Luckybeans

An Instance of Neglect

Some things thrive on neglect. LIke the christmas cactus my mother wrapped in plastic and stuck in a dark closet so that when it emerged at last it sent out a profusion of blossoms hitherto unimagined, let alone seen.

I suspect blogs may not be like that.

We have been Doing Things:

Simon's mother came and went.

There have been trips to the beach (including epic kite string untangling)

and forays into the beauty of a Willamette Valley summer.

My brother and his wife are here.

We went out to my aunt and uncle's farm to visit friends and cousins large and small.

There a hundred other things I haven't managed to record at all like trips to the zoo and youth conferences and playing cherry bomb and big family dinners and the vegetable garden we will soon leave behind. But mostly it has been a lot of boxes and changing of addresses and the thousand million other things that Must Get Done when you are buying a new house and moving yourselves.

To be honest, I am not sure when we will emerge again.

Work on that thriving on neglect for me, won't you? 

 

Grandmothers, creeks, sisters...

Simon may be away in the Philippines, but his lovely mother has come to stay with us for the week. We are all so grateful and excited to have her here, a voice of wisdom and a cause for a break from the routine of packing and imminent moving.

We went down to the creek with her yesterday, where Bella tried in vain to master her floating technique-- a technique she herself mastered while paddling for countless hours with these same grandchildren under Zambian skies. 

I watched these two girls of mine enjoy one another. How grand it must be to have a sister. 

And of course where there are two enjoying themselves, a third will soon join in.

Ana suddenly remembered today that one of my oldest and dearest friends, May, sent her some photos via Facebook a few months ago. Photos of a baby Ana (those ears! and peach fuzz head! and little stork bite! and pudgy fists!), scanned in from film, of her with May (she has the blonde streaks) and me (was I really ever twenty?). I can only assume that it was her camera and we took turns taking the photos. I've no idea, really. It was so sweet to find this just as I was contemplating how dear sisters are and how how much I treasure family. Some family we build ourselves, but most of it is a gift we are given, and a blessing I am more grateful for with each and every day. 

It's Either This or Boxes

Well, I guess it sort of goes without saying what we are up to these days. If you would prefer photos of piles of mess and sorting, I suppose that could be arranged. Yesterday, for example, I emptied, washed, labeled and refilled forty seven glass jars in the pantry. Fascinating stuff, that.

So...instead I am taking photos only during breaks, which seem to be a bit few and far between. Ana has been away since Saturday, so it's just been four of us.This evening we went down to our favorite local creek for a picnic dinner followed by a swim.  Daddy threw them in (both of them). There was much protesting, even on one another's behalf, despite the fact that they had their swimsuits on:

Asher at long last mastered the rope swing:

Bella found a log, and they had a grand time pushing it around:

She was  less enamored of the swing, preferring a more sedate paddle or meander along the banks instead:

Simon, on the other hand, spent a good bit of time reading over mortgage papers:

We found thimbleberries on our way out (I have yet to have managed eating my fill):

And at the end of the day, our Ana was returned to us, and two plus one were happy to be three once more:

It is good to take breaks. Exhalation is just as important as inhalation, I find.

Spring Holiday: The Third (and final!) Installment

One of my favourite things about being on the Island is that not only do we have family, but we have extended family, and friends that have been so close for so long, through generations, that they have become family. It is so rich and varied, across generations and experiences, and something I doubt I will ever be able to express adequate gratitude for.

One morning, a dear family/friend guided us up the mountain he has been hiking for decades. Simon and I went with some of the older cousins and his Mum. It was splendid: the diversity of min-eco-habitats (obviously not a biologist here), the views, the inukshuk villages, the company, the nephew who wanted to fling himslef over the edge (well, perhaps not that part). I can see why Greg goes up Tzouhalem most days. I certainly would if I could.

Most of the rest of our time saw a regular flow of visits and visitors. I have not nearly captured all of them or everything, but still, enough to hopefully remember things by. There is something very dear about sitting under the cherry tree that Simon's parents planted at their wedding, that his cousin leaned against while in labour, that all of the cousins have climbed on and eaten from and swung from, too. It isn't that we did very much-- pulling down ivy and collecting golf balls and riding wagons in suicidal manners-- but that we got to do it together, in a lovely, meandering and relaxed sort of way.

We had a few outings, including to my favourite little beach that has flats and rocks and a large grassy spot and a playground and a good coffee shop near by. Pretty perfect, no?

Finally, the night before we left, one exceptional young man had a cake because he was turning 9 the next day. We do love him!

Even before we get on that ferry back home, we are already planning when we can return. Some people and places seem blessed, almost sacred in how much they hold onto your heart. It is a special gift to get a chance like we've had to spend some time there with them.

Spring Holiday: The Second Installment

On Monday, we went to explore the Kinsol Trestle. It was a short trail to the bridge, well-used on this warm, sunny day. Lots of bikes, ponies, dogs and children-- even a few people practicing free-falling with their harnesses off the edge of the bridge. It never felt crowded or less than peaceful, though (even in our group of seven children and four adults). The photos are pretty self-explanatory, really:

(Simon's sister took the first and fourth photos here, and Simon took the one of the ponies).

