A Sunday Hike

Sunday after church in the afternoon a group of us decided to go for a hike. Ed & I got to the hiking location & received a text that the others would be late because they were waiting on their dinner. So we hiked a loop by ourselves before heading home to eat our dinner.

What we didn't miss out on:

This deer & her 2 buddies weren't afraid of us at all!

How perfectly we timed our hike:

parking ticket & clock time when we got back in the car after our hike...

Conclusion: It was gorgeously sunny & nearly perfect for hiking (a bit warmer would do...it's coming!)
                  Oh. And we're awesome.

Inukshuks

Inukshuks are something of a Canadian symbol these days.

They take a place of pride on Nunavut's flag, and can be found on top of mountains, wherever rocks may be found, and sometimes even in random mid-city empty lots.

These are all tourist-made inukshuks at Bruce Peninsula National Park.

Shaun & Joel's creation, in the middle of the path.

This guy's got a nice view...

...see?

Bruce Peninsula National Park of Canada

You might recall my goal to visit all of Canada's national parks. If you don't recall, that's ok. I'm telling you now: one of my bucket list goals is to visit as many of Canada's 42 national parks as I can in my lifetime.

Last summer, I visited all of the national parks in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, & Prince Edward Island. That totaled five. Bruce Peninsula is number 6. And it is gorgeous! You can easily see why it's been designated as a national park.

It's the first of at least three that I hope to visit this year. The rest will likely be in Ontario too (on the 'perhaps' list: Pukaskwa, Point Pelee, Georgian Bay Islands, St Lawrence Islands.)

Here's some gorgeous photos from Bruce Peninsula National Park!

:D

Lamb & Shar - splash effects courtesy of Ed.

Such clear water. LOVE this shot!

An obliging (and very friendly) dog posed for me! What a pensive thinker.

The rock was falling, with Joel on top! So Ed stepped in & saved the day! With his finger!

Rock climbing.

Mike & Ed conquering the 'bridge'

Underwater tunnel in the grotto

Rink & I in the grotto :)

This is where the Arrogant Worms got their song from...

So guys, which way IS north?

It was an awesome couple of hours - it's incredible what variety of creation God allows - even in such a small area!



For the Arrogant Worms Song mentioned above, go here.
(The videos on Youtube aren't great, but the song is!)

Lake Erie Paddle

Saturday morning of the Kentucky reunion was about the only time that I mustered up energy for any activity that weekend. The water was cold, the sky was grey, the lake was calm. It was good couple of hours.

I've hardly ever seen Lake Erie so clear. The water was a gorgeous teal colour.

Spring is Finally, Truly Here

This is what I drove to school in this morning:

Almost more snow on the road than any other time this past winter!

Pretty, though!

This is also what I saw out the window at school all day.
It is also what I saw while driving from school to Elmira to tour MCC's mobile meat canner.

When I got home, a mere three hours later,  from spending time with John & Michelle (after the tour) it looked like this:

Blue skies, sun shining, green grass...

And this is what it looked like as I drove to Elora:

Still blue skies & green grass (slightly masked by my dirty car window...)

Spring is here!

Life

Blogging is lacking lately.

I'm enjoying a busy life that makes me wish for more time to do a few things:

1. Blog Bruce Peninsula pictures (coming!)
2. Blog more
3. Journal more
4. Paint
5. Cook at home
6. Catch up on marking
7. Update my pages (Devotion tab)
8. Start the Bookery (aren't you curious now?)

Soon.....!? Hopefully.

Capturing Memories

Lately, I've had flits of memories.

As a child, I lived in Bookland. I would read and read and read. And those books and stories captivated me. I would live inside the walls of a house right along with Arietty and her parents. And then I'd take the new ideas into the lives my paper dolls lived when I wasn't reading. I'd solve mysteries right along with the Bobbsey Twins & Trixie Belden. I'd climb up a tree and get into trouble with the toys in Enid Blyton's fairytales. And then recreate that world as much as possible in the myriad forts made with my siblings and friends.

I loved imagination. I loved the innocence of the old stories.

1. What Katy Did - the series. (Susan Coolidge)
2. The Faraway Tree, etc. (Enid Blyton)
3. Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore. (Laura Lee Hope)
4. The Borrowers. (Mary Norton)
5. Kilmeny of the Orchard and others. (Lucy Maud Montgomery)
6. Little Women and the rest (Louisa May Alcott)
7. A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L'Engle)
8. James and the Giant Peach (Roald Dahl)
9. Misty of Chincoteague (Marguerite Henry)
10. Mary Poppins - the series (P.L. Travers)
11. ...this is by NO means an exhaustive list! But it's a good place to start if you want to kick-start imagination.

You lose that chance to enjoy innocence & book imagination as an adult, when reality sets in. When the books for your age group change.

And yet, because my love for the imaginings of my childhood still sneak through...I sneak in a read of one of the old books every so often.

And, lately, I've been paying more attention to what I love (not who I love - that I've always paid attention to.) And I find that the Emily inside me who loved the old books, is the Emily who still captures those fleeting memories in choices today.

For example, some things I love:

• whimsical designs
• deep yellows and bright, bold off-shades of green
• curved lines & blue glass
• antiques
• vintage furniture
• twigs & branches, driftwood, grasses, neutral-toned shells
• browns & grays
• frames & pictures
• books

I think I capture memories in the clothes and shoes and household items that I now choose for myself. I like that.

And, I really hope that someday, my children can create their own memories through reading & games and imagination. Here's to hoping the internet & other, similar forms of media don't creep in & take over...

