"Love and do what you will." -St. Augustine

Words spoken by some dude named Augustine waaaay back in the day. Like, I mean real far back...this guy was born in 354 A.D. I find his words incredibly prolific. And by prolific, I mean that they have been passed down through the generations...he spawned a new and wonderful thought so that WE can live a lovely and happy life. He died in 430...and on May 29, 2011 I read these words in a book published in 2006. Wow eh? He was a philosopher turned priest that was later named a Saint. So I guess his message will never die. I just find that so cool...in any one person's case. It would be interesting to find out what is still being read and spread about in another 2000 years. And what of that is from our lifetime...and will the old, old stuff still remain in our minds? I hope so.

Anyways...back to the words that shook my soul. "Love and do what you will." Prior to me having read his short, but mind blowing statement in a book on the ferry yesterday, I would have completely misinterpreted it's meaning. Like I would have probably read it to mean that you just got to be full of love and then you can do whatever you want. Something like that. You know, like as long as you are a loving human being you should get away with whatever. Similar to the picture of a cute little girl with rosy, chubby cheeks, golden locks tied up in ribbon tied pigtails pushing her kid brother brother down the front steps..."hee hee...oops!" Because she is so cute and loving and innocent, some parents may just pick up the fallen child and cuddle him while checking him to make sure he is not hurt badly but then not really address the real issue. "Why did you push little Joey down?" Whatever the reason you sweet, sweet little thing...it's NOT right. And she NEEDS to be told that...in a loving and enlightening sort of way. Enough of rambling on and on about what the statement doesn't say...and not even knowing if I'm making sense in my babble...

"Love and do what you will." When you are truly full of love...as in you are love...as in you have no hate or resentment in you. You never complain...because what is there REALLY to complain about. Nothing. Everything that comes from you is love...truth. And if you can manage to achieve this amazing life transformation...enlightenment...than absolutely everything that you do do IS love and you can do whatever you want. In an enlightened mind there would never be anything done that would not be good or right. It's so true. This is why that statement almost turned me into mashed turnips and carrots. (a sweet mixed up mess...yum!) It's basically the way I feel everyone should want to be like. Imagine a world that is truly at peace. Every community across every land people getting along and just living their own life and not worried about ANYTHING at all. It's just all of these pesky little things we have soo much trouble letting go...greed, jealousy, gossip, violence, victimization, power, money, fame, wants. It's where I want to be, at least in my own life some day. It sure is hard trying to get over the ego though. It has such a stronghold on the human race. Like, let me go...eGO! I want to believe that the things people do that are hurtful are not because of who they are...but what their ego is making them do. They don't have to be that way and they can learn differently. So we still have to love. Love one another even if it seems like you shouldn't. Your ego is telling you they are bad...and their ego is telling your ego that. Ahhhh...so complex. But yet so simple. I am just trying that's all I can say. And I fail every single day. But I can feel my mind changing in little ways. I am not keeping grudges. That is a big start. And it's not just cause I am trying real hard not to...it actually feels best to forgive someone right away because it frees me. And it feels good to be free. ;o) Just love. "All you need is love." Even the Beatles had it right. :o)

I need to admit that all of these ideas and thoughts didn't just pop into my head. I read the "Power of Now" months ago...I am now into the fourth chapter of "A new Earth", both by Eckhart Tolle. I know there are a lot of haters on him and his ideas. But I think he is quite the genius. And he is a truly happy man...just watch him in an interview. Love pours out of him. And his books have given me some freedom from my own insane thoughts...we are ALL insane when living in our heads. Get out of your heads and into the moment you are in...know it. Life is so beautiful.

I WANT back this yesterdays moment... but I don't NEED it. Today will be just as good as yesterday and just like tomorrow will be...it's gonna be great if I let it be. Every day is a gift and I intend on enjoying it. ;o) Peace out party people in the world. 

Bring back the love. xox

Hello...My name is Pam...and I am a...

