Category Archives: Observations

We Moved: The Landing

Note to anyone planning a move to the Comox Valley and desiring a petal-strewn welcome: plan your adventure touchdown for sometime in the first two weeks of May, and then don’t blink for a month.

We Moved-9 Also, it’s a good idea to root yourself into a 30+ year old home. Even if the house itself eagerly awaits a proper decorating refresh, chances are good you’ll inherit an incredible mature perennial garden.

We Moved-10 Between you and your neighbors’ yards, you may discover more plants and trees already in bloom than you can identify, and the growing season will barely have begun. And even of the plants you do recognize, you may be surprised to learn there are more than five different kinds of hostas, or that ferns are not the same thing as bracken, or that gorgeous burgundy trilliums grow in BC, but that all do well in the deep shade of a massive hemlock tree.

I didn’t know that. Did you?

We Moved-11 Take time to meet the neighbors who are kind enough to drop by…

We Moved-13 … making sure to reserve enough mental energy from the “where does this go?” unpacking game to breathe in the sweet late afternoon ocean air off the back deck. Maybe one of the biggest adventures you’ll discover in your first month will be the raspberry, blueberry, and currant bushes, or the apple, pear, and plum trees waiting for you in your back yard.

If you purchase your property in mid-February, the above may be disguised as ugly, twisty bushy things or gnarly old maids just begging to be hauled away. Life lesson: everyone needs their beauty sleep. Give ’em a break and avert your eyes in case of mid-winter drool.

We Moved-14You’ll land in time to watch the fledgling grape vines weave their delicate baby pink leaves across and through the railings of your deck.

We Moved-15It’s a tender, Zone 8/Eden kinda place, where it’s rumored you can chuck seeds off your upper back deck and count on something interesting happening in about three weeks.

(Doesn’t hurt to have Uncle Doug’s Secret Magic Tomato Food to make edible interesting things happen, either.)

We Moved-16Is the dirt really browner in the other planter?

We Moved-17You’ll discover that tender leaf lettuce thrives in the Goldlilocks “not-too-hot, not-too-cold” atmosphere…

We Moved-18… as do enthusiastic buckets of herbs and some volunteer parsley so aggressive I’ve taken to scolding it vigorously AFTER I’ve whacked it back and snipped the florets, just to let it know who’s boss.

At least, I think I’m boss, although I’m pretty sure I can hear it sniggering behind my back the second I walk away. Parsley: punk herbs with spitballs.

We Moved-19Apparently, we aren’t the only ones here who enjoy a nibble on something tender and green from a back yard.

Did you know our little Island deer can stand on their hind legs for a full 30-seconds without dancing when practiced and properly motivated? I think the one who frequents our neighbor’s back yard must do yoga several times a week, with a Pilates class on alternating Saturdays thrown in for core strength training.

We Moved-23The early spring lilacs, tulips, and crab apple blossoms are quickly followed by a stunning variety of irises, poke-yer-eye-out poppies, stately foxgloves, voluptuous peonies, and 15 other floral explosions of color and fragrance that I’m sad to say we didn’t identify before they disappeared until next year.

On a more positive note, we now know how to deadhead spent rhododendrons, sticky little buggers that they are.

We Moved-21Of course, as different as some things are from our beloved Zone 3 Teton Valley, many things remain the same, including our love of hand-crafted, wood-fired pizza (stay tuned for more about killer ceramic grill/smoker/pizza oven we scored within 20 minutes of landing)…

We Moved-24 … followed by an evening ramble out our front door and into the awaiting adventures of an active coastal artisan community soaked in beauty and calm.

Doors close, doors open.

We Moved: The Launch

It was hard for us to say good-bye.

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She seemed to feel the same way. Teton Valley was consistent in that regard: visually speaking, her hellos and goodbyes and the moments in between seem to happen with a fair bit of drama.

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This is where our hearts have lived for five years, and where we hung our hats full-time for the past three.

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It’s where Winston grew up (and up, and up) and where he discovered the love of his life. (Hint: it’s snow.)

