A Season of Appreciation

I am having a sumptuous (yes, I know!) morning. Fall is in the air. Simon and Margot are spending father-daughter quality time out of the house. I just finished an inspiring yoga class with the insightful Elena Bower (on yogaglo)  I chose the 60 minutes"Welcoming Fall" class.  The pace was slower than I'm used to, ah! but what delight it gave me! A few restorative poses, then lunges, a creative sun flow, beautiful openings and time… Time to listen to one's breath. Time to sit still. Time to absorb Elena's guiding words. Time to plant the seeds for this new season.

I associate fall as a go-go-go season. After a "slacking" summer, it's time to get back on track; time for a routine; time to actively get things done. However, fall is really about starting to slow down; to look more inwards; to notice; to ground; to start tapping into your creativity juices. To pause and to smile :)

Fall is a rich season. I find it difficult to slow down when it's a time of year that is usually quite energetic for me (mostly because I'm back in the swing of things). Also, when the weather is beautiful, I appreciate it twice as more and itch to spend time outside, dreading the forth coming winter (how long will it be this year?).

Enjoying our morning hike

Here's our seasonal Family Manifesto:

We went Apple Picking this weekend.

Great snap of Margot's missing tooth!

No bushels this year. You are given a bag (you choose the size) to fill.

We were a bit late in the apple picking season
(we usually go the 3rd weekend of Sept.) and
we were limited in the choice of apples. Cortland it was!

"This is the best day ever!!!" Margot exclaimed at the apple orchard
(eating an apple-flavoured hot dog made it extra special!)

Bite into fall! Enjoy the sunshine and the crisp air. Get out there and explore! But also take moments to connect to yourself and your loved ones; to take it easy; to appreciate.

Simple Pleasure: Spring Beauty

Trilliums on the Waterfall Trail

Fresh Green

Magnolia Flower at the Arboretum

Fun: Summertime in May!

It feels like we skipped a season: spring.
The month of April was spring - kinda - then we jumped right into summer. With sunny days and temperatures in the mid-20s, it's here to stay.

Margot's favorite DQ treat

A visit to the greenhouse to get some flowers and plants

Green Thumbs Margot

Ah yes… the sprinkler is out and so is the bathing suit!

Autumn Manifesto

Autumn has officially begun! (although it's been here for the entire month of September)

Here's the Khouri-Parham Family Trio Autumn Manifesto: (sorry, but you'll have to bend your head to the right to read it, since I can't figure out how to rotate the picture)

Checked for September: all those things!
I know it might not seem like a lot, but it's realistic for us. And, if we do something extra (like two cultural activities!), then it's a bonus!


HIKE 1:
Pink Lake, Gatineau Park
Saturday Sept.6 2014
Note: We had a crazy rainstorm the previous day, which caused a lot of fallen trees on the path. Regardless, we made it around the lake and felt like jungle explorers when we encountered unrooted trees and fallen branches along our path.

HIKE 2:
Mud Lake, Ottawa
Sunday Sept.14 2014
Note: a cold morning! Showing the natural environs to our Toronto visitors (the little boy, Asher, is Margot's 2 year-old cousin)

CULTURE:
Museum of Nature
Saturday Sept.13th 2014
Note: What to do on rainy Saturday afternoon? Go to the museum!

CULTURE (bonus)
The Tempest for children by Rag and Bone Theatre Company at GCTC (studio)
Sunday Sept.21
Note: It was entertaining. I'm not a big puppet fan, but it worked and Margot chuckled at the comedic moments (especially the part she vividly remembers: the dogs).  I don't remember Trinculo and Stephano being chased by dogs… hum… I'm a bit concerned that the stuffed dogs may have warped Margot's first experience of The Tempest...

NEW EXPERIENCE:
Raspberry picking at Potager Eardley
Saturday Sept.7th.
Note: It was the second batch: the fall raspberries. A bit on the tart side.

I'm a list maker. I'm a memory recorder. I like checking things off. I like making plans. I think that it's so easy to fly though a month and not really experience anything "special". By having a Manifesto (and sticking to it), we "force ourselves" to go out and do things. It's sometimes too easy to fall into the hum drum of daily life. Sure, I think it's important to have a lazy weekend once in awhile, but I don't want to get too comfortable. It's not good for my vagabonding spirit...

