Friday, August 14, 2015

Connecting
















After a day of ups and downs on Wednesday, I sat and reflected on what had happened, and what I could do about it. It was during this reflection that I realized that Reece and I have not been into nature, on our own, for a few weeks. We have spent a lot of time in nature this summer, but always with friends. We love our time in nature with friends, we really do, but we also love our time together, just the two of us.

So, with that realization, the two of us headed to one of our favourite trails yesterday to soak up time together, within the embrace of Mother Nature.

As we stepped onto the trail we were greeted by monarchs! A big deal considering the last few years we haven't seen very many. We counted ten on our hike, and even managed to snap photos of a few of them. We meandered along the trail, holding hands and chatting. Reece was interested in milkweed pods and stopped often to collect some. I was spying the red clover, yarrow, and jewelweed, making a mental note to stop on the way back to collect some for medicine making.

The reason this trail is one of our favourites is because it ends at Lake Ontario. There is something about being by the water that makes everything okay in the world. We sat on the rocks, enjoyed a snack, and let the sound of crashing waves sooth our souls. We spied a sunflower growing out of the rocks on the shore. We each took a turn guessing how a sunflower seed might have got there. Reece was thinking chipmunks, I was thinking birds. However it got there, it certainly is a sign of nature's resiliency.... a sunflower growing on a rocky shore, reaching its way to the sun, surviving the rush of water, and the many creatures that frequent the shore. A pretty amazing find.

We walked back through the meadow, collecting herbs, watching monarchs and dragonflies, and taking deep breathes. We ran into an older couple interested in our activities, and shared a conversation, trail side, with them, before making our way back to the car, calm, grounded and connected.

It's funny how something as simple as missing our mama/son hikes for a few weeks can affect us. Having a few less than stellar moments on my mothering journey on Wednesday made me take the time to reflect, to make sense of those moments, and to realize just what the two of us were missing.

34 comments:

  1. I love your way of connecting together. Pure joy.

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    1. Mother Nature really provides the perfect back drop to connect to our little ones, and to ourselves :)

      Thank you my friend. xo

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  2. Nature is definitely the best place to reconnect. I'm glad to hear that you and Reece found some alone time together !!! Have a great weekend Kim

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    1. It is! Thanks Erica. So happy I was able to pinpoint pretty quickly what we both needed, now we can have a great weekend :)

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  3. I like the term "less than stellar moments" - I think we all have them. Glad you were able to figure out what you both needed and had such a nice time together. Funny, when I saw the picture of the sunflower, my first thoughts were "wonder how that got there".

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    1. Yes, I think we all do, and I try to use them to guide me, because I know when we have them that something isn't right. So happy my reflections brought me to this realization, and we were able to head into nature the very next day for healing and connecting.

      Exactly what Reece and I said to each other, almost at the same time, when we saw it. I still say birds :)

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  4. I'm glad you had a chance for some mama/son time Kim, I understand your feelings completely. And a big yes, there is something about water that makes everything okay in the world. My Mike knows when I am down or upset to take me to the beach and my soul is healed, I can't explain it, I just accept it.
    Enjoy a most beautiful weekend my friend.

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    1. Thank you Tracey. It is hard to explain how and why the water is so soothing, but it is. Someone once said to me that they wonder if it has to do with the fact that we spend our first nine months of life floating in water, and because of that we always find being by the water soothing. Not sure if there is any truth to that, but it certainly makes sense.

      Wishing you a beautiful weekend too Tracey. xo

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  5. I'm glad you quickly figured out the solution to what ailed you. Nature and being in it seems to solve a world of problems for me. My husband is in a stressful job these days and I know our walks and talking take away those worries and give him peace. I feel better too. I haven't seen a monarch yet this year.

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    1. It does the same for both Reece and I too Karen, and yesterday it helped to ground us both, and connect us to each other, ourselves and nature. It was a wonderful morning wrapped in the arms of Mother Nature.

      No monarchs yet...that makes me sad. I do hope you see some soon. We were pretty excited to see so many yesterday, and over the last few weeks we have had quite a few around the yard. Fingers crossed they will visit you soon.

      Enjoy your weekend.

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  6. Looks like a fantastic place to walk and reconnect...and hurrah for monarchs! Hope the rest of your week and weekend goes smoothly. Parenting ups and downs can be exhausting.

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    1. It is a beautiful spot, not only from a nature perspective, but it also holds quite a bit of history as it was once a landing spot for early pioneers.

      Yes, we were so excited to see so many monarchs. I just hope this means things are looking up for them.

      You know, I think I was quick to reflect this time, and caught it before things got out of hand, and our moods carried over from day to day. We are back in our happy place, and that is good news going into the weekend :)

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    2. Good news on the parenting front (I had to send my teenager away to stay with friends for a few days to dissipate some household tension!). And some cautious good news on the monarch front here: http://monarchwatch.org/blog/2015/08/06/monarch-population-status-25/.

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    3. Oh no! I guess it is good though as they get older that we can give ourselves and them some space. Hope things are better now. xo

      Oh wow! Thanks for that link, that is awesome news. Let's hope it continues.

