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A Seasonal Writing Invitation For You
January, in the northern hemisphere, brings with it the kind of quiet that only winter can deliver. It is a beautiful time for writing and reading and expanding our soulfulness as we move inward and then make a subtle turn towards the light. I have an invitation for you, to write with me this season,…
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A Slow Soulful December
The arrival of December always used to stress me out. It came with a long To Do list related to all the necessary seasonal preparations and plans for a “perfect” holiday. As we toss out the perfection playbook, and settle into a different mindset, the holidays actually become a time of joy and magic. All…
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The World is Burning
I’ve heard those words frequently in the last several months, “The world is burning.” It’s easy to feel that way. There’s a lot happening in our world. Problems are many, solutions are few. And many feel helpless. As a former new junkie it’s easy to fall back into the news cycle that regurgitates the same…
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River Tubing on the Layou Dominica Like the Flow of Life
The gentle nudge into open waters reminds me of the birthing process. I’m not sure if children choose to be born, but they are pushed out into this wild world without a paddle or a rubber tube. At least I had each of those on my river tubing adventure down the Layou River in Dominica.…
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It is the End and the Beginning
The Tuesday after Labour Day always feels like an ending and a beginning for me. Do you feel the same? There’s something special about this day. The return to school means the end of summer and there is a great feeling of circularity. Every ending promises a new beginning, right? The new year offers a…
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Still Stirring and Sweetening for Creativity
You’ve probably forgotten about Lemonade Days by now. My hopeful summer series where something sour is turned sweet. We are still stirring and sweetening the lemonade. Can you believe this is week 7. The time has passed so quickly, just like summer, which always seems like a blur. I hope you’re having a great one!…
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The Eisenhower Matrix for Summer Freedom
What is one thing that is calling to you this summer? One thing you really want to do, that will fulfill your soul and satiate your desire for creativity? This past week on Lemonade Days the theme was freedom. We talked about the variety of meanings that freedom carries. And I wrote a little poem…
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Lemonade Days: Love and War in Week 1
What a full roller coaster week it has been this first week of Lemonade Days, my summer series that allows me to shine a light on the beauty in spite of the headlines that rage around us, full of strife and anxiety. My initial post here was met with mostly love and acceptance for what…
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Lemonade Days for a Chaotic World
Summer has arrived in the northern hemisphere with her beachy hair and flip flops, while bombs fall in faraway places that are closer than we think. Our chaotic world is propelled further into devastation by the madmen who hold the scepter of power. This compels me to begin a new summer series called Lemonade Days.…
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To Press or to Stack That is the Question
Hi Everyone, Just a quick post to ask for your thoughts on a dilemma many writers face. And no, I’m not talking about pancakes. As you may know I’ve been here on WordPress for about 6 years now. My blog has evolved, as we all do. What started off as a local travel blog, grew…
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A Divine Conversation
It has been a difficult few weeks. Time has slipped by due to responsibilities that beckoned and I’ve missed reading your words and writing mine. I have however, been writing short poetry and verses, sometimes rushed, as the words come to me. It is a wonderful way to release thoughts and emotions. Do you find…
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The Land of My People
My daughter jokes and says, “I need to go to Dubai. It is the land of my people.” It isn’t. But maybe something stirs inside her. Maybe she feels it. And I wonder, which is the land of my people. I am an immigrant with a cacophonous mix of ancestors. All of them different from…
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A God Moment
What’s happening in your life? Are you finding the magic? Any synchronicities? This morning Vicki wrote a post about her God moment, entitled Jackson and Grace. And just a few days before, Wynne wrote about her God moment, Connecting the Dots. Both posts, linked below, point to the magic that exists in our lives. This…
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Bad Neighbours and Life Lessons in the Pastel Streets of Old San Jan