Tales from the South: Trail Clean-Up

Every Wednesday morning that Faithworks spends with SWAP in Kentucky, we clean up Little Shepherd Trail.
It's our way of giving back to the community that hosts us.

And every year lends us some interesting finds.
Some years it's diapers, others its undies.
We find skulls & dead animals.
There's car parts and home reno remains.
And always the usual cans & bottles.

And, we always have fun!

A gorgeous morning: view from the top of Margot's driveway

Someone dumped their shed? We can take care of that...

...Step 1: get it off the hill & on the road. Step 2: get it off the road & on the truck...

Ta-da! Good work, group!

Clean-up crew '1' at the bus, with Bec holding evidence of where the goats went to...

They used their muscles, yes they did! Showing off this year's haul.

How many people can we fit in one truck!? You better believe the truck complained about it. Loudly.

Cause # 4: ARPA

Political Science. Something I never imagined I'd be interested in, let alone thought I'd major in.

Right up to my first semester of uni, when I HAD to take first-year poli sci, as it was the only course available in the time period I needed. I was dreading it. I'd hated civics in grade ten; politics was boring.

And then I started the course. By the end of the year, I declared my majors: History ( a subject I'd also hated at one point) and Political Science.

Now I teach grade ten civics - and I'm attempting to make it somewhat more interesting than it was when I took it. Quite the feat, as the textbook we are using is the one that was already not-quite-current when I used it in grade ten.....

I do love to use the website of the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA.)

Check them out! They are not asking for money, but for prayer. And, for you to GET INVOLVED! They make involvement easy, and: it's your God-given responsibility! Not mention a right of all Canadians.

Do it!

Oh, and politics isn't boring at all.

First Paddle of the Season!

Easter weekend was the perfect chance for Ed & I to take out our kayaks for the first time. We were joined by Joel, Etta & Shaun in the two kayaks Etta brought along.

Saturday morning was sunny, just a wee bit breezy, and perfect for a paddle! The water wasn't even that cold, amazingly.

My boat! See the others way off in the distance?

Ed enjoying his boat

Yay, my boat!

On-water group :)

Everybody and/or their kayak is in this one. Can you spot them all?

Stopping on a little island

Love this girl :)

:)

My kayak up on a sandbar

Warm enough to wade around & enjoy it!

No paddler :)

An Easter Holiday

Here I am.
I'm smelly (like smoke & a beginning-of-season cottage) and itchy and my hair is limp and tangled and, let's face it: disgusting.
But, I'm also rested, relaxed, and so glad to have spent the celebration of my Lord's death and resurrection with a good group of friends (old & new) in the midst of yet another part of God's glorious creation.

Here's a summary of our holiday:

Friday:

1. Shaun, Joel, Kim, Sandra & Ed arrive at mine & help pack my stuff into our two vehicles.
2. Stop at Reinink's to pick up Etta; help her put two kayaks on her car.
3. Try out Lambert's new creation: the dune buggy. (It just brings tears to your eyes, it's so wonderful.)
4. Get to the cottage by dinner time. Unpack. Heat the place.
5. Eat Joel's spaghetti dinner.
6. Walk down to the beach to watch the sun set.
7. Chill in the living room, play Apples to Apples (I win! I'm refined, poplar, stunning, misunderstood & something else...apparently.)
8. Bedtime, in the loft for me & Etta :D

Saturday:

1. Lazy sleep-in
2. Omelette breakfast by Ed.
3. Morning kayak to the islands with Ed, Shaun, Etta & Joel (Ed & I try out our kayaks for the first time!)
4. Lunch; Mike, Lambert & Sharlene arrive
5. Hike at Bruce Peninsula National Park( a separate post on it's own!)
6. Burgers for dinner - Etta's meal.
7. Campfire on the beach
8. Euchre
9. Showers
10. Sleep time!

Sunday:

1.  Up early; pancake breakfast by Shaun
2. To church in Owen Sound
3. Lunch @ Reinink's
4. To church in Owen Sound
5. Back to the cottage
6. Bring out Ed's Aussie-rules footie; play at the beach (I waded to the sand bars in my wellies)
7. Eat Kim's delicious dinner
8. Say goodbye to Etta :(
9. Hang out inside, take naps & crash.

Monday:

1. Sleep in; Eat bacon cooked by Sandra.
2. Take a nap
3. Do devos with Ed
4. Walk to the beach to find the others; they're not there (yet) so we chill & enjoy the beautiful weather
5. Leftovers for lunch; pack up & clean
6. Drop Etta's forgottens off at Reinink's
7. Nap in the van.
8. Drop me off. Get weekend pics from Sandra & Kim
9. Change facebook cover photo & profile picture.
10. Shop for jelly-beans. Walmart has none.
11. Procrastinate on report cards by blogging...

Now I'm going to shower. This will be edited with pictures soon. For now: it is being posted as-is.

Tales from the South: Ziplining!!

I feel like I'm going through blog-withdrawal. Just one messy blog last week :(  (and "Dreaming.")

I have so much to share that rarely do I get to share it all.

But this, this is something I don't want to forget: zip-lining! Something I never even knew I wanted to do.

I had thoughts of being nervous about it. Then I did it. And now I realise why the nerves never went further than just thought. It is FUN! And not at all scary. And, just happened that is was a beautiful, gorgeous, 30 degree day!

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Gerb coming in perfectly on the practise run

They brought us up the mountain in the back of a truck

:)

Le zipping along like a pro

Emily W's turn! Notice the tiny people waiting at the other end?