazy and ridiculous is that?

When I drive around Yarmouth and Digby County's I notice we are surrounded by old fields that used to be grazed with cattle and used for growing food. The soil is rich, the climate is perfect for growing and there is an abundance of unutilized land. Yet there is hardly any one farming anymore. Maybe if the government could get on board to create incentive for the small farmer, we wouldn't be facing the high costs of foods that we are today.

Yarmouth has an untapped market. It could be an agricultural gem, if only there was some way financially for the small farmer to make a go of it. Every month more and more families leave this beautiful place to work the Alberta Oil Sands so they can make a living to support their families. Yet the world as a whole is facing a food crisis with 7 billion people to feed, and here in Yarmouth we are surrounded by all this land. You would think food is as valuable as oil.

 But I am not an agricultural or political expert in any way, so there are many many things I don't know about what it costs to farm, the challenges the small farmers face and what it takes to make it worth the while to do it in the first place. But, I will keep thinking and researching because you never know, I may be on to something!