Ceramicoholic. It is creeping into my veins and making me constantly think about and fantasize over what I will create next...I crave it. I have a feeling that Mariko will soon regret opening her studio for Open Ceramics Night at her studio...Feedlot Studios is the place to be on a Monday or Wednesday night when you're on Gabriola. The first taste, (I will call it) that I had with the delightful addiction came to me through my friends...yes...peer pressure. Mariko had her first (on Gabriola) ceramics course...like a 10 week, one night a week ceramics workshop. The beautiful things that my friends were making were absolutely amazing. I was so impressed with the talent that my friends had working with clay. Mugs, platters, animals, tea pots...they made cool stuff. And then I started to see Mariko's work...oh my word! She is a supah fantabulously talented ceramics artist...I love her work! And then my friend Kate who is an amazing artist making jewelery, paintings, lino cut scenes...and now she is getting deep into the ceramics abyss. She is creating such cool, imaginary little vignettes...you just want to have all of them in your home. So awesome! She has made quite a few of them...and each new one always has a story and makes you feel something. Like it should. ;o)

So...I finally gave into the pressure of having a great night with some fantastic women...maybe having a glass or two of vino...and creating my own special ceramics sculpture. One of my all time favourite things in life to do is to have a lovely Epsom salt filled bath. I miss my bear claw tub at the last place we lived in...but THIS bathroom has a skylight. So when it is sunny outside I can lay in the tub and enjoy the blue sky...and even watch the birds..if they fly over my skylight. (but I probably wouldn't see them anyways because I don't wear my glasses in the tub and am therefore blind and really all I can make out is the hole in the roof and see either blue sky or white clouds...and that's cause I know that is what it HAS to be!) Anyways...I love bath time! I guess you could call it another of my plethora of addictions. I made myself a little bear claw tub...it's an ashtray. ha ha ha!!! I bet you've never seen a bath tub ash tray...well now you have...you have NOW seen EVERYTHING! hee hee hee. It takes a while to complete a project once started. Especially my tub. The first week I went in, I molded the clay into my likeness of a tub and vanity. Mariko had to let it dry and then fire it, along with all of the other cool creations that the talented ceramics junky women from that class made. The next week I went in and glazed the whole thing. Ceramics glaze is a really weird medium. It's almost like you are painting with super watered down icing sugar or something. And it dries super matte...like I expected I would then have to gloss it! Lots I know. after the glazing, it gets put back into the kiln to bake the glaze on...and whammo! It's a glossy ceramics sculpture. Finito! No...I felt I needed to go a little further with my first ever ceramics piece. Mariko has all of these amazing decals...all sorts! The decals my eyes fell in love with were the vintage pin up girls. They were made in the 50's or 60's or something...really cute pin up poses. They are all wearing a red bikini...at first. Once your decal is on your piece it has to have one more firing...at a low setting to stabilize the decal so not to ever be removed. During the firing process the bikini kind of disappears...and what is left of it is now green. So...oopsy daisy...my pin up girl is showing her boobies!! tee hee hee! I LOVE it!!! How rad is that? Supah rad.

 So here she is...in all her beauty. I took her outside for the photoshoot as I figured, that being partly nude she would appreciate the warmth of the morning sunshine. And who wouldn't love to be lounging in a big and beautiful tub in the garden? I want to be her! ha ha ha!

 I am super stoked. I remember my mom leaving the house for the evening to go to ceramics class. I was really little...like 2 or 3. She made me little figurines and a big huge "Leo" the lion piggy bank and a bedside lamp...one for me and one for my bro. I have everything she ever made me. :o) Last night I glazed the piece I made for her for her birthday coming up June 4th. She'll get it a little late because the US postal service will probably keep it at the border for longer than needed...but she'll get it eventually. And she will love it!! It's a wall plaque...pics to come. ;o) Fun times!!! yeah yeah!
 
I think that everyone should make at least one thing in their life in a ceramics class. It really is waaaaay too much fun! Imagination is your friend when you start playing with clay! Yay for clay! Hoorah!!

No $$ does NOT = nothing...

