Let's Go Fly a Kite!

'cos nothing says "spring" like flying a kite!

An Easter weekend in Newmarket. Yes, there was chocolate. Yes, we went on nature walks. And yes, we watched Mary Poppins (Margot LOVED it!)

But the highlight was...

... Flying the kite!

 And that's me showing off my kite-flying skills :)

Spring is in the air

Happy Spring everyone!

We celebrated this new season by taking a walk on a new-found trail: Jack Pine Trail.

We were pleasantly surprised to discover bird houses:

The chickadees were more hesitant than on the last walk. The song birds were very present on this trail and we were graced by their melodies, but they kept their distance.

Margot found her entertainment by walking on the logs.
She walked and fell and then started over until she crossed the log without a slip of the foot.

It was a lovely walk to welcome the new season.

Piano + Ice Cream = A Perfect Combo

Here's my Margot at the piano.
Multi-tasking, as you can see:

She sits at the piano daily and plays a few tunes from her "repertoire".

On the Chickadee Trail

Hello faithful readers! Thanks for hanging in and being patient while I was on hiatus.

January was a busily crazy month! I don't really want to revisit it.
February has been busily crazy as well, but manageable…
I hope March is simply busy (minus the crazy).
And, by June, my life should be smooth sailing :)

I know you are all waiting anxiously to read about my Winter Manifesto. Alas! There is none this year. However, I'm hoping to jot one down for Spring (its content will probably be quite similar to previous ones).

Sunday morning, we enjoyed a family walk on the Chipmunk Trail (aka The Chickadee Trail). This was our first walk of 2016! I can't believe how long we've waited before hitting the trails!

We have treaded the paths of the Chipmunk Trail before.

I love revisiting familiar trails. There's something calming and comforting about knowing what to expect …and to not get lost!

Margot first started off putting bird seeds on her cat:

Can you find the Chickadee?
hint: the bird likes blue

Then, she placed the seeds on her mitt:

And finally, bravely,directly in her hand:

A chickadee in flight:

Reflections on 2015

Overall, 2015 was quite a happy year.

Last year, on my blog, I wrote the following:

My word of the year (for 2015)  will be play. 

Smile more, hug more, offer little surprises along the way, say "yes" to new experiences, stand taller, walk lighter, skip more, be more graceful in my daily movements, take deeper reflective breaths, drink more water. Shine!

Did I do all that?

• "Smile more, hug more" - yes! Especially since my Hawaii trip. 
• "offer little surprises along the way" - hum….?… (i don't think so) 
• "say YES to new experiences" -  My professional highlight was taking the risk of transferring my tenure from the French to the English department. It was a gutsy move. Despite the extra hours of prep (and a LOT more to come next semester!) , the constant challenges of presenting the material, my "free time" spent flipping through numerous library books in search of content, and the stress of being at the top of my game, it brings me oh so much! I am now a more enthusiastic, creative, passionate, exciting teacher.  I have SOOOO much to learn; which is great, because I'll be teaching for awhile. 
• "Stand taller. Walk lighter. Skip more. Be more graceful in my daily movements."  - thank you Contemporary Dance! My Thursday evening activity was enjoyable and fun. Also, I can't ignore my constant yoga practice.
• "Take reflective breaths" - In November, I started a 30-day meditation challenge (at least 10 minutes daily of meditation). I'm still doing it! (and it's December 28th). I only missed two days while in Montréal. I don't want to prematurely jinx it, but I think (I hope) it has become a habit. I recently discovered Japa meditation; a gentle and simple meditation in which you repeat a mantra 108 times (using mala beads). For example: "I am strong and peaceful", "I am inspired", "I got this!". It's wonderful because I don't need to download or stream a meditation practice, I can just set my timer for 10 minutes and recite my mantra. And believe me, 10 minutes fly by!  Not only is there a quietude and simplicity that I'm exploring, but also I'm discovering revitalizing and energizing aspects of meditation.
• "Drink more water" - I start my day with a glass of water with a squirt of fresh lemon. Easy and refreshing!
• "Shine!"- sure!

First snowstorm of the season: today!

Dear readers, I hope you savour a quiet moment before the end of the year to reflect on 2015. Sit down with a glass of wine or a cup of tea, alone or with loved ones, with great music in the background and remember the good times of 2015.

Our annual Christmas day family pic.
(it was a green xmas this year!)

December News

1. Margot had her ballet recital.
Her class was divided into smaller groups. The title of her piece was "Winter Fun"

Waiting in the wings

Making a snowball 

?

Sliding on ice

Toasting hands by the fire

Looking to the right

Looking to the left

2. Simon and I went to Mtl. to add coolness to our lives:

Carré St-Louis

Evening at the Old Port

Music for the public to enjoy

I would love to live in one of those houses!

Ah!!! Diner lunch!

Just because :)

3. Decorating the xmas tree:

4.  An early Solstice walk on a Sunday morning.

5. Margot's photography project and drawing (to make you smile!)

       

Series: Animals with Fruit

Margot's drawing while in the car

(we keep the Boogie Board in the car)

Reaching out to Walkers: One Bridge at a Time

A few Sundays ago, Simon and I crossed a new pedestrian bridge. And it was new: it had just opened one day before we walked on it!

It was a glorious, sunny, mild (for December!) and poncho-wearing-day and the bike path leading to the bridge was well-used by couples walking hand-in-hand, recreational cyclists, young parents with prams and friends conversing.

I love pedestrian bridges!
They bridge the gap between neighbourhoods, creating more diversity and options and encouraging people to walk more. They are convenient and often quicker to get to a destination.
Whether for commuting or a Sunday stroll, they are welcoming!

There is something gratifying about walking across a bridge and finding oneself in a different neighbourhood. The possibilities seem endless on where to walk to …. a whole city opens up to us.