Oh the pastel streets of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, charming barely describes it. As I wander down Calle San Miguel, I veer off toward the colourful residential streets away from the Malecon. That too is a sight, but wait till you hear these stories, all occurring in the pastel streets of Old San Juan.…
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Keep Living
In these tumultuous times, saturated with uncertainty and division, it’s easy to get caught up in all the negative emotions swirling around you. Don’t forget to live. Here’s a little poem that came to me as I watched the sun set over the horizon, from 30,000 feet above our planet. There’s nothing like being at…
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Commensalism Imagine the Possibilities
Nature is a profound teacher. There is so much we humans can learn from her. Commensalism is just one concept that exists within the natural world that adds to our humanity. I walked into the enclosed courtyard of the Museo de San Juan in Puerto Rico. The bright yellow arched walls contrasted perfectly with dark…
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The Last Lunch at El Morro
Here’s the poem I told you about in my post on historical El Morro in Puerto Rico. As I rounded a corner on the Paseo del Morro I saw a man sitting on a bench underneath a beautiful old banyan tree. It looked like a Banyan tree to me. It seemed to me like he…
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Puerto Rico’s El Morro: A Fortified Adventure
The large expanse of green grass looked inviting under the Puerto Rican sunshine. I’d been here before, entering through the front of El Morro previously. This time I decided to explore El Morro in reverse. Perhaps that decision was a little flawed, but who would have guessed at the time. Beginning our adventure at…
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I Met My Younger Self For Coffee
Have you heard of a new trend going around on social media? It includes writing a poem to your younger self. Some choose to write prose. The trend began with Jennae Cecelia writing a poem to her younger self that begins with, I met my younger self for Coffee. She posted it on Instagram and…
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Bequia Took My Breath Away
The boat pulled into the dock revealing a sunlit morning, palm trees swaying in the light breeze and transparent turquoise waters clear as glass. “This is Bequia!” I thought, “Wow! I can’t believe I’m here!” I’d read about Bequia in a book called, Tales of Bequia by Thomas Carl Thomsen, while in my 20s, and…
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Book: Yes, You Belong by Fatima Fakier
I can’t encapsulate in mere words the depth of feeling that rose within me when I read Fatima Fakier’s book, Yes, You Belong. It is a quick but deep read that reaches into your soul. As the subtitle states, it is, “A journey through articles on joy, motivation, and embracing life as it is.” It…
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The Magic of Your Orenda
I received an email recently from a former student of mine who graduated four years ago. Her words were overflowing with gratitude for the life changes she has made, both professionally and personally, due to words, she said, I’d spoken in lecture. I remember Jessie of course, but I didn’t remember the words until she…
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Grateful for
I am oh so grateful for thoughtful gestures and gentle autumn days. Early morning brought plenty of time for slow reflection. The supermoon was still out shining her light brightly, while on the opposite end of the horizon the sun painted hues upon the sky that coordinated with gently changing autumn leaves. Chrysanthemums and pumpkins…
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Tag You’re It
There’s a fun six question challenge going around the blogosphere. And my friend Vicki tagged me in her post today and inspired me to jump on this fun bandwagon. Not only do we get to examine these questions introspectively, but it also builds community and allows us to get to know each other. I’m in!…
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You’ll Never Know What You’ll Find in Digby Nova Scotia
With no pre-planning or research we had set out on our Maritimes road trip ready to wing it and come what may. It was post-pandemic Summer 2022 and people still weren’t travelling as much. Most days therefore worked out fine and we were able to find accommodation on the fly, most times. So with Google…
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What’s Your Life Month
Ah August, that in between month. The month full of contradictions and juxtapositions. August heralds a close to outdoor summer freedom and the beginning of the indoor ‘ber’ months. It is the time when we check our Summer Bucket Lists and feel the pressure to squeeze out just a few more carefree flip flop days.…
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Danger and Wonder at Peggy’s Cove Nova Scotia
I decided to forego the curved pathways that snake their way towards the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove, and walked the giant granite rocks carved by the ocean over hundreds of years, into smooth gently ambling shapes. The Atlantic air was fresh and warm, not cold and blustery as would be expected in winter. Stratus clouds…