Times are tough...and they have been universally for a few years now. Economy kind of tanked in 2008...if I remember correctly. Anyhow, no one has money for anything but essentials...like food, rent and self care items. It hasn't been a time of luxury for too many people. I know there are some that haven't felt the real brunt of the economic down turn...but a whole heck of a lot of people have. And we, in this household are included in that percentage of population. I don't really ever spend money on myself for treat sake. I will, once in a blue moon grant myself some retail therapy. But I keep it simple and very budget friendly. Oh...how I wish I actually had a budget. How many times have I thought about keeping track of incoming and outgoing monies. I believe that I have asked my brother twice for the spreadsheet that he uses for budgeting his household. I have a problem with money. When I have it...I spend it. I can't help it. I live in the now the moment...always have. I know that I eventually have to buckle down and start saving. And I have started a savings account. It just doesn't have much in it. ha ha. We have bills to pay maaaan!!! Blah, blah,blah, blah...I am spewing from my head...out of my finger and a wrist that is getting sore.

I am no artist...but I like to play with stuff that artists work with. Like making myself découpage wall pieces, vases and telephones. I can have stuff that I think is super cool and new to me like buying myself something from the store. Except I don't have to spend money or leave my home to get it. I remember when I was about 8 or 9 years old we were on the road in the States and stopped in some some artsy store in this outdoor mall...there was a small section of decoupaged pieces. I can see the lamp stand, telephone, suitcase, side table and other smaller items in my minds video memory bank. I was mezmerised. I couldn't stop touching the pieces...gently swiping my hand back and forth to feel all of the different layers of paper and glue. I love texture. I always try to have texture in the things I create for myself and my lovely friends and family. :o)

 This is my incomplete phone. It was my proto-type...I started this one and then got into a second one that I finished...and then traded for leg waxing and aesthetic work. Trades rock!! It was also a "lip" phone like this one...but you don't see any of the phone underneath except for the numbers and receiver parts. This one needs a lot of tiny little lips and mouths...maybe another word or two more. But I still use it. It is on my night stand. I have a cordless phone too in the bedroom...that way I can still see the call display. I do sometimes answer that phone unknowing of who is on the other end of the line. So far it has been good calls. ;o)

 My Rock 'N Roll mirror. These photos seem to be blurry...I feel too lazy to take new ones right at this moment. So excuse the poor photo quality...I am tired. ;op I made this mirror last spring. Clint liked it so much that he kept asking me to do a larger piece with Rock. I thought about it for a while...

 I did it last month! It is my homage to music. Everyone who I feel is anyone over the past 50-60 decades is in this piece. There are a lot of goodies missing...of course. But I found some awesome pics of some mighty fine musicians and legendary artists of rock. It is 96% done...a few spaces needs filling. ;o)

Teeny little wooden flower vase that I felt needed some sprucing up. It's so easy to do. You just need a lot of time and a whole whack of patience. A ton of cutting and then the glossing of each piece...it doesn't just go smooth on it's own. I add dried pressed flowers into some pieces too. That gives some more texture...for fingers that like to touch. ;o)

Today I was going to some new Gallery opening on the South side...Hen House Gallery and the Pier Gallery. And I HAD to stop in at Lily's Boutique at the Silva Bay hotel...awesome clothes!!! I felt like I needed something new but don't have the money to shop. So I made myself an earring with a feather from one of my fave roosters...a hen and a guinea hen. I think it turned out sweet! ;o) 

Anyways...my point to all of this deco madness is the fact that even on a small budget you can still have new and pretty things in your home that mimics that fabulous rush that you achieve with retail therapy.Being frugal now means that later on when you have more money you will have even more because you were savvy in the poorest days. Treat yourself from yourself. And make something for a friend too...that always makes the heart feel super wicked awesome! ;o)

Who needs two arms anyways?