(Simon's sister took the second photo here, and Simon took the photo of his sister and her baby).

(Simon's sister also took the second, fourth and fifth photos here).

There is no better place to get out and about than a sunsoaked day in the Pacific Northwest.

Spring Holiday: The First Installment

We had a wonderful week on Vancouver Island, full of sunshine, time outside and visits with family and friends.

First things first: there were two cameras and three photographers (myself, Simon and his sister). I've done my best to use what I know to be shots I took, but I don't always remember who took which photos. I can only guarantee that I did not take any of the ones with a flash or with me in them. For example, these amusing ones of me taking photos were taken by my sister-in-law. I am particularly fond of the knees-down one.

Simon's parents live on an acre and a half with lots of places for children to roam. While everything from wrestling matches (note Asher's licking action-- busted) to haircuts to epic air hockey battles happened inside, outside saw most of the activity.

This is my artsy fartsy flare shot of Grandma and the youngest, and I am rather fond of it.

There was also LOTS of pushing a certain someone in the yellow swing, fort building, traipsing about, dragging things to the brush pile, throwing things for Sophie (the dog who lives next door but certainly doesn't stay there), boys carrying large sticks, etc, etc...

Every day we did something special. Our first full day with five out of six cousins coralled together, we went to Cowichan Bay.

We followed a wooded trail down to the beach, stopping now and then for shorter legs or for Ana to collect things for her nature journal.

There were swans in the bay, and seaweed to collect, and oysters to dissect, and crabs to discover and many many many rocks to throw and we were all VERY happy. 

After our adventure, we went to the tiny town and had a picnic snack where some of us swung on the swings (perhaps they were practising for when they are old and grey).

There is ever so much more to share, but I have hundreds and hundreds of photos to sort through, so I will have to do this in a bit of a piece-meal fashion. But more soon!

Kootenay Lake

So. Last month when we disappeared? We were busy doing stuff. Fun stuff. Lots of it. So much fun stuff that I have had a backlog of photos and am only just getting around to posting it. 

We went up to Kootenay Lake. Simon's Uncle has his childhood cabin up there, and is an idyllic spot for a gathering of family. I could go on and on, but that isn't really the point here. The point is to throw up a bunch of snapshots (some of which I didn't even take, and can't remember who did) and hopefully remember what a grand time we had.

A lot of time was spent puttering and playing in the water. The lake was record high, and absolutely freezing. Didn't deter the cousins at all-- even the Zambian ones.

Uncle Rick et al built Ray rafts.

Everyone loved the kayaks.

Grown up types were more wary of the water, so spent more time chatting. Although the children managed a bit of hanging out themselves.

And of course there were croquet games that ended, as often as not, in tears; and lawn mowing escapades that did not.

It rained. Enough to keep a woodfire going to dry laundry, huddle up under the overhang, spend a bit of time crafting, learn new card games from Auntie Sue, and watch far too many terrible vieos with Cousin Michael. But not enough to dampen spirits.

One day saw all of the cousins and a lot of us adults trek up to the Kokanee glacier. Such good little hikers, fuelled by Miss Vickie's.

And worth it to play with snow in tshirts!

Somebody also had a birthday.

It was a real party, with balloons and sparklers (aka magic wands) and hot dogs and special presents like harmonicas, rocket launchers and books written just for (and about) you.

It was really a rather splendid place to be. 

 

 

It's Been a While

...since our last bubblegum blowing contest. The last one was, if I recall correctly, at least six years ago and Bella was the one spitting out gum wads instead of bubbles (HA! found it in the archives here! Although it was only five and a half years ago). 

Anyway, that's one to check off the summer wall "to do" list.

Also, sorry to those of you who follow me on instagram. That was a lot of bubbles (and I now realise I really should have used the same filter for all of them. Live and learn, I suppose). And Ana took one of the photos. In case you were wondering. I'll leave it to you to determine which one.

We went camping.

We set up a tent on the banks of a river.

We sat by fires, read a lot, knitted, whittled, said morning prayers by the river, chopped firewood to the best of our abilities, stayed snuggled into our sleeping bags until the air had warmed significantly, then huddled over tea and porridge.

We were situated close to Camp Sherman, which meant plenty of ice cream runs and smelling the ponderosa pines.

We spent a lot of time on trails that led us to magical, mystical places like this:

Some of us also spent a lot of time doing things like this:

Or this:

It all went smoothly and well despite nighttime temperatures dipping perilously close to freezing, and the repacking of the tent. On our way home we stopped by the Powderhouse trail.

It was lovely. All of it (minus the repacking the tent bit. Although Asher may have learned some choice new vocabulary).

Camping

The children and I are camping this week. I'm a bit nervous, but excited. We love the time outside, but the responsible adult ratio is a bit slim. See you when we return...