365 Days of Gratitude -Day 107

This is not my idea of a good time. But it is my hubby's. He's super excited about his golf game tomorrow with friends and family at this course. It'll be his first game of the year. 

He is so excited he's reminded me. Again. That he's golfing. In 20 degree celcius weather. Lol. And THAT warms my heart. Watching him get excited about something he is passionate about makes me smile and appreciate I am married to a man who knows what he likes and what brings him joy.

Feeling grateful,

Louise 

#365daysOFgratitude

He's headed here tomorrow. (I'm so NOT a golfer I had to google it. Lol.)

365 Days of Gratitude -Day 106

A perfect end to a great work day. 

A meditative solo ride in the ever stunning Copeland Forest.

A meditative hour and a half on the yoga mat.

And now we're waiting for the phone to ring. It's the eve of our middle boy's next adventure into the wilds of northern Alberta for the next few months. He'll be out of communication range for most of the time, and we're excited to give him our love and best wishes.

Life is good.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Too gorgeous not to stop for a photo

Son Richard and I on our 5-day hike in the backcountry of Banff National Park (a couple summers ago)

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 105

I enjoyed a wonderful hike in the woods with these two lovelies today. 

We spend a couple hours talking about life, spirituality, choices, options, and wisdom. Abby just finished a 6-month solo hiking trip through South America, and Jace has started on his personal journey to help Mother Earth with a commitment to clean 1 tonne of garbage from the ravines and public areas in his home town.

Both wonderful personal choices.

Both inspiring.

Both positive examples for others to learn from.

My heart is full.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Me n Abby hang in' out

Our garbage haul.

Jace influencing us to clean garbage as we hike n talk. Feeling proud. Thanks for the inspiration buddy! (Clearly I need help in the selfie department. Lol)

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 104

My mom taught me how to knit when I was a young girl. I always assumed everyone learned how to knit, either in school (yes, schools used to teach this in home economics courses), or by a mother or grandmother, but now that I've gained a few years in age I realize, quite sadly, that isn't the case. 

Knitting is a declining skill.

Although I rarely follow patterns (I'm more of a free-spirit knitter), I've always enjoyed the meditative relaxation that knitting brings. My marathon-running and road-cycling friends will understand that methodical, rhythmic zoning out. Knitting is the same. For me anyway.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Working on a hitchhiker scarf (using an actual pattern) for a certain someone for her trip to the shambhala music festival this summer. Shhhh...it's a surprise :)

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 103

Paul, Marti, Linda and I spent a few hours today maintaining trails in our forests. We all belong to a mountain bike club that has the responsibility for building and maintain trails in our local area. 

There is always a lot of work to be done in the spring, but especially so considering there was a logging project done on these county properties.

Volunteering feels good.

Hard labour feels good.

Working alongside Mother Nature feels good.

Muscles are tired, and I'm feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

That's a lot of wood to cut with a fiskars saw. Lol. Seriously, this is from the logging project.

That damn tree knocked me off my bike yesterday. My head still hurts! 

All done. Playing a happy tune! 

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 102

Watching my big boys (hubby and oldest son) change tires and detail cars. It brings me so much joy to watch father and son putz away at chores together, especially chores they enjoy. My heart is full.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Two happy boys

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 101

Super awesome evening with my fellow guides at the Ride Guide training session. This is our illustrious leader Sara showing us how it's done.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Www.rideguides.ca

Check out Sara's sweet new norco ride, and her sweet new smith helmet! 

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 100

On Monday I had my summer tires put on my car. Today is snowed. The main hwy I would take to our city parks was closed in both directions for a fatal accident this morning.

I am super grateful I have the kind of job that allows me to have 'work from home' days. I got a ton of work done, and never gave driving or the weather a second thought.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

The highway this morning

Still snow on my deck at 6pm tonight

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 99

This is what rain, snow, hail, and fog all at the same time looks like. Darn beautiful if you ask me.

Long but entertaining drive home thanks to Mother Nature. I enjoyed every last bit of it too.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Yes, I pulled over to the side of the road to snap the photo :)

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 98

I love hiking in the morning before work. There is nothing like best friends and a beautiful forest to balance mind, body, and spirit.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Lovely hike up Tit Hill with Linda and Chico this morning. (Looks somewhat similar but it's a completely different location from my hike with Janis yesterday)

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 97

Hiking in the rain, lunch at the bakery, and an afternoon of knitting with my dear best friend Janis. 