Honestly. Sure...having a second arm can come in mighty helpful at times. But really, you don't need two...you just think you do because you have them both. I always find it amusing when the fact of me having only one arm really stumps some people. Ha ha...I said stump! (my "no arm" isn't even a stump...but it's a term given to way cool people like me...stumpy!) ;op People either look flabbergasted or shocked or even just amused in some way. It's kind of funny if you let it be...I could go the opposite and think that people see me as an invalid. In the past, this is a feeling I had during these types of interactions with people. I felt belittled by them asking me questions that you would find yourself asking a two year old or someone with a severe physical impairment. As in severe...I am talking of someone with worst case spinabyphida or cerebral palsy...where all of your motor actions do not want to function properly. But, I feel like it would be degrading for that person to even be asked these questions also. It's just rude I guess is what I am saying. Have a little respect for your fellow human being...that is just the way it should be. Love thy neighbour man. Anyways...asking me how I drive or dress myself or whatever the elementary skepticism is of me...keep it to yourself. I mean, come on. I am a full grown independent woman who has gone through battles and survived each and every one. Now you are going to ask me how I put my jeans on in the morning...seriously??? It just reminds me of how ignorant people everywhere can be. There is nothing wrong with me having one arm. That is just the way I am...the way I was MEANT to be. I came into the world exactly as I am today...and I am happy that I did. I am so blessed to have family, friends and a loving husband that are always there for me. It's not been an easy road for anyone who is at my side. But, it HAS been easy at the same time. I am truly a very happy person. I have always been. I just went through times of doubting myself and who I am and what I stand for. I lost my way a few times and kept myself in a thick forest of black. I am the colour black...but now I am also every other colour too. I love the fact that I have one arm...that is why I smile a lot I guess. I am proud of being me...a unique woman. I am not perfect, but who is? I am perfect to me...for me. And I honestly wouldn't want to change a thing. I don't want a right arm...I don't care that I am getting wrinkles...I don't care that I got my first "silver" hair (I like it actually)...I don't care that I weigh more than I ever have in my whole entire life but it's okay because I am healthy...I don't want nor do I need anything to change about me. The person I see in the mirror looks just fine. I will always work on who I am on the inside...that is something that no one should ever stop doing. We can always be a better human. :o)

Happy May Long Weekend!!! I think Maggie and I are going to walk to the beach right now...start off the weekend!

C'mon already!!!

Is it too much for me to wake up hopefully that the sunshine will be out that morning...or that it at least will be warm because it is friggin' May. May 16th to be exact. Or maybe I should just suck it up and know that it will come to pass...it WILL warm up because summer is a coming. I am spending far too many hours in my day reminiscing about summer 2009. I jumped in the ocean at Drumbeg (coldest beach) on May 25th because it had already been supah hot for over a week. My garden that summer was producing in June!! Every day I was down at the beach swimming and soaking up the heat and sun. (wearing 30 spf and light/long sleeved tops and hats...wide brimmed hats!) That was definitely the nicest summer I have enjoyed since living on the "Wet Coast". It totally reminded me of the perfect Manitoba summer. Those days that the sun is scorching and beer CAN be guzzled like water. (I am not a beer guzzler...I sip my beer...but not summer '09) Those evenings when the sun is down but the heat lingers so you don't have to pull out your winter sweater to hang out at the beach looking at the stars in the sky and the phosphorescents in the ocean. Ohhhh...how I miss that summer. Maybe if everyone kept thinking hard about that summer...the sun, the fun, the heat, the love...can it be manifested back???

I believe it can. I have been dreaming about it this morning and afternoon...now I look out the window and what do I see?? The sun!!! (with dark black clouds in the horizon...blow away!!!!)

I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, life is still pretty darn good. Our country is free, (although living under the leadership of...well, I don't think I can say leader but some dude that wears bad make-up and has those beedy I am coming to git ya kind of eyes) we have the right to have our own opinions and express them, our country is beautiful from coast to coast and I feel there really ain't too much to complain about. Sure we could all use more $$ to pay the bills and have some fun...but it's all good anyways. Daydreaming is okay but it shouldn't dictate our lives...or the "wants" in our lives. Just got to live in the moment. Enjoy what is in front of you, regardless. It will make the sun shine inside...where it matters most. Remember the song?..BamBam and Pebbles sang it... "So let the sun shine in face it with a grin. Smilers never lose and frowners never win. So let the sun shine in face it with a grin Open up your heart and let the sun shine in." Sounds good to me!

I found these beautiful sunshiney photos on the internet...oh technology! ha ha!! :o)

Sans mons computer...

A whole 48...actually more like 50 hours my little baby dell box was with the service man. And he treated her good! She came back to me thinking much faster...like light speeds faster than she was before she was nursed back to regular health. And she was given some more memory as her dementia was getting so bad. I would wake her up and then have to give her 20-30 minutes to actually fully awaken. I got used to her being that way...and it didn't really bother me all that much. Some days I know I verbally abused her...and for that my dear...I truly am sorry. Dr. David checked you out and fixed you all up. Good for a few more years! ;o) hee hee I promise to not judge you next time your memory is running low.