We Moved-4It’s entirely fitting that this is the last “Quick! [easyazon_link asin=”B001ENOZY4″ locale=”US” new_window=”yes” nofollow=”default” tag=”rickandkathy-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”no”]Get the D-90![/easyazon_link]” photo I took in our cherished farmhouse.

It’s by NO means the best photo we took in that magical space over the years, but it captures perfectly the delight we took there in the beauty of a million small opportunities, often in the kitchen, to slow down the ordinary until the moment became extraordinary.

Extraordinary breakfast potatoes.

In addition to “great friends and neighbors,” “jaw-dropping scenery in every season out of every window,” and “a place of deep, creative, peace,” it’s as good a summing up of our life there as anything else.

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But there are seasons for all things, and at the end of April, it was time to pack up as much of our kitchen gear, art supplies, dog paraphernalia, etc. as would fit into a 26-foot Uhaul and head north to Vancouver Island, Canada to some new adventures.

It was a big (and by “big” I mean huge, complicated, and exhausting) job, but thank God I had at least made an early start on packing away a few memories in this blog over the past five years.

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Do you have your exit buddy?

Yes, yes we do.

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Have you taken all the necessary safety-precautions before launching?

Well, no… A life worth living inevitably comes with some risk, otherwise it wouldn’t be an adventure, would it?

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Are you consistent, in that the first photo you took after having crossed the border into your new home and native land was also, coincidentally, of potatoes? (Poutine purchased aboard The Queen of Alberni, to be precise.)

Yes, yes we are consistent.

We have the most important constant in our lives firmly in place: each other.

We have Winston. (No choice there: he glued his butt to Rick’s left knee (see above) sometime around mid-April and stayed there until he was sure he was coming with.)

Cherished friends and family are all still just a text/phone call/email away, and now a good chunk of you are also within a ten-minute’s drive radius.

We have already had more delightful new adventures and taken more photos in and around our new home than I will ever catch up on, and I commit to remain consistent in my good intentions to post more regularly. (Ha! That should be an easy piece of cake.)

Christmas on Vancouver Island

In many ways, it was a classic “Island” Christmas, minus the sand in the sheets and the little paper umbrellas.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-1There was photo-worthy exotic greenery, adorned in glistening blossoms of glass, salt-dough, and crocheted silk.

(In truth, I think my technically-hip Dad was taking my picture as I sat in the the pink chair beside the tree in all my Christmas-morning, naked faced, and tousled-haired glory. Said photo will not be appearing in this blog, ever.)

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-2Native island beauties posed happily against the backdrop of their beloved sky line.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-3Nosy tourists could be seen poking around in back alleys…

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-4… while cousins-in-law renewed ties over adult beverages and profitable, thought-provoking conversations…

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-5… expanded upon with the interpretive dance gestures common to many island cultures.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-6My only sadness is that I wasn’t prepared to capture the subtle rare complexity and beauty of this art form on video. It would have gone viral on youtube.

Christmas Vancouver island Style-20-2This island Christmas marked the joyous return to birth soil of generations now making their own way forward across the waters…

 Christmas Vancouver Island Style-8… while others spoke quietly into the festivities with only their fashion sensibilities and the dulcet musical murmurings of, say, soft-shelled she crabs in heat.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-9When you’re from afar, a gaggle of aunts around the hearth makes it all feel like home.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-10
Whether they were deftly orchestrating traditional fare for the hungry hoards…

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-11... or sweetly obliging the paparazzo, magnificent family females are integral to the cohesion of island life. (Some island wildlife was mysteriously illusive: sorry, Uncle Ron!)

kathy monterey-1Plus, in the case of one’s paternal bloodline auntie, it can be startling to recognize and reel in one’s own DNA-themed heritage in the form of a lilting eyebrow asymetry or distinctive nose-tip nobility. (See my Aunt Mary, above.)

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-12Elders assembled in spirit, body and mind, although not necessarily all at the same time or with the same focus of attention.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-13But when they did, it was a singular moment to celebrate, as in the blooming of a rare orchid or total eclipse of the sun.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-14Another native interpretive dance movement lost to the moment without video… sigh.