Life is good.

Feeling grateful, 

Louise 

#365daysOFgratitude

The colours and smells in a rainy forest are incredible.

An old foundation in the forest. Almost looks like it says Janis

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 96

No matter what I always see a bright side. While my hubby enjoyed a beautiful weekend I was busy working away from home. 

I missed him and our weekend time together, but I thoroughly enjoyed my days at Brampton and Stouffville.

There's just something wonderful about being outdoors all day interacting with happy customers.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Loving a Lead Guide shift in Stouffville

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 95

How can a person NOT be appreciative of days that start like this.

"Good morning beautiful world ! "

Feeling grateful, 

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

My sunrise view

365 Days of Gratitude - day 94

I love when the trees start to bud. It always seems to be the weeping willows that start things up. A day or two of this golden yellow hue, and then a stunning soft green.

Always a favourite process to watch.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

No less than 50 of these beauties on my drive home. Finally pulled over to snap a photo.

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 93

Funny guy!

I can always count on my sweetie to make me laugh. I worked in Stouffville today which meant I had a long day. So Paul picked up our bikes from their spring tuning, BBQ'd a dinner and waited for my return.

I saw the sign as I walked up the driveway and burst into laughter. Gosh he sure knows how to make me smile.

Feeling grateful (especially because he didn't actually try to sell my bike),

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Notice there is no sign on his bike :)

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 92

My rock pile survived the winter and that makes me very happy. Balancing of any kind isn't always easy.

Let me explain.

Way back last summer I decided to stack these rocks because I thought it would look cool in my garden. It was a tough summer with my dad first ill then passing, so I have to be honest and say I wasn't always in a great mood nor was I always balanced mind, body, spirit.

The damn rocks kept toppling over. Which irritated me. I'd stack them. Next day they'd have fallen. And so on.

Finally months later (in the fall) on a day my mind, body, spirit was well balanced and I was in the garden reflecting (thinking about my dad) I headed over to the pile (they'd fallen again) and I approached them differently. In my head I talked to my Pop and asked for his help in balancing my rocks. In my head I talked to my late brother (he was a geologist) and smiled and asked for his guidance in placing them in the exact spot so they would balance. I thought about the times when they were there for me in life, and I felt good.

It was just a really nice moment in my garden with nice thoughts running through my head. When I had them stacked I stood back and honestly felt gratitude. 

And that was that. They haven't fallen since. And no I don't look at it like a 'weeping mother Mary' miracle kind of experience, I simply am happy that my energy, my thoughts, and my intentions were good and clear and helpful in the balancing process. Plus my dad and brother ROCK! Pun intended :)

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 91

Mom and I filed her taxes today, which included the final paperwork and tax submission for my father (who passed away last July). Whoop whoop hooray! 

We celebrated by stopping by the cheese shop. It was quite difficult to choose, but I finally settled on a beautiful piece of Grey Owl goat cheese from Quebec and an equally delectable Cashel blue from Tipperary, Ireland. 

Mmmmm, I think my dad would have loved our choice of celebrations.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Just a few of the selections

One of the options board

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 90

First non-snow ride of the year!!! 

It's always a balancing act in the spring between desire to ride - good weather to ride - available time in my schedule to ride - and most important not too early in the season to cause damage to the trails.

Today all systems were a go!

Although the trails from my backyard are still too snowy, a 15 minute drive south to the 'admin bldg trails on 26' proved perfect! The sandy trails were snow-free, perfectly dry, and downright 'beach-like' in sections.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Linda overlooking the river below. (Looks a bit like Colorado).

Making Linda pose on a rock for a photo.

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 89

Sun, serenity, forest walks and friends and family. Blessed with a perfect Sunday.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

We even put the deck furniture out. Sweet bliss!

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 88

It's a ginger ale - saltines - sleep - repeat kind of day for me (stomach flu).

Grateful the sun is shining through the windows.

Grateful for stellar workmates who soldiered on without me.

