Here we go! I have a lot of hope for this year and hope you do too!
Like most people I would like to see the end of this pandemic and all the restrictions that have come with it. I’m not going to dwell on Covid though. I’m concerned, yes, doing the best I can, yes, getting tired of it, yes, giving up…no! That’s all I have to say about that 🙂
The theme for the 1st week of 2022 is snow. We got a lot of it! Luckily we only lost power a couple of times and not for very long (couple hours at most). I am still new into my retirement and to be honest, I’m not missing work especially having to drive to town in these slippery conditions!
Here’s a couple of my favourite pictures taken this week… and an older one of this Pygmy owl 🙂
Our patio is buried in snow until spring. Love the icicles, but won’t be standing under them 🙂 This is our road earlier this week… it looks about the same, but deeper snow. Trips to the mailbox are a bit challenging.Luckily Tazzy loves the snow and is patient with me trudging behind him on our daily trips to the mailbox 🙂This may be an old picture now, but it reminds me to do more to protect our wild neighbours. This little Northern pygmy owl hit our front window. I heard the thud & ran out… I thought it was dead when I picked it up. Suddenly it opened its eyes and flew into the trees nearby. I watched him for a while and he seemed ok thank goodness. I have stuck some paper raptor silhouettes and snowflakes to our windows & it seems to be helping birds see the window.
It’s that time of year… spring is well on it’s way and so is Wedding Season 🙂
While I hope for lovely May flowers in response to so many March & April showers, my shop is getting busy and I’m making my wedding bouquet charms for a new season of brides.
Who’s getting married? Anyone you know?
One of my co-workers is getting married next weekend, another this summer, and one’s daughter is getting married soon and another’s son is also getting hitched this summer, oh, and my BFF’s son is getting married in August! and that’s just my little circle!
I love surfing around on-line and seeing all the gorgeous wedding photos:  brides, grooms, families, bridesmaids, dresses, bouquets, flower arrangements, headpieces, cakes and so much more that goes with this momentous occasion!  I think it’s because our wedding was so simple and super small. We had an intimate ceremony in my parent’s living room, with a Justice of the Peace, a few family members and a couple of close friends. I designed my dress, and my mom made it for me. I also made the veil, headpiece and bouquet. Hard to believe that was almost 33 years ago! I poured through magazines, catalogues and shop windows, looking for unique ideas, but without the Internet, the choices were minimal compared to today!
I can’t believe it’s our 34th one together! A box of chocolates and a kiss shared between us. It’s really not that special of a day for us, but I do love seeing all the pinks & reds, hearts, flowers and chocolate sweets!
So thought I’d share a bit of love & eye candy with you, enjoy!
Now that Christmas is over, and New Years is just a couple of days away, it’s a good time to review the past year- successes, highs & lows, personally and professionally.
Christmas was low-key and relaxing! Totally enjoyable and complete with a lovely turkey dinner. I hope your Holiday was as pleasant.
Professionally, I’ve had a successful year overall. My day job status is a long & boring story but the “highlights” are:  I’ve gone from being permanent part-time to temporary full-time and now am just a casual employee.  Part of this is by chance and partly by choice.
Meanwhile, I’ve been growing my Etsy shop and becoming a small business owner with my husband as my partner. Our on-line business is developing from a part-time to a full-time venture, and that’s what I’ve been aiming for! My husband has taken on my packaging and shipping, and has helped us expand our selection by making 2-sided frames and photo lapel pins. This year I’ve made over 2,000 wedding bouquet charms- for brides, Maid of Honours, bridesmaids, moms, sisters, best friends, nieces and hope to make more next year.
On the challenging side- I’ll be reviewing our prices in January, as costs have steadily increased and I haven’t changed the prices in a couple of years. On Jan 11/16  Canada Post will be increasing postage prices, so I’ll be reviewing my shipping prices as well. Which means now’s a good time to order! (and I have a coupon code: 5FALL2015 to get 5% off of orders over $10. which expires New Years eve- Midnight Dec 31/15.)
Personally, I’ve got a lot of improving to do. I haven’t balanced my work and personal life very well, neglecting many things. However, on the bright side I have been taking small steps in the right direction & will continue to do so. Spending more quality (not working) time with my husband & boys is on the top of my list, as is getting more organized around the house and with my workspace. Our new bed & bedding this year has really motivated me to keep it made and the sense of pride when I see it inspires me to do more 🙂 My cousin suggested I checkout a blog by the FLY lady… I’ve peeked in at her home site and found her to be quite inspiring! Will be reading & following her suggestions some more.
This year has gone by so fast. I hope to have a more productive and organized year ahead, allowing time for fun amongst all the working hours.
I’d love to hear how your year was & what you look forward to in 2016.
I’m not really sure where this “journey” is headed, but I’ll have lots of pictures to share 🙂
Yesterday would have been my mom’s 78th birthday- she always wanted to be a writer, but English wasn’t her mother language so it was difficult, and surely took the pleasure out of it. But she encouraged me and as a youth, I kept a diary and wrote poetry.
Here’s my first step in that direction, I hope you’ll find some interesting tidbits and lots of eye-candy.
Fall is always a bittersweet season for me, with the bright flowers of summer gone and the leaves colouring the trees, until they too fall to the ground. The sun just doesn’t rise as high in the sky & our days are quickly getting shorter. It’s a time of transition and a good time for reflection. Â I lost both my parents in the fall (2001) so I tend to get introspective this time of year. Â That’s a story I may share with you someday… Â but not today.
Today I’d just like to share some of the beautiful scenery of the season, from my neck of the woods, the Kootenay Region of Southern BC, Canada, I hope you enjoy them 🙂
Finally, my daturas are blooming!
Not many wildflowers blooming as summer fades to autumn in the mountains.
Our home is down there… somewhere in the trees 🙂
At Summit Lake early one morning last week, watching the mist.
We don’t get a lot of red trees here, but this blazing maple, at the Fauquier ferry caught my attention 🙂
The walnuts have all fallen early but not the leaves, which are just starting to turn yellow.
I hope you’ll take a moment to comment and maybe even follow me. I’d love your company because life’s journeys can be lonely sometimes 🙂
    
smilingbluedog 
