TUGs

Test Test

I have been trying to update my blog for more than a week but it keeps crashing. Needless to say I am feeling quite frustrated.  I'll give this test a shot and see what happens...

a long time

I have been away from my blog for quite some time now.  There was a point when I simply was too busy and could not spare any time or energy for 'frivilous' departures.  Although I love writing my blog and expressing with images, it does take an extra effort. 

In the meantime I have been busy and had a break of sorts all at the same time.  I had a wonderful time racing with my other seven team mates in the Kluane Chilkat Bike Relay, and had much to do with the Yukon River Quest.  I befriended two new 'lovlies' = good friends, kayaked an afternoon on the Yukon River, and have been giving attention to my turkeys and chickens. 

The Crocus and other Spring Things

Well, it is possible that spring has arrived.  At least today and yesterday showed some promise in the floral category, although the weather still has some catching up to do.  While other parts of the world are enjoying summer, the Yukon is just getting rid of snow, while suffering from the occasional nasty precipitation.

Whatever it is, is.  I enjoyed some nice walking in the last two days. 

PayPal

I don't know if it is spring or if I have simply reached my limit no matter what the season might be. 

My home is undergoing an explosion.  This bit of chaos has to do with what happens when a bit of cleaning happens - things get worse before they get better.  But the main thing is that I simply am inspired by too many areas and have 'too much stuff'.  Also, I live in a fairly small space.  I can organize all I want but in the end there is only so much space. 

Another challenge is that I won't simply 'give it away' or 'drop it off somewhere'.  It doesn't seem right to have an anti-inspirational end result for things that have given me inspiration, and make me happy.

The good thing is that I have discovered a solution!  I am developing a PayPal Storefront widgit where I can post my items for sale to others who are interested in these treasures.   I chose this method over Ebay because I want my process to be somewhat personal versus just an anonymous sale. 

So, please stay tuned as I get this together.  It is a process, but one that I am enjoying. 

Happy day everyone.

R.Frost

To the Thawing Wind
by: Robert Frost

Come with rain, O loud Southwester!
Bring the singer, bring the nester;
Give the buried flower a dream;
Make the settled snow-bank steam;
Find the brown beneath the white;
But whate'er you do to-night,
Bathe my window, make it flow,
Melt it as the ice will go;
Melt the glass and leave the sticks
Like a hermit's crucifix;
Burst into my narrow stall;
Swing the picture on the wall;
Run the rattling pages o'er;
Scatter poems on the floor;
Turn the poet out of door.

From "A Boy's Will", 1913

Spring is Fresh

It is March here in the southern Yukon. 

Last week a person who relocated here from Ottawa this past fall asked me what the weather in March wil be like.  I told her that anything is fair game in March.  It could be 40 below, 20 below, 20 above, barely melting, windy, snowy, clear and sunshine... anything is possible, and whatever transpires is perfectly normal and legit. 

Last week I took some clear, sunshine pictures in the woods across the way from the house.   There are many tracks of small animals who manage to stay on the icy top layer/crust of snow.  The sun has been bright and the temperatures warm so the snow pack has been melting at a great rate. 

I noticed the first changes in plant life where a variety of willow species are beginning to bud.

 

The sunlight is truly wonderful.  The earlier mornings and later evenings are evident in my walks.  Seeing shadows cast by the plants and trees in the snow is a sure sign that we are moving towards warmer times. 

AND THE VERY NEXT DAY after taking the above pictures....

Yes, it snowed A LOT. 

Thai Cooking Class

About two weeks ago my good friend, her Mom and her best friend took an evening cooking class.  We learned what ingredients to consider, chop, slice, heat, spice, wash... all sorts of familiar and new veggies and spices and cooking tools.  The experience was beautiful. 

Truly though, isn't good food just pure beauty?  I think so.  And an experience with good people is bound to help make the learning and cooking even more wonderful. 

 

Purchases

In the last week I have made a couple of nice purchases.  It doesn't happen all that often that I buy brand new anything so these could be considered a little unqiue.  A little while back I came across  Amy Butler's book InStitches (ISBN 10: 0-8118-5159-1):

The layout of this book was well considered so that it is beautiful and functional.  It is bound with metal coil so it lays perfectly flat and is flexible, it is hard cover, There is a built in heavy envelope at the front, which stores the patterns, pages are all in full colour using a good weight paper... this is all on top of the fact that of course it is aesthetically lovely.  I guess that is why she is a designer?! 

The 2nd purchase yesterday was a pair of Keen shoes on sale! They fit perfectly, and they're tan and orange, and did I mention they were 50% off! A score, if I do say so myself.  For now I'm wearing them around inside patiently awaiting the arrival of summer. ha ha ha ha  Good thing I have patience considering we're only at mid-February.

Island and Sunshine

This past Sunday the weather started to break.  It was still -28 but seemed like -10 after the long stint of very cold stuff we've had!  I took the dogs for a walk out to the island; they love the open space to run.  The view and the sunshine were glorious.

Cotton is most often found right behind my heels, keeping a close eye. 

And here they are on our outgoing trail, except now on the way back to the mainland.   

Lovely Birthday

Last weekend saw the birthday celebration of one of my good friends.  A group of us surprised her at a local restuarant called A Taste of India, where we ate dinner, opened prezzies, and ate a personally baked and decorated angel food cake.  It was beautiful and delicious and fun. 

One friend found the skeleton, another carved bats out of licorice... one made the cake with delicious lemon whipped cream topping.  How Nice it all turned out. 

After we ate, got excited over open birthday gifts, we all went bowling.  I should also clarify that I think I was as excited about the gift giving as was the person of honour.  I LOVE giving presents!  I LOVE watching others be happy about receiving special things from friends.  It is beautiful, I think.

So, yes, onto bowling.  It was Saturday night and we went glow in the dark bowling at the local lanes. This place is another that fills me with great memories.  As a young girl I spent many wintery Saturday mornings bowling in the kids league.  My parents were bowlers from a way back and so I became one too. ha. 

In my youth though, we did actually keep our own score.  Now there are computers to track all those things.  That little change makes for a slightly different experience, but one that is still lots of fun.