inspired....

Hello friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. The weather here took an interesting turn - wind storms, a heavy dousing of much needed rain and a plethora of power outages (ours was out for 24 hours). It kind of feels like the door just slammed shut on Summer. Ba-bye! Even though I have been out of school forever awhile....the arrival of September still stirs up a fundamental shift in me - where I want to stock up on stationary(fact), sign up for classes, and expand my learning. This weekend with power outages stretching across the province, our plans shifted, and we stayed closer to home. The outage was actually a blessing in disguise - we went out for a cozy dinner, and my hubby and I stayed up, drinking wine by candlelight and talking for hours, which made me realize, that we need to cut the power more often.
I have had a tremendous summer - full of mini adventures and wonderful time spent with friends & family - plus, the never ending sunshine that demanded we savour the outdoors as much as possible. But there is something thoughtful about the fall isn't there? It makes you feel inspired to cozy up and read more, to catch up fireside with friends, to wrap yourself in your favourite sweater and kick up leaves in your best worn boots. I'm looking forward to dedicating more time to this blog again. I've been picking up my camera more regularly, and feel a surge of creative inspiration. I've been passionately setting up our new home, trying more DIY projects, exploring new recipes and writing again. I'm so excited to be back in this space, sharing new discoveries with you. Do you feel like there's a shift happening, both externally and internally, as the seasons start to change?
I'll keep this brief because it's getting quite late, but I just wanted to pop in to say hi. I've got a list of things I look forward to writing about, so I shall be seeing you soon! Sweet dreams loves! xoxo

Our first Bowyer Island family boondoggle....

Hello friends! How is your Summer going? Can you believe how quickly it is flying by? We just spent a lovely weekend away with our relatives. Do you do family getaways with your extended family? I can't tell you how much I love them - it's the best way to pack in ample, uninterrupted quality time. It also helps that this group is hilarious. I swear, I spent so much time doubled over laughing that my cheeks were sore by the end of the weekend (the ones on my face) - and it doesn't get better than that for me. Being outside all weekend, in this stunning setting, I swear, adds years to our lives. Every time I'm spending time in BC's beautiful coastal islands, I always tell whoever is in earshot, that this is how we're meant to live. Here's a little peek into our weekend over on Bowyer Island:

 The island is only accessible by boat.

This is the island's communal Kawasaki Mule used to cart everyone's gear from the dock to the cabins.

This would be the island's main roadway and since the only vehicle is that Kawasaki, traffic jams are pretty minimal.

 Getting back to nature. Ye old poop deck.(The cabin itself had a composting toilet in the bathroom, but it's for "#1" jobs only).

This time together means Everything to me. 

 Al Fresco dining at its best. 

 A beautiful visitor.

 Cocktails + Cards Against Humanity = Hilarity. It's simple math.

(For those wondering, the cabin lights are run off solar power or by propane).

The Kildare Estates beach.

ello ello.

 The diving platform.

 An awesome way to spend the day.

 The gang.

xoxo

random images from the week

 One of my absolute favourite things about our new home is the steady stream of hummingbirds visiting our feeders and fuchsias. Sipping my coffee and listening to the buzz of their wings is a great way to start the day.

 A garden fairy spotted running through our yard.....if this costume stays intact for Halloween, I'll be Amazed.

 I'm kind of obsessed with these Edison bulbs. They have a way of adding a romantic ambience to the patio.

 I had such a fun morning with our sweet gal at the dog park. It's hard to believe she's 15. 

My hubby and I celebrated 16 years of marriage this week. Without a single hesitation, I would marry him again in a heartbeat. No one makes me laugh more and there's no one I'd rather spend time with.
I highly recommend taking a photo a day from your week. When you look back, you'll truly feel lucky for the cumulation of stand out moments that shape your life. xoxo

the week in images.....

 My favourite love birds on route to Saltspring Island

 The Farmer's Market in Ganges

 Our awesome campmates

Rainy afternoon cheese tasting. It's a thing people. They're real and they're amazing. 

Rainy afternoon beer tasting. We needed something to wash down all of that cheese.

The tremendously beautiful Ruckle Park.

Our stunning voyage home.

 the three munchketeers

 Buntzen Lake -A gorgeous swimming spot

 Fun in Tsawwassen where we stumbled across a fair and our oldest friends - an awesome day.

I remember once reading a quote from a photographer who took over one hundred photos a day, and then when he had his heart broken, he could hardly muster one. I have to say, I've been absent a lot on this blog for exactly the same reason - I've hardly picked up my camera. Most of the photos I've posted lately are all from my iphone. My grief definitely set in more recently. I think at first, you are watching someone you love struggling for so long that you just want their hell to be over for them. You can't bare to watch them struggle to move, struggle to breathe, seeing their skin stretched so tightly over their bony frame. And when they are gone, you feel a sense of peace for them, a sense of relief that they are through it all. One of my friends said it best to me this weekend, that you feel as though they are just away for awhile. But when it sets in that they are never coming back, that you can't speak to them again, that you can't hold their hand again, it hits you like a tonne of bricks. So, my camera has been collecting a lot of dust lately, and my blog has been quite neglected. I've been navigating these waves of grief. I thank you so much for those who are still checking in to this space and apologize for the big gaps in postings. But I read a quote by A.A. Milne that I think puts grief into a lovely perspective: "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

In these photos, I hope you can get a sense that I'm trying to get out as much as possible to make our summer an adventure. I think the time spent in the outdoors, surrounded by loved ones, helps to reignite our spark again. xoxo loves