I actually felt liberated not having the computer. Almost like it was the olden days...the days before I relied on a computer for communication and information and entertainment value. It's like our whole lives are centered on this little black/white/beige/blue...whatever colour box it happens to be. I enjoy having a computer. The access to information at my fingertips still blows me away. I will still comment on how I feel like I am a Jetson. Mostly when I am vid chatting with a friend. Seriously...I can see and chat with someone who is 4000 kms away  from me. We can still have a beer or a glass of wine together even if she lives in Montreal. :o) (Oh Shano...what would I do without our AIM sessions?!?) I love it!!! I have vidded for 5 hours once! ha ha hahaahaha! Too much fun man! But...I will say...my 50 hours without a computer at home was quite lovely. I couldn't use it so I had to do things the old fashioned way. I left my home to meet up with some friends yesterday to chat about some things. I phoned people when I needed to know something or just wanted to say hello. It was so nice. I think I am going to set time limits on myself and the comp again. Use it, then shut it off when I am done. Try not to turn it on again unless absolutely necessary.  I have to try it...for real!

All righty...it's sunny and I should enjoy that. So should we all. Peace out party people in da house! Going back to Old School and enjoying lots more of that sweet, outdoor fresh air! ;o)

Oh...Happy Friday the 13th!!! xoxoxo

The only chicken vid that downloads to my blog...

so I have to post it. Look into the eyes of the rooster...can you dig it? He's cool...they are all cool. I love them.

Seriously obsessed...

I spent my Mother's Day surrounded by hens...and a few rooster. I mothered them all! ha ha ha! I guess it doesn't really matter what type the animal is...I love them all. And completely unconditionally. These days my animal obsession is coming out with the birds. They love me too because I allow them to be just as they are...all clucky and cocky and it's fine by me. Be yourselves you 2 legged fat animals. I think they are even getting to know me now. I have visited them off and on over the past few months. But this past weekend and all of our alone time together...I think they are taking a shining to me. Plus, I found the "treat" feed...so they dig me even more! hee hee. So yeah, Sunday, Mother's Day...me & Maggie hung out in the chicken runs with the big guys, the discarded guys and the "we're still small but growing and are in our incredibly awkward teenage like phase" guys. I love them all the same. And they really gave me some great exercise today too. Because I had already fed them some of their special treat, I didn't want to give them more when calling them in...they are plenty fat already! (I found out that the "feed" is used to call them in to their fenced over area each night) So I did the old fashioned way and chased them through the gate. The brown hens are the ones that don't listen. The rebels of the chicken family if you ask me. I was chasing four of them all over the yard towards the gate. With each one that I got in...my rooster buddy would give the hen a little peck for not listening to me. I think he could see my frustration and complete and total lack of energy after chasing for so long. I got them all in finally...or at least it seemed that way. I was pretty sure there was one left. I searched the whole open air compound for her. Went around twice. I then was looking along the fence where the bushes are and saw this funny orange coloured round rock. Yeah right!!!  It was the last brown hen...she was all laying down and hiding from me underneath the bush! Oh my word!!! Too funny. She gave me a run for my money and I got her to the gate...opened it and she ran the other way...I got around her again...gave her a soft boot to the bum and in the gate she went. Rooster guy gave her a cockle doddle doo, a peck and all was right in the covered compound. See ya next time buddies! :o)

 So this is the moment when I let them all out...woo hoo...freedom...smell the air on the outside! These chickens have an excellent life. Organic all the way...their eggs are so mmmmm. Everyone needs to eat some Islandia Farm eggs...I do.

 It's cool how cool all of the rooster and hens are with Maggie. She doesn't pay any mind to them...so they are quite happy having her hang out as long as it means I am there too! ;o)

 Roosters!!

 Here we are hanging with the "banished" rooster and his hens. I like this photo because Maggie is smacking her lips like she is hungry and ready to eat. Just so you know chickies...Maggie is NOT into the raw food diet! ;op

 Hanging with the adolescents in the daisy field. Ahhhh, could life be any sweeter??