Christmas Vancouver Island Style-16Yes, in many ways, it was a classic island Christmas: regardless of where we had come from, what strange offerings we brought to the table, or even what species we were, all were warmly welcomed home.

14 Ways To Enjoy Your Life More

This is not, of course, an exhaustive list, but it’s a heartfelt one based on recent events that we wanted to share with y’all.

1. Take a few moments every day to sit in a favorite spot and quietly contemplate your blessings.

Christmas 2012-1

Alternately, use your favorite perch to keep an eye out for horses and riders, people walking their dog, or, Lord help us, that vexing yard squirrel. Immediately upon sighting any of the above, explode your 75-pound self out of the chair and let your inner hound out for romp at max volume.

Even if you’re denied effective access to the actual offender(s), the startling effect on your housemates is good for a chuckle, and laughter is always good medicine.

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2. If you have a good joke–or at least something that makes people laugh–tell it early and often. (See #1 above.)

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3. Take LOTS of pictures.

Life passes quickly, pixels are almost free, soon everyone who has a phone will have a camera, and photos are a fabulous vehicle for crafting and preserving memories that will otherwise fade sooner than we realize.

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4. Stay warm.

If you’re not into wearing boots, gloves, a coat, hat, scarf, or even hair, at least put on a hug.

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5. Play with engineers as often as you can. They will teach you things about spatial relationships, physics, and humility that might otherwise elude you.

(Note: 25 years later, the [easyazon-link asin=”B0007RXJLS” locale=”us”]wooden Brio train set[/easyazon-link] STILL rocks the toy box.)

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6. Welcome willing hands into your kitchen. You can’t make an omelet without cracking a few eggs, and who cares if there’s a teeny bit of shell or two to contend with? The calcium is good for you.

(I’m not 100% certain that there’s calcium in egg shells, but who cares anyway?)

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7. It’s never too late to embrace your inner super hero.

Or…

7. Your eyesight is precious, so whether you’re playing squash, getting ready to go snowmobiling, or something in between, wear goggles and protect those irreplaceable windows to your soul.

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8. If you have the chance to do something fun today, TAKE IT!

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9. Anticipate fun.

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10. When life sends a snowstorm, build a fort.

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11. You don’t need to know the tune to enjoy the concert.

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12. Read the good parts out loud in bed.

Also, memorize what your special people’s hands look like. (See #3 above for an idea on how to do that.)

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13. Don’t worry about what you look like in photos. Get over it. 15 years from now, you won’t be able to get over how young and beautiful you were.

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14. Embrace it all.

How To Pick A Gift For Your Wife

[Note: Due to a technical glitch with our site (grrr… grinding of teeth… low-key wailing…) we are having to re-post this from two days ago. Thanks to the GoDaddy gurus for the advanced webmaster training, and to all who commented the first time around: your words are like apples of gold in settings of silver to our hearts. So sorry to have lost your sweet encouragement to the PCMFH (Pixel Chomping Monster From Heck).]

In anticipation of the upcoming winter solstice and the shortest day of the year, on the flight home yesterday I was going to write about how much Rick and I delighted in some of the unexpected light we were privileged to see this summer.

But as the plane was loading, the man behind me inquired of his bride, loud enough for at least three rows in either direction to hear, “So… what do you want for Christmas this year?”

And I found myself thinking about the gift of light in a different way.

It was late in the afternoon of December 19, so I’m guessing that, at minimum, the woman was wishing her husband might have thought about this question earlier.

She maybe also would have wanted him to consider the issue in a more private setting.

I didn’t hear her whispered response to his question, but I did hear his follow up.

“Really? There’s nothing on earth you’d like for Christmas?”

No answer.

Don’t get me wrong: no doubt this man loved his wife, and I do have some empathy for procrastinators who feel stuck when they awaken to the pressure of obligatory gift giving descending on their heads.

