Sleep Well

I was just loading the slideshow to my favourite pre-sleep yoga sequence, and I thought I'd share.

Often I'll get to the point where I'm tired and very ready for bed, but my mind is still going and going, and my body won't quite be still. A while stumbled upon a very simple, comfortable sequence which helps to get into a still restful state which almost always results in a good nights sleep.

Photo from Womens Health Mag

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/yoga/bedtime-yoga

Enjoy.

Preparing for Winter, Welcoming the Change

The other day, actually it was a few weeks ago now, I woke up to a landscape covered with this white fluffy stuff. Beautiful, very, but also a very clear reminder that a cold winter season is on its way. 

I have spent much of my adult life avoiding winter, and this cold white stuff which often comes along with it. For the first time in quite a few years I am spending a winter in my homeland of Canada. I have enjoyed spring, summer, and even the cooler temperatures of fall (which brought amazing leaf colours and opportunities to wear some rad sweaters). I am sure, once I am into it, I will enjoy winter as well. 

Canada is privileged as a country to experience such dramatic shifts of season. The seasons are great experiences for learning, growing, and experiencing many different aspects of the world around us. I realize now, after living in temperate climates, that the seasons all have their place in my life. Spring as a time to wonder in new growth, summer to be active, play, and enjoy our amazing waterways. Fall is when we start to slow down, contemplate a bit more, watch the birds a little bit longer. And winter, just as important, I think is our time to rest and rejuvenate our weary bodies after a long year of work and play. It is a also a time to come together as a community, the way a warm fire on a cold night draws a crowd to cuddle in tight.  In this way, I look forward to the season ahead. 

I have decided to embrace the snow, my new winter boots were an experiment in moccasin making. I've made them white to match the snow. They are waterproof, will be insulated as it gets colder, and make me dance every time I put them on. With this on my feet I will embrace the cold and this seasons restful attitude. I will romp through the snow to wherever a warm fire glows... 

My Start as a Sandal Maker - Selkie Design is on the Web

Hi all, some of you know (and have been my guinea pigs) for my new leather sandal making endeavour. I now have a nice lil' stockpile of supplies, and an Etsy shop too! Here is the shameless promotion - checkout www.etsy.com/shop/SelkieDesignShop

Some photos of the frolicking forest loving footwear!

Peace all...thanks for reading.

Walking on Water in Algoquin Park

The view from a mid-way portage.

A couple weeks ago I went on a beautiful back country trip through Algonquin Park. I thought I'd share some of the photos of my journey.

Cooking dinner over the campfire...

The path from the water to my first campsite on Burnt Island Lake

My 'boat' (a paddleboard) after a very long
hard day getting to my first campsite.

My paddling setup

My camp

River paddling, my favorite!

Bartlett Lake, I had this all to myself for 1 night,
and had a beautiful evening of paddling on a mirror-like surface.

Beautiful loons, their calls were a constant
soundtrack to my time in the park.

Last day and conditions couldn't be better.

My point of view for four days, someday I will hopefully make another long trip this way. I completely fell in love with stand up paddle boarding on this trip.

The Importance Of Being...

"Wherever you go, there you are"

I came upon my current sit spot the other day while exploring a narrow path following a small ridge-line near where I'm living at the moment. It's been a short while since I've taken the time for this, and I've  been feeling the lack of this set aside time. As soon as I walked along the path and saw the bowl shaped depression with this one boulder halfway up the slope, i knew I had found a special place for myself. The kind of place where just being there sets you apart from all the usual in life. A place that calls upon you to sit quietly, listen to the birds, watch the trees in the wind, notice the wildflowers growing all around. A place where you can just be.

"All you need is to keep quietly alert, enquiring into the real nature of yourself" 

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

I think its important to be able to take time to calm the mind and find peace within any lifestyle. It's important to always notice the beauty in all that is around you. For myself, a sit spot is a way of keeping present, wherever I am in the world. 

This is one place, where I find extraordinary beauty, at which I can get away from the usual,  sit, and watch the world around me.

A Little Walk Through The Woods.

I had two days off in a row this week, and took the time to go on a longish walk and overnight trip to a nearby waterfall. The walk ended up being very very buggy, but the reward of a beautiful camp spot at the end was worth every mosquito and deerfly bite. The waterfall was beautiful, and even better, bug free. I camped the night in my new Hennessy Hammock (tent meets hammock), and walked back the next day.

I took pictures along the way to share the journey with anyone interested...

The path started out on a road, but slowly got rougher and nicer to hike.

 Plenty of swampy areas, a mosquito's paradise. Eventually the trail met up with a somewhat swift river, and the bugs lessened.

The Cardinal Flower (Lobelia Cardinalis) was in bloom at the riverside. These beauties told me I'd found my campsite for the night.

And this is where the roar was coming from. Around the corner and to the waterfall. 

If you look closely at the bottom left of the picture you can see a Great Blue Heron. He was kind enough to share his home with me for the night. I spent the evening watching him fish at the base of the falls.

Top of the Falls!

The path at this point is a well maintained Portage, with a fire-pit /campsite at the top.

Partial Hiatus

Hello All, and thank you for reading my blog. I've been a bit quiet the last couple weeks on this page. The reason, I've moved to work in a wilderness retreat/hostel for the summer and, not too surprising, my internet is slightly limited out here. I have some interesting things I've been working on I'd love to post, and I've been doing lots and lots of foraging and learning much about new and different plant friends here. 

I will hopefully post occasionally this summer, otherwise, have a great summer and enjoy the bounty of Canada in its warm season, or wherever you are. Peace.