Friday, August 31, 2012

{This Moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Inspired by Soulemama.


Thursday, August 30, 2012

A Powerful Statement



“Create the world you want to see.”

This was on a bumper sticker I saw while attending the Peterborough Folk Festival this past weekend. 

I read it, read it again and then again.

Then I said wow!

This is a powerful statement.

Let’s say it again:

“Create the world you want to see.”


We live in a world of plenty. 
Of both wants and needs met. 
And yet many of us are unhappy. 
Many of us are searching for more.

When I read this quote it hit me how easy it is to be happy, 
to live the life you want, 
to wake up every morning with appreciation and gratitude 
for what we experience, have and receive from each other and this planet.

We are the creator of our days, our weeks, our years. 
We have control over the choices we make. 
We can stop searching. 
We can and do create our world. 


I pondered this quote. 
I thought about the world I want to see. 
I thought about the world I create. 
I reflected on where I have been and how far I have come. 
I put down on paper the world I want to see...a world filled with love, trust, gratitude and joy. 
A world filled with understanding and compassion, honesty and forgiveness. 
A world where we live in harmony with this earth, close to her and supporting her. 
A world where we value the wonderful gifts we receive from the land, enjoying and sharing them. 
A world where we come together as one to celebrate, to cry, to give thanks, to grow, 
to learn, to change and to be who we really are.


I will “create the world I want to see” by living the above. 
What I put out there I receive back and in return the world I want to see is created.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Yarn Along


With Reece tucked into the sleeping bag every night by 7:30pm last week while we were away, I found myself filling the evening hours with knitting and reading, two things I love to do. I finished up another Milo and started working on Milo number six, this one extra special because it is for my little man. It will be a Christmas present and will definitely take a little longer than the little baby ones to knit up.

I also took a little go at using double pointed needles and knitted up a little bowl and then felted it. To say I am pleased with the results is an understatement, I love it. I will knit up a few more of these for the holiday season to be filled with homemade goodies - soap, body butter and lip balm, for friends.

On the reading front, I am sticking with some required reading for my doula training right now with The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin. It is a great book and will be a wonderful resource for me as I embark on my doula journey.

What are you knitting and reading this week?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Linking up with Nicole at Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm Craft On

Linking up with Ginny at Small Things for Yarn Along.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Through His Eyes


One of the amazing things about becoming a mother has been witnessing life through my little man’s eyes. This world and everything in it takes on a whole new view when seen through his eyes.

We have been home for a few days now and I am really enjoying Reece’s take on the week. It is amazing to hear him talk about the week we shared at the Art of Mentoring and the things he did. Every once in a while he will begin to tell Justin another little bit about the week and I stand back, listening as he recalls some of his favourite moments of the week. 

:: The fun of tracking a deer on a hike with mom



:: Collecting flowers for Woodland Wonder

 

:: Playing in the forest



:: Singing songs



:: Climbing big hills



:: The swing



:: Building with friends



:: Hanging out in the tree



:: Camping in our little community of tents


The time we spent at the Art of Mentoring last week was amazing for both of us, but now looking back through his eyes I see how much the week truly meant to him. He loved it and I am so very grateful we had the opportunity to attend.

Monday, August 27, 2012

I'm Back!

I am back!

Reece and I spent a lovely week at the beautiful Mansfield Outdoor Center at the Art of Mentoring Camp. I set off for this week with very high expectations of gaining some inspiration and tools to help further enhance the nature connection journey Reece and I are on together and to share a week long journey with a community of like minded people.

I will admit, I am a little disappointed in some aspects of the week, but I am choosing not to dwell on those. By focusing on the things that didn’t meet my expectations I would forget about the wonderful and truly amazing moments of the week, and there are so many.

So today I choose to share with you some of those moments from the week. These are moments I will never forget. Moments that touched me deeply and have left a mark on my soul that will continue to inspire me for years to come.

:: Gratitude circles, coming together before every meal, three times a day to sing, share and give thanks. There is a powerful feeling when 140 like minded people come together in nature to show appreciation for each other and Mother Earth.

:: Opening campfire of the week started with a bow drill, while we sang together to bring the fire to life. This was a magical moment I will never forget. When I close my eyes I can still see this moment clearly and my soul tingles when I think about it.

:: Rising with the sun each morning, and a lovely quiet tune played be our mentors as they quietly walked around our camp community to wake us from our slumber.

:: The most amazing space created by our mentors Nicole, Kate, Kathleen and Krista for our Oaks and Acorns program. This space, known as Woodland Wonder, was the place where we would gather, play, share and talk. It was our special place for the week and provided hours of fun for all of us.

:: The simple moment of taking a breath and sprinkling some flowers on the ground before entering our Woodland Wonder space.

:: Watching Reece explore and take on new challenges.

:: Witnessing the magic of new friendships between my little man and some of the boys in the program...this was a highlight of my week.

:: Enjoying an hour of mama time while the Owls (the oldest mentors in the Art of Mentoring program) played games and entertained our little Acorns...this was a wonderful opportunity for us mamas to gather in a circle and share our experiences. And what I said last week in this post is right, we are all connected on this journey it doesn’t matter what path you are on.