Awkward...but still amazingly cute. Their mannerisms are the same as the adults...just smaller. Toooo cute!!

All right ladies...I am off. See ya next time! xoxo

I totally love chickens...

Chickens are pretty cool little guys. If they are in an environment that feels safe for them and are getting a daily dose of human contact...well, the chickens and roosters are likely going to be friendly and as smart as a chicken could be. I've seen chickens in cages before. It is not a pretty sight...they look like there is absolutely nothing inside that brain of theirs. And that is not their fault. They could have a little more depth to them if given the chance. But when you are caged for your entire life in a barn with hundreds of thousands of other chickens...what chance do you even have?? No chance. How sad. I am starting to feel depressed and feeling like it IS the RIGHT time to stop eating chicken...seriously. (I do really like to eat chicken though...it's a crazy hard sacrifice...too many times I have contemplated it though...) Anyways...the chickens and mighty roosters at Islandia Farm are way rad. I could spend hours with them in their big old hang out zone. They like people because people have always been around them. Picking them up and handling them when they were chicks even. Just like the chicks that I was hanging round only a few weeks ago. And those little dudes are growing like weeds. You can start to see which are hens and which are roosters...it's really cute...mini chickens! Well, me and Maggie had a real fun few hours with all of them today while Clint did some whacking of grass.

 As soon as I opened up the gates so they could run out in the grass...this guy came whipping out. I think he was like "WTF...it's 11 am. We have been waiting to get at the worms biatch"!!! hee hee. We had a lazy morning and it took us a bit of time to get at 'er today. ;o)

 Cock-a-doddle-doooooooooooo!! This dude could and I feel stubbornly would not stop chirping for about 10 minutes when Maggie & I brought them out. Maggie could care less about them running around. But this guy had a duty to serve and to protect. And that he was trying to do. :o)

 We also let the "chicks"out into their pasture to play in the sunshine. They were hesitant with Maggie being there at first...but soon they didn't care and out and about getting worms and eating grass.

 Hee hee hee hee...this cute little hen is sun tanning. She laid there for a few minutes before one of the wee roosters actually forced her to get up and start worming. He might be the king one day. ;o)

 Mini chickens...

 This rooster has been ostracized from the rest of them. He was the king...but then something happened. And they beat the crap out of him. Now he has two hens and his very own coop and pasture. He's retired. I think he really liked me and Maggie. All three of them were far warmer with us than the rest of them. And the other guys are pretty warm too. The black hen allowed me to pet her back a few times. I liked it. I want to spend more time wit these guys. I think they may feel threatened by their positions with the rest of the crew. I want to show them that they are still real cool.

 I think he is pretty. xox

 The sheep and lamb were out in the adjacent farms back pasture. Walking along the forest...too cute!

 I totally love the roosters. Can't get enough of them...

I see you in the hen house lady! All right...all right. Time to let you guys be...See y'all next time!! Maybe tomorrow??? ;o)

April showers bring more showers...in May.

For real? I am soooo over the rain. Even the light and misty almost not present drops that fall out of the grey sky...I am over you!!! Honestly, this winter has been a wacky one to say the very least. I feel like in the beginning, like November/December, we had some amazingly beautiful days. Of course some wet ones too...but for the most part I remember walking Maggie to the beach and sitting on the rocks and soaking up the low winter sunshine. Good old January comes along...and just like the freezing cold prairie weather...in came the cold and wet clouds. I remember feeling -35 degrees...I remember days where if you went outside without covering every last inch of your skin you would get frost bite...ouch! I never did get frostbite and I always managed to stay warm. But that is just being a sensible person when you live in a cold winter climate like that. Now...over here on the West Coast where it is "so much warmer than the prairies" (as BC people LOVE to say) it is darn tootin' freezing!! Like right now...I am cold because the sun went away a couple of hours ago and it was raining lightly...so now it is damp chilly. That gets deep down inside of ya...chills you to the core...cold wet bones as they say. Do they say that...or is that just me?? I know it is some form of that that "they" say. "Sayings"...I get them twisted up and pulled together all over the place! ha! Anyways...I am cold right now. I just had my propane heated forced air heat furnace on to warm me. But what I REALLY want is Clint to finish cutting his toe nails and get dressed and go outside ans chop me some wood...Clint? ha ha ha haaaaa!!

