Running with Gratefulness

Do you ever have those cliche moments when you just find your momentum?  Your groove?  Your energy?

Today I went for a run with our dog, Suma, and found myself floating on air because of gratefulness.  I was thanking the Universe for my legs, my muscles, my heart pumping blood, my lungs breathing fresh clean air.  The things I take for granted.  With the gratitude in my heart, I crossed over the creek on the  pedestrian bridge and looked down at Suma.  She was grinning ear to ear.  Anyone who knows Suma, knows this particular smile.  She was grateful too.  Grateful for her legs, her lungs, her heart, and for me.  She looked up knowingly at me as if to say "You rock, mom! Thanks for bringing me and picking up my poop with your tiny Teaopia bag."  I said the same with my heart to her - except for the poop part.  One day, we won't run together anymore.  Sooner for her, sadly.  As we met up with Burlington's best looking willow (.No, silly.  Not me!) the air smelled of a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies.  Thank goodness I live in a safe neighbourhood where fellow exercisers greet me with a smile and the wholesomeness of the neighbourhood was encapsulated in the aroma of those chocolate chip cookies. mmmm. grateful

signed, the willow

Warm and Cozy

For us, the weather is just beginning to get chilly.  Warm and cozy here I come!



I think I might be able to swing this blankie.  How great would that look on my bed?  With a dog sleeping on top of it, of course.

Source: eismandesign.com via Val on Pinterest

No animal deserves to die and be mounted on a wall.  Instead, knit a deer friend for your wall!

Source: azcentral.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

I don't knit, but if I did I think I'd like to make this large knit throw.  I'd probably be able to whip it up in about a day....or not?

Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Tanya on Pinterest

Love this hat.

Source: krentu.blogspot.com via Joyce on Pinterest

I'm imagining these to be cruelty free boots.  There's no reason why not.  They'd surely fit over my calf muscles with those laces.

Source: google.com via Joyce on Pinterest

signed, the willow

I'm married to a Griswold

Yes, I know there aren't that many lights.  But, when goes to Canadian Tire thrice each weekend day for more lights and starts chatting up the neighbour about his lights.  The neighbour puts out lights, Clark Griswold puts out lights.  The neighbour puts out more lights, Clark puts out more lights.  And it keeps going on and on and on.

signed, the willow

Birthday Wish

This year for my birthday, I wish for world peace and for maternal health throughout the world.  All women deserve their god-given right to nurture and love their babies.

And all women deserve to gain some weight, put some fat on their breasts, hips, to feed their babies.  Yeah.  We've had our chances to be young, slim, pretty.  Now we need to have fat on our waistlines to hold our children and watch our daughters be young, beautiful and give them the confidence we have now - you know, the confidence we didn't have then.

and yes, I made the latte.  And then I drank it.  With that little baby in it.

signed, the willow

Favourite Snack

One of my most favourite snacks is my Salmon Cracker Fight Club.


Take some crackers
 Brown Rice Crackers with Black Sesame Seeds
or
 34 degree Rosemary Crispbread

Take some cheese
 Havarti - Jalapeno!

A little spice
 Spicy Spinach Dip

No Fight Club Salmon Cracker snack would be complete without 

 Smoked Salmon

 Top it off with something sweet

 Red Pepper Jelly

This was my late night dinner on Saturday night.  For the Moms that needed booze, I needed booze too.  First I needed this food.  Then I passed out.

signed, the willow

Birthday Suits

signed, the willow

Back to Work

My challenge this week has been to balance a new work life with home life.  Working full time for someone else hasn't happened for 8 years for me.  So, it's a bit of a stretch for me.

First, I'm tired.

Second, there's no time to exercise. Or, if there is, I'm sleeping due to the point above.

Third, I miss my little girl and feel like the few precious moments in the evening are spent demanding her to do things.

Fourth, I feel guilty because everyone has made accommodations so that I can work.

Fifth, I feel squeezed, incapable, and fragile.  I'm new at this, so I know that it will get better and no day will be easy or perfect.

signed, the willow

Bridge Dreams

It's funny because *Mila* and I decided to talk about dreams.  Oddly enough we have both dreamed that Mr. Weatherbee, from Archie comics, is a serial killer.  I know it sounds hilarious.  But it's not.  Why is there something so strangely creepy about Mr. Weatherbee?

Then we started to discuss a common dream we both have:  Driving over bridges with our fathers; Driving through water with our fathers.  We want them to rescue us, but quite often we have to drive through the puddles, get a little wet, even muddy sometimes.  So, why do we both have these dreams?  I think I may have already answered this question.  We encounter "puddles" and obstacles in life.  We find bridges to cross, cars to cross the puddles in.  Sometimes we get wet.  Sometimes we make mistakes.  Sometimes we are just plain scared.  So, who better to protect us than our dads.

I'm a grown woman and yet, I still need the comfort to know that my dad will carry me through some "puddles" in life.  I also find it very comforting that my daughter finds comfort with my husband, *Steve*, her dad.

As for Mr. Weatherbee....stay tuned.

signed, the willow

A Tree under the Sea

This year I've decided to do an Under the Sea Christmas Tree theme.