Changes

It's time we hug farewell to summer:

Notice Margot's practical and hip fashion sense when we go on hikes!

Back to school:

Same school. Same classroom. Same teachers. A few of the same "amis". A year older.

Painting our walls white:

Original colour of our entrance area and hallway walls were a dull salmon-colour.  We have always hated that colour. Simon decided that enough was enough and we (he) spent a weekend painting.

Organizing (not really a change, but a funny moment)

(those are candies that Margot organized. She plays with them and Simon eats one once in awhile. Sshhh…)

A new haircut for me: shorter and curlier with versatile bangs.

April has arrived!

Reasons Why I Love April:

• April = fresh and lively!
• It's finally starting to feel like Spring. 
• It's a busy month, which includes the performances Antigone and Easter.
• The semester is coming to an end.
• It's the month of my b-day!

My Spring Family Manifesto has been on the fridge since the "real" Spring.

One new experience: Omega Park

My February Plans + Margot's Story

Well, January was cold! Let's see what February has in store for us. If today is any indication, it will be a snowy month. Welcome Snow!

Trees and snow….

 … and children wearing colourful clothes

are great photo shots!

Are you curious about my January plans/manifestos? Did they manifest?

• yes, I did complete my Yoga Challenge. I actually did 22 days-in-a-row of practice, then took a one day break, and then picked it up again. Awesome! The beauty of yoga is that there's a practice for any type of mood that you are in (and any length for that matter).
• I wrote my January letter. You know who you are ;)
• I read my book of the month: The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler.
• Soup on Sundays: most Sundays we had soup.
• Winter Family Manifesto: 



• Skate on the canal and on a local rink. Check!
• Winter Walk. Check! (our trusty Sugarbush Trail)
• Cultural Event. Check! We have a subscription to Kinderconcerts (3-8 years old) at the NAC [National Art Centre]. This month, the show was about Mozart. Margot's favourite instrument was the violin.

(this video was taken in October)

A fresh month. The shortest month. Here's what I have planned:

• Family Manifesto: stays the same.
• 28 days Meditation Challenge: 10-15 minutes every night before I go to bed. Doable. 
• Continue my daily yoga practice.
• A new book to be read.
• A new letter to be written.

Here's a funny video of Margot. She was "reading" a theatre season brochure. "Casse Noisette" is The Nutcracker. "J'ai pas fini" = I am not finished.  Her reference to MNM is her nickname for her and Noa. Yes, she wears her bathing suit around the house. And yes, those knives behind her are sharp (didn't even realize that while I was filming her). Good luck trying to understand her story! enjoy!

Happy Autumn!

Autumn is a fleeting season.
Enjoy it.
Go outside!

Red and Crisp

September sky

Lobo

Margot's first apple in the bushel

Margot's first bite

Singing in the orchard

Our gang

A Photogenic Season

A new year has arrived with brilliant sunshine, crisp snow, blue skies and friendly trees.

The days leading to January 1st always force me to reflect on the previous year and to start making plans for the new one.

I decided to tackle this year by seasons and write out simple intentions that I plan to follow. Not only is it a much more realistic accessible method than yearly resolutions (or intentions), but it's also a shorter commitment and can be adapted/developed/scratched off for the following seasons.

Winter Manifesto 2013 for the Khouri-Parham trio:

-Chill in the living room 30 minutes before Margot's bedtime. No computers. Reading, writing, knitting, music allowed.

-Once a month: visit a museum or attend a cultural activity.

-Once every two weeks Twice a month: walk/hike in the snow in Gatineau Park or other conservation area.

-Once every two weeks Twice a month: make soup.

Simple enough.

I'm still formulating my own intentions and will share if you wish to read them.

Note: All pictures were taken on the Sugarbush Trail in Gatineau Park on this chilly and cloudless morning (Jan.1, 2013). Going for a walk is such an invigorating way to begin the year (and I'm sticking to my Winter Manifesto!)