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  7. I have tears in my eyes from reading this post. We have been having less then stellar moments here for about a week now and I'm at my wits end on what can be done. But your words made me realize that I haven't taken quality one on one time with Ree in weeks. And that is something that I know she needs. Each time we do it she always comments on how special it is that it is just the two of us, that she loves her sister but sometimes she wants just momma time. I am going to start scheduling at least one night/weekend day a month for this. It is so important. Thank you for this post Kim. Such beautiful pictures too. I am so glad you and Reece were able to reconnect together out in nature <3

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    1. Aw, Jen, I am so sorry. It is hard isn't it? And even harder when we can't pinpoint just what might be causing us and our little ones to clash. I am so happy that my experience this week, and this post, helped you reflect and see just what you and Ree need. I am sure your mama/daughter dates will be a wonderful time for the two of you to connect to each other.

      Even though Reece is an only child, I find time alone with each parent is so good for him. "Little dates" we like to call them, to connect to one parent. They are always simple dates, nothing that usually costs money, but they do us all the world of good.

      You are most welcome, happy it brought some clarity for you. And thank you, we had the most wonderful time yesterday, and it totally put us back on track, and for that I am so very grateful.

      Enjoy your weekend Jen. xo

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  8. How nice that it was an easy enough fix.

    Water is such good thing. We are trying to figure out away to visit a big body of water here soon. My husband who is italian says he might die if he doesn't get to the beach this year. Italians think smelling the salt air of the ocean is necessary to life. :)

    I love that sunflower too.

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    1. Yes, for sure. We just needed time to connect, just the two of us. It was perfect, and has gotten us back on track quickly.

      Yes, as a Pisces, water has such a strong pull for me. I hope you guys find your way to the ocean this summer. I agree with your hubby, that salt air is necessary for life :)

      That sunflower was so cool. Definitely a highlight of the day.

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  9. i feel entirely the same lately, although it's become a weekly vitamin for me (to get to the water), to help stay grounded and connected to myself. i'm sure having his mama time is the very best medicine of all, you two are so sweet. hope you are feeling better today and recharged. i finally got a little mail out to you yesterday, so hopefully it will get to you soon. have a wonderful weekend. xo

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    1. It has such a strong pull doesn't it. I have been lucky to get to the water almost weekly this summer, and it has been wonderful.

      Yes, the very best medicine, for both of us. Aw, thank you.

      Feeling much better today, and Reece and I are back on track. I have Mother Nature to thank for that :)

      That is great to hear, I will keep an eye out for it. Hope you guys have a wonderful weekend too. xo

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  10. How lucky you both are that you can step back and find this healing balm after a "less than stellar" day. And that you have the space to do what you need to do when you have found it! For me and mine it's the general "Mama Date," that balances out the struggles of family life. Going anywhere just one on one with Mama or Papa is a big deal and it allows us the easy time to just be together without the busy-ness of lots of siblings competing for attention.

    It's so true about everything being okay when we are near water. Here, for us, it is being in the mountains. Not the same as water, but still good.

    Wonderful weekend to you, dear friend! xo

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    1. We are very lucky indeed, and I am grateful each day that our life allows us the space to step into nature as we need to.

      It is amazing what a little one on one time can do, eh? I find it is good for Reece too, and he doesn't have any siblings.

      I hear you on the mountains. We don't have them here, but every time I visit the Canadian Rockies, I feel the same way. There is something so soothing about both the water and the mountains.

      Thank you, I hope you guys enjoyed your weekend. xo

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  11. I'm glad you were able to put your finger on it and make it better. That's the sign of a thoughtful, attentive and attached mama.

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    1. Thank you Jennifer, for those sweet, kind words. xo

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  12. HI Kim
    Just been talking a little time and catching up on what you've been up to! Your hike looks so beautiful and Lake Ontario seems so big! Love that third sunflower photo - it looks like it has just tuned to smile for the camera.
    Happy to hear that the two of you had such a good time!

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    1. Hello there my friend! So glad you are catching up. Hope you are well, and enjoying life in your part of the world.

      Thank you, we had a lovely hike, and yes Lake Ontario is huge! We love having it so close by. It is a special place for sure.

      That sunflower was pretty special.

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  13. We are actually on a little mommy - daughter getaway. Few days away just she and I. For the very same reasons. Just need to connect. And get away from the busy-ness!

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    1. Aw, that is wonderful. So happy you could find the time for a little retreat, just the two of you, to reconnect. Soak up the time together.

      Sending you both lots of love and big hugs. xo

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  14. Oh those ups and downs... something must have been in the air this week.
    I'm glad you guys were able to find yourselves. My kiddos get like that. They start craving alone time with mama. It's a delicate balance, but nature always helps.

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    1. Ha, maybe :)

      Nature is my go to, and many people find that strange, but without a doubt, I find healing and solace there every. single. time.

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  15. I miss our mamma son nature walks as well. Panda is feeling the strain. He goes out every night with Bear, but since getting stuck on bedrest our days just keep getting more and more wild and stress filled. Not long now.I hope we can get out this fall, just the two of us before the cold weather sinks its teeth in.

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    1. Oh, I bet you do. I hope that maybe soon you can get another one in. Hang in there my friend, and I will keep you in my thoughts. xo

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  16. Getting outside and especially somewhere like that could be the cure for most downs of any kind I think. How amazing to find the sunflower there, and I wonder whether next year there will be multiple sunflowers there now, please remember to check for us!

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    1. I think so too. It really is the best place to find healing of any kind. Yes, we were pretty amazed. We have been back since, and the tide has come in and taken away the big one. Still a little one left, we shall see how it makes out. We will definitely check in on it next year.

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