*Mila* said she'd make the Dolphin topper.  I'm making some blue whale ornaments from papier mache.  We're thinking of some other things to add to the tree, like:

some coral?

Source: zgallerie.com via Pinner on Pinterest

Instead of Gingerbread men and ladies, starfish sugar cookies

Source: cutestfood.com via The Sugar Tree on Pinterest

Source:  starfish garland  via brassbinnacle

perhaps a paper mache kraken?

Source: anthropologie.com via Teri on Pinterest

how can we take this from a necklace and turn it into a seaweed garland?

Source:  Vynn's Ravelings on etsy

I had trouble choosing on Petit Pan to pick which lamps to hang on the tree (seahorse? whale? sea tortoise? fishies?)

Source:  Seahorse lamp via Petit Pan

Et toi?  What are your theme ideas for your tree this year?  Or are you opting for the traditional choice?

signed, the willow

Shop with a purpose

Shop with a purpose by kikiwillow featuring suede booties

signed, the willow

As the Lancaster flew overhead today

As the Lancaster flew overhead today, it's hard not to think of how awful it must have been to hear that your son, brother, uncle, grandson, brother-in-law had died in one of those bombers.

We shouldn't have to fight wars.  There should always be peace.  It's a god-given right on this planet.  How fortunate we are to be born in a peaceful country with a peaceful environment and peaceful surroundings.  We concern ourselves with the toxicity of our toys, food, and pleasures.  We have pleasures.  Too many of us are born into this world with angst, fear, war, and starvation.  

War doesn't just affect the men and women fighting for their comrades and freedom.  War saddened the families left behind....for generations.

signed, the willow

Heroes

My great-grandfather who fought for this country (all 5'3" of him) even though he was British.  He moved his family to Canada to serve for Lord Strathcona's Horse.  He survived the Boer War and moved his family back to England.  My grandmother was born in Canada during his term with LSH.  She later moved to England with her family and subsequently back to Canada when she had a family.

My grandfather's baby brother served with the RCAF and flew for Canada from 1941-1943 until his Lancaster plane was shot down over Germany in early 1943.  He was 27 when he died and never met my father, who inherited the same first name.

Who do you remember this Remembrance Day?

signed, the willow

Fragmented

I'm feeling full, heavy, weighted and somehow fragmented.

What do you reach out for when you feel like this?  Do you find yourself feeling like this?

I reached out for:


source:  healthyhabitsaustralia.com.au

I get a real good burst of stable energy from the good old Venga, but even today I felt a little tired, blue, upset, disappointed, and hurt.  While life is good, there are challenges deep under the surface.  Let's just leave it at that.

signed, the willow

Are you tired of the markets?

Is it just me or we all getting a little tired of seeing this?


source:  marketwatch.com


I don't claim to be an expert on the markets, but I have to say, we're all getting a little crazy with all the debt in this world. Which brings me to this.  If all sorts of developed countries are in debt and need bailouts, then why can't we just print a whole bunch of money and share it.  Get everyone out of their messes, poverty, hunger, disease and clean up this world.  Why do we have to have so many rules for our planet's economy? But we have such little concern for our problems.  If money can solve the problems, then why can't countries just print a little more and get themselves on track?  Why?  Tell me why?  Does it boil down to fear and greed?  Yeah, I thought so.

signed, the willow

Oddly Quiet

Tonight (because it's so dark out) This Afternoon the house is oddly quiet.  It's never this quiet.  *Mila* is quietly drawing, colouring, writing, and I'm typing with the tv on mute.  It's nice.  I love being together just doing all sorts of quiet things.

Next week, this will change.  We're taking a turn in our lives.  The only one sacrificing will be *Mila*.  For the past 7 years, I've been there to pick her up from school and take care of her every need.  For 7 years.  Some mothers have been working since their babies were 7 months old, or even 7 weeks old.  We've been lucky and we've tried to provide her with the best push start into the world that we could.  But it's my turn to contribute and make up for lost time lost dollars.

It will be fine.  Tell me it will be okay.

signed, the willow

Take me away to Glastonbury

I'm in absolute heaven with these wonderful people.  I want to be around them, creating magic with them.  Heck, I want to be them!



Welcome to the House of Fairytales from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.


signed, the willow

A drive on the Etsy highway

Today I felt like a scenic drive.... on Etsy.


First, we need a ride.

source:  blackbirdletterpress on etsy


Look out the window, we're all passengers.  Say goodbye to the hydro lines of the city.

source:  blackbirdletterpress on etsy



maybe we'll stop at a roadside diner somewhere.  which one?

source:  elukka on etsy



I think I'll be needing this hat for the ride.

source:  buygail on etsy


Finally, a little road trip freshen up to "blow the stink off" as my mum would say.

source:  signal mountain on etsy


signed, the willow

Love to Run

Love to Run by kikiwillow featuring star shoes

:)

Freshwater salmon

First of many chickadees

Shortly after this photo was taken, Suma had her back legs fall off the boardwalk and narrowly escape death.

The rather mangy and scruffy, but elusive cardinal

signed, the willow