Grateful the highway was quiet for my drive home.

Grateful for a loving husband who picked up the ginger ale and saltines.

Grateful for the hilarious texts from SIL Treese that brightened my afternoon.

Life is still good.

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude 

Hmm...just noticed I have 2 different socks on.

365 Days Of Gratitude - Day 87

Sitting in my mom's livingroom this morning. She's busy bringing life to this orchid and this painting. The painting features my late brother standing by the lake in the Canadian Rockies where his ashes rest.

I just realized he would have been 61 today. Happy birthday Mark. 

Feeling grateful, 

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Both works of art in progress

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 86

Mom wrote a letter to a Dutch newspaper and not only did they print her letter, they called her to talk about the details.

Why is this so exciting? Mom is 88 years old. And she emailed them the letter. On her IPad. And she took a picture and included it in her email! Yup, my mom is amazing!

Feeling grateful, 

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Her letter

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 85

Oh my goodness how I love pulling into my driveway after a long day. The energy of my sweet little chalet in the beautiful forest here on the Oro moraine instantly balances my mind, body, and spirit.

Feeling grateful,

Louise 

#365daysOFgratitude

Still a bit of snow I see.

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 84

On a long, arduous day of equipment inspections THIS was a wonderful and very kind surprise. Thank you Gray (the boyfriend of our Brampton Site Manager) for making my afternoon! 

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Tim Horton large dark roast with cream with what appears to be a couple ninjas in the background. 

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 83

Although I have a small office in my home, this is where I prefer to set up shop on my 'work from home' days. Spring is always a busy season for me and I am ever so grateful I was able to spend today in this environment getting caught up.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 82

Good memories from a fabulous weekend. Sore tummy from laughing so much. Missed seeing our kids, but loved spending the occasion with family.

Dinner last night at my brother's cottage. Mom even made it up for the weekend. Scrumptious!

Feeling grateful,

Louise 

#365daysOFgratitude

365 Days of Gratitude -Day 81

Hallelujah...hallelujah...

Although this photo of my sister-in-law Theresa does have a somewhat angelic and even biblical look to it, in truth their cottage has sketchy cell reception at the best of times, and this rock is the communication hub. Treese is merely standing on the rock trying to get a signal so she can make a phone call.

Happy Easter weekend everyone. We are loving our family time at their cottage.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Mother Theresa. No, seriously. 

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 80

Our digs for the weekend. Easter weeknd with my brother and his family at Gorman Lake in the Ottawa Valley

Feeling grateful, 

Louise 

#365daysOFgratitude

P.s. Grateful there is no Rodgers cell service here. Also grateful to be able to run a hotspot off my niece's data plan to post my 365. 

Thanks Sean and Andrea for letting us stay in your cottage.

Mom in my brother's place.

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 79

This morning sky! 

I thought the clouds were so unique and so stunning I pulled off a major highway (400, at the marsh - for you locals) to take the picture.

Feeling grateful,

Louise

#365daysOFgratitude

Those stripes are clouds, not sun rays.

365 Days of Gratitude - Day 78

Spring really is spring when I see the turkey vultures return. They always grab my attention when they soar so gracefully, high in the sky, and today (and this whole week on my commute drives) I haven't been disappointed.

Because nature speaks so clearly to me, I thought I would look up the meaning. Ted Andrews says:

"The Vulture is the symbol of death and rebirth, the mother symbol,  and represents purification.    For those with this totem,  you will be noticed more for what you do than how you appear.  Vulture or Condor teaches us how to soar above our limitations. This Totem is a semi-permanent totem; once it enters your life  it will be with you always, through your numerous lifetimes. You may start to see auras and colors around people;  Vulture can help teach you how to accomplish this through patience and vision.   Vultures teach you how to soar without using much energy,  how to ride the thermal winds instead of flapping.   Go with the flow.  Use your own energy powerfully and efficiently.   Vulture is associated with the sense of smell  and aromatherapy is a good tool to use to connect with this Totem.    The Vulture promises us that no matter  how difficult things are at the moment,  rescue and change are imminent. Soar above the drudgeries of every day life through spirit. And Vulture/Condor is there to protect you in this journey." Feeling grateful,  Louise #365daysOFgratitude