Singing her heart out!

Margot had her Choir Recital on Saturday. It was a lovely evening!

The Littles group

It's quite rare to find a choir that welcomes pre-readers (children under the age of 7), but Chorale Lyrica does. And we're very lucky that the rehearsals are held close to our house!

The concert was titled "Earth and Sea". Hence, all the songs had to do with either one of those themes.

Margot's repertoire included:

• Dancing on the Hill-tops (Christina Rossetii)
• Maman, les p'tits bateaux
• Dans la forêt lointaine

• Il pleut, il pleut bergère
• Skye Boat Song (Scottish ballad) 
• Little White Boat

• Blossoms (aka À la claire fontaine) - sang with the junior and senior choirs.

Margot LOVES choir!

A Sunday Discovery

On a bleak November morning, we explored trail #36 in Gatineau Park. This trail has been on our radar for a few months, but we never seemed to have had the chance to hike it, until now.

Welcome to November in Canada!

Surprisingly, it was a really popular trail with dog walkers, Sunday trail runners and groups of families and friends. And we thought we'd be the only ones in the woods! :)

This trail is a highlight for two things:
#1 - Renowned spot for nude sunbathers

Not a problem in November!

I doubt that they walk the trail in the nude (!) We 'll have to come back in the summer to check it out ;)

#2 - The ruins:

You can read a bit about the ruins:
http://katharinefletcher.com/Books/HWsample.html

A few hours in the woods puts everyone in a better mood!

A happy, yet a bit cold, girl!

Pre-Bedtime Activity: Recopying Shakespeare.

On Sunday evening, I was flipping through my Riverside Shakespeare getting ready for my Theatre class. I was refreshing my memory of A Midsummer Night's Dream, mostly glancing at the order of the scenes and copying down a few useful footnotes.

Someone was watching and more interested in what I was doing than in practicing her Letters (calligraphy), what she calls "homework". 
I can't blame Margot for finding Shakespeare more riveting than the letter F repeated twenty times!

Step 1: Reflecting on the task at hand.
(notice the extra lined paper on her right, the Riverside on her left, and the writing tablet on her lap. Gotta be prepared to confront the task at hand!)

Step 2: Finding the right passage:

Step 3: Down to business!

(if you're trying to decipher this: good luck!
She included a few of my personal notes
that were in the text)

She then tackled Twelfth Night - great taste, Margot!

This was not a one-shot deal.

Where's my precious Riverside now? In her bed, of course!

It was getting late and Simon encouraged Margot to go to bed and bring her "practice writing" with her.

I will admit that there's a part of me gloating about my daughter's interest. YEAH! (I silently whispered. Well, perhaps not silently to Simon…)

As with any typical child, I expect her interest to dwindle and eventually cease. However, I will enjoy this (and secretly encourage her) as long as it lasts.

Hugs in November

Last weekend, we were lucky to have a visit from Simon's sister's family. It's nice to get visitors; it changes the pace of the weekend and encourages us to rediscover new spots and to come up with weekend plans (from activities to breakfast!). 

What do you do on a rainy day? Hit the Children's Museum!

Driving a tuks tuks in Thailand

Riding a camel in Egypt

Cooking at a snazzy café

Reading quietly at a bookshop

One of my favorite activities with guests is to go on a nice, invigorating nature walk! We took advantage of sunny (but coldish!) mother nature:

Awesome jumps from Rich and Simon.
Perfect location to jump!

Explorers on the beaten path.

The best thing of having visitors: Special treats!

The thrill of hot chocolate (with whipped cream) can light up even the crankiest child! It's even extra special if they sip it at a restaurant.

Reclaiming November

I have always had an issue with November.

The days are short, the evenings are dark, there are no holidays or celebrations. The novelty of the semester has worn off and I have a dip in enthusiasm and vibrancy.

It's often a time of year (and I keep track of those issues when I revisit my past journal entries) when I'm questioning my career, looking for more meaning, contemplating options, seeking projects, being restless… but then these feelings gently dissipate by December.

I started November 1st dreading the next 29 days.

What can I do to make this month more enjoyable?

-I started a daily meditation practice. Minimum of 10 minutes, usually in the evening. A time to reflect, to ground, to connect. So far, so good!

-Do knitting in the evening. I have a few projects in mind…

-Embrace the outdoors.

So far, the weather has been glorious, but rain is expected in the next few days… slump.

I have decided to see the beauty of this quiet month; to notice its unassuming grace, to be grateful for its  light, to listen to the earth.

A few people see November as the calm before the storm. A time to take it easy and rejuvenate. This doesn't really apply to me, as I don't really experience the frenzy of the holidays. I just ride the wave…

November is a poetic month.

4:00pm light in the woods.

The best place for kids after school?
The woods!