It's just not nice when you FINALLY have a deck to sit out on and enjoy the outdoors in a comfortable manner surrounded by all the lovely flowers that you planted but you still can't enjoy it. Patience my dear...patience. I just have to wait for the weather to be ready and then I can rock it out on my deck. BBQ season therefor BBQ Pam season is here. And BBQ Pam...she is ready to rock the scene with her grill! ;o) In fact...she may rock it a wee bit tonight and make some BBQ corn...yeah...that sounds good.

 Doesn't this deck look inviting? It ain't no fancy schmancy place but I tell ya...when that sun is not covered by clouds...this IS the hot spot in da hood. Sitting on my rocking chair and taking in the heat. I love it!

Pink cosmos growing in my planter box...they are going to look so pretty when they are all growed up! ;o)

Showers...not only are they good for keeping us human smelling good, plants love 'em too. My plants are getting some good watering and wee bits of sun some days and full sun others. Just prepping them for the massive growth period...and that is just perfect!

Politics...am not a fan...

I am thankful that I have the right to vote, even though it is a "duty" to vote in my Country...I won't rebel against it. I vote. So, therefore I feel it is also my right to discuss an election that has just taken place. Normally I do not talk politics because I can't stand them. I can't stand how people get so riled up and red faced and talk in super loud, domineering voices to try and "out speak" someone else and their views and opinions. It is always a fight unless you are on the same team...not often are there peaceful political talks/debates. And the politicians are the wost of it. Watching a political debate sends shivers (of the creepy/bad kind) up AND down my spine. You can watch the fiery spit spew out of the mouths of some of these men and women. It's gross to me. I hate it. I do believe that there IS a way to have a peaceful government and Country. We have done fairly good in the past...it's just been awhile.

Yesterday was the big one...well one of a few of the last few years or so...too many! argh! I actually had super high hopes that the Country would vote for change. My heart felt like our country is full of smart people...and we are...some are just mis-guided. And I don't say that in a nasty way like my views are right. It is just that our Country has been in a tumultuous way for a while...to say the least...and I thought that we just needed a great big shift and rebirth to allow a wonderful change to occur. Like, if Canada was actually run by the NDP, would it be a good thing? I feel it would. We have never given a chance to the NDP to run the government. But they have shown they are a mighty force and they are intelligent and caring and compassionate and grounded and environmentally aware...they COULD do some good for Canada. (on a side note...Jack Layton is super duper handsome...I have to say it...I would pay more attention to what is happening in our government if he was the Man in the House!) ;o) I am not a fool and think that any one political party is 100% better than all of the rest. But...I do know that there is more about the NDP that I like than any other party...and I am looking forward to them working far more closely to the helm of Canada's Government. I feel that the NDP can work for everyone in this big and beautiful Country. I am incredibly proud to call myself Canadian...I am a first generation in my family...and that too makes me proud. Canada is just awesome. I like living here and think that I will always live here, even though Europe sometimes looks extremely appealing...I am Canadian. Stephen Harper is Canadian too, but I feel he wants so badly to be American that he forgets about what it means to be Canadian. Some people feel the American government works better than ours...that is their opinion and that's okay. But I hope that those same people can also see how their government has brought their Country into massive economic turmoil. Having a domino effect and us as Canadians feeling it too.I feel like we all can agree on that in one way or another. So...anyways...Jack Layton...he too is Canadian. And I believe he is a Canadian like me. A person who is proud to live in a Country that is democratic and free and peaceful and helpful and part of the world so let's all work together kind of a person. His speech last night was so enlightening and he had such presence. He spoke with joy yet strength of determination to make Canada a better place to live. This is just the beginning of something great to happen. There is always mud to wade through before getting to the paradise on the other side. And I think a man like Layton could lead our Country in a way that would be so amazingly refreshing that it reminds us what it truly is to be Canadian. Like when you walk down the street wherever you live in this Country you ALWAYS smile at your neighbour and countryman/woman...you are sisters and brothers of our beautiful home we call Canada.

Quoting one of my fave PM's ever...
"Vive le Canada"!!!!  ~Jean Chretien

(Look at him...what a fun guy!)