However, I have even more empathy for those whose greatest desire is to be seen and known and cherished well enough that the question is not necessary.

And I acknowledge that I am amazingly blessed in this regard.

On all the occasions that customarily involve the offering of a gift, Rick has never once asked me what I wanted.

He has simply paid attention, quietly observing my tastes and preferences, and harvesting insights into what delights my spirit, small things and grand, on the most ordinary of days throughout the year.

Then, when the chance (“obligation”) comes along, he translates that knowledge into carefully wrapped tokens of his love.

That, my friends, is how to pick a gift for your wife.

The best gifts are the ones you didn’t think to ask for, but that appear nonetheless…

… shining a confirming light into your world, bearing witness that you have been seen, and known, and loved.

Happy Birthday, Rick!

This is one of my favorite photos of Rick.

I love the concentration on his face, and how the sunlight halos his crown of silver, and how his eyes see beauty everywhere.

I love being in the kitchen with him, and I think that by next summer, I may even be recuperated enough to tackle a new canning season with him again.

Rick was very enthusiastic about canning any fresh thing that would fit in a pot this fall. Very, very enthusiastic.

I adore this about Rick.

His never ending talents amaze and delight me…

… as they do others everywhere he goes.

Who else can make pulling fence posts look so Bridges of Madison County gorgeous?

He looks after us and our home with a carefulness and diligence that would break your heart…

… but he knows how to play, too.

He isn’t afraid to try anything new, from canning to snowshoeing to skidsteering.

This was very impressive, by the way.

The fact that he not only kept our neighbor’s skidsteer out of the creek but also actually managed to spread the gravel level and exactly where it needed to go was a thing ‘o beauty.

Speaking of which…

I love you.

I’m so grateful you were placed on the planet at the same time in the course of human history as I was…

… and that we get to hang out and enjoy the rest of our days together.

Happy Birthday, my love, and many, many happy returns!

Happiness Is…

… a July early morning wander through the front yard to see what amazing things happened overnight.

… a perfectly seasoned iron skillet, farm fresh eggs, and a willing chef who knows how to use them.

… watching the other guy work.

And yes, those are tiki lights he’s cleaning up. Are they so retro they’d be fun and funky strung up on the porch? Or would they be just one more opportunity to amuse the neighbors as they drive by, like the time they saw us vacuuming the lawn?

We’re in negotiations about those tiki lights.

… being overly blessed by an abundance (four) of kamikaze robins who all decided to raise their babies in the eaves of our porches this year.

In hindsight, we probably should have anticipated the maternal scolding, dive-bombing of Winnie’s head, and poop.  However, by the time we had fully wound in the reality of the situation, there were already about 20 hungry chirpers in residence. We just couldn’t bring ourselves to give them the boot.

Instead, we rearranged the deck furniture out of the flight paths, and Winnie learned to duck, which, when you think about it, is an odd thing to learn from a robin.

… when the last baby bird is coaxed off the rafter, and you can once again enjoy an evening glass of wine wherever you want on the porch without substantial risk of poopage.

… meaningful work with a very short commute.

… sharing a bona fide Canadian butter tart with new friends.

Thanks for the photo, Peter Ernst.

Here’s the recipe for the “butter” part, and here’s the recipe I use for the pastry. Plan on at least two per person. These puppies are world-class table bangers.

… a happy, healthy canine companion…

… who’s remarkably flexible and is apparently not afflicted whatsoever by claustrophobia.

… a beautifully wrapped, spontaneous gift of her art from a talented and dear lady, just because.

Thanks, Liv. It’s going to be a cherished addition to my “every January” reading list.

… walking through our meadow after dinner…

… and marveling at evidence after evidence that none of this is an accident.

… watching a thunderstorm build.

… the first local tomatoes showing up at your front door, hand-delivered by a neighbor, lightly drizzled with olive oil, and graced with a little creamy blue cheese, salt, and pepper.

Oh. My.

… a quiet dinner, listening to the gentle rain on the porch roof, at the end of a busy day with your best friend.

Thanks, Rick.