:: Listening to a wise man speak and being inspired by his words and his life. Thank you Jon Young.

:: Being reminded by Jon “to teach by asking questions”. This is a simple, yet extraordinary way to expand the world for my little man.

:: Enjoying a gift from a lovely young lady, clay from Martha’s Vineyard. She shared stories from the past with us about the clay and then showed us how to pound it into a powder and make clay. It was an amazing afternoon that finished with us moms in clay facial masks – it was divine.

:: Seeing this quote everywhere “Be more. Need less.”

:: Meeting new people, making new friends and enlarging my community.

These are some of the wonderful moments I will remember from my week at the Art of Mentoring. It was a very special week in so many ways and it will forever bring a smile to my face when I remember it.

Some pictures from our week:

The lovely arch way guiding us into Woodland Wonder

A basket of flowers, take a deep breath and sprinkle some on the path before you enter

Inside Woodland Wonder

A space we shared together for the week...

Places to hide...

Places to build...

And places to come together as a community.

Fun in the shade on a sunny afternoon

There is pure joy in finding animal tracks

Exploring

Listening and learning from Alexis

It was amazing to watch this friendship develop

One of our mentors Nicole teaching us how to us a bow drill

I'm up here mom!

Scaling new heights

The power, magic and strength of like minded community coming together in song

Boys and trees = fun!

Smashing our lovely gift of clay rock

Reece loved this

Adding water to make the clay

And this sums up our week perfectly...


Monday, August 20, 2012

We're Off!

  
“Deep in all of our roots, there are stories of our ancestors living in healthy, regenerative communities—villages where people of all ages were in deep relationship with the land, each other, and themselves. The Art of Mentoring is a week-long, experiential, nature based program designed to help us remember these old ways and learn to apply them to our modern communities.

Yes, It takes a Village to raise a child. It also takes a Village to:
  • Engage the gifts of our elders
  • Create essential rites of passage for our teens
  • Ensure parents are supported and thriving
  • Welcome our babies into a world of open arms
  • Feel deep compassion and gratitude for All of Our Relations
  • Understand your gifts and how to apply them in service to the people

Guided by a team of experienced leaders and facilitators from around the world, Art of Mentoring participants come together to experience, learn from and co-create a joyful, engaged learning community. You will walk away with tools and embodied practices of regenerative community design, mentoring techniques, deep nature connection, and an amplified passion for learning. Our hope is to activate and inspire you to create healthy communities right in your own back yard!

The course is taught through group experiential activities, lectures, storytelling, and music. We will be both indoors and outside exploring in the field.”
 

I will be off line all week while Reece and I attend this wonderful and inspiring week 
at the Art of Mentoring. I look forward to sharing our experience with you when we return. 

Wishing you a lovely week.




Saturday, August 18, 2012

Happy Weekending


“Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. 
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. 
Let your soul take you where you long to be...
Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, 
and you'll live as you've never lived before.”
~  Erich Fromm ~

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Friday, August 17, 2012

{This Moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Inspired by Soulemama.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

We Are Connected



I walk a path each day of my choosing. 
My journey as a Mother is mine.

You walk a path each day of your choosing. 
Your journey as a Mother is yours.

We may walk a different path.

Our journey may be different.

But we are connected.


Connected by the love we feel for the little beings we call our son or daughter.

Connected by the smile that graces our face when our little one brings joy into our day.

Connected by the happiness that fills and warms our hearts.

Connected by the challenges being a Mother has forced us to face.


It does not matter the path you choose, we are connected. We are Mothers. It is a truly extraordinary gift we share.

We must stand together despite our differences. 

We must support each other, embrace each other and let go of judgement.

Our children are the future and how we treat each other is a reflection of how they will treat each other, today and in the future.

Let's stand united on this journey of Mothering despite our different paths.

This journey of Motherhood has connected us...like it or not.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Yarn Along


I am working on Milo number five and it is going well. I decided to knit another one up in this lovely brownish coloured yarn. It was my favourite of all the Milos I have knit so far and I just had to do another one.

The reading has been a little slow this week, I spent most of the weekend in the kitchen canning, and when I wasn't canning I was making salves and knitting. Oh and I had my little man running around at my feet. Good times it was. So a little bit of doula reading to keep me going on my studies and that is it.

What are you knitting and reading this week?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Linking up with Nicole at Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm Craft On

Linking up with Ginny at Small Things for Yarn Along.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Seven Things

Thankful. Smiling. Laughing. Appreciating. Adoring.
 
Loving. Holding. Remembering. Sharing. 

Here are seven little things that I'm loving today.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


Harry....our rooster



And his hens



The connection between my little man and "his" hen, Cloudy



A clean, simplified office space



A pantry slowing getting filled with the summer harvest to enjoy all winter long



Our growing collection of snail shells



Reece's first rainbow



What simple little things are you loving today?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Linking up with Lisa at Little Coffee Beans for Seven Things