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Book Review: Surviving Sue Should be a Movie
When I first read about the book Surviving Sue by Dr. Vicki Atkinson (2023) I felt some trepidation. The storyline piqued my interest, but would the content be too heavy? The story is Vicki’s, the daughter of a mother full of demons and dispositions toward alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and Munchausen’s, who suffered from Alzheimer’s later…
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Floral Clock and the 5 Rs
What are the 5 Rs you ask?, first let me tell you a bit of where this inspiration came from. In Niagara Falls you’ll find a famous tourist attraction, The Niagara Floral Clock. It is said to have been photographed as often as The Falls itself. I haven’t taken a picture every time I’ve been…
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Wishing you a Boring Day
When my kids were little they belonged to a summer reading club at the local library. One of the books gifted them through the program sponsored by TD Bank was a book called When Jeremiah Found Mrs. Ming. In the story, Jeremiah repeatedly tells Mrs. Ming he has nothing to do, and Mrs. Ming always…
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4 Ways to Overcome the Fear of Rejection
A couple of days ago I posted about the turquoise house. There’s so much that I could have said about it and one of the things that stood out for me is how our fear of rejection prevents us from being ourselves. Many of us humans struggle with acceptance, the need for approval. We’re conditioned…
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You’re The Inspiration
The sun was high in the sky. The air felt light. A goldilocks day, not too hot and not too cold. The perfect day to toss on a comfortable cotton dress and a pair of flip flops, (my favourite even at my age) and go for a nice long afternoon walk. As I walked with…
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Journey to Joy: Why you Must and Will Suffer
It’s part of the human condition isn’t it, the drive to be happy. We push and pull, struggle and strive on the seesaw between joy and suffering, desperately holding on to the happiness side more ardently. Not realizing that the pendulum must tick between the two, for us to become whole in joy. We don’t…
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Journey to Joy: Being Your Purpose
This past week has been filled with vivid conversations and lots of flowers. I received flowers from my daughter for watching their puppy while they moved, flowers from a friend for whom I had done a small favour, and I visited a tulip farm all in the same week! Oh what joy to have so…
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Journey to Joy After Getting Fired
A friend of mine was recently let go from her high profile corporate job that she had invested much of her life in. I’ll call her Kim. I had worked with Kim closely until I was 47, when I decided to let go of my fabulous corporate career and all that comes with it. I…
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The Total Solar Eclipse a Moment of Reverence
By now you’ve heard plenty about the solar eclipse that darkened a narrow band of North America last Monday, April 8th. Here in Niagara, we were in the path of totality and I have been wanting to share this joyful moment with you all week. Although we were well prepared, having purchased our eclipse glasses…
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An Aperitivo Moment with Aperol in Greve
Since so many of you enjoyed a slow morning coffee with me in Florence, let me take you to Greve where we can enjoy a slow joyful aperitivo moment with an Aperol Spritz. Although the Chianti region in Tuscany, Italy is world renowned for its fabulous red wines, the region brings to my mind the…
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That First Easter
If you celebrate Easter, I wish you a wonderful and happy Easter. And this quote is a good reminder of why we celebrate Easter. The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies. Kate McGahan And if you don’t celebrate Easter, I’m sure you find that the quote still…
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Morning Coffee in Florence Full of Possibilities
It has been a few years since I’ve been in Florence, but the memories are as fresh as my morning coffee, that is full of possiblities. Having just arrived the night before, I walked with my best friend along the narrow streets to a cafe in Florence. Yes, that Florence! The one in Italy that…
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3 Things to do When Things Don’t Work Out
It has been a difficult week to say the least and although I try to focus on sharing joyful moments here, because the world has enough pain and suffering in it, an occasional slide down the mountain is to be expected, before we can continue to climb again. Plus it keeps things real. And is…
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The People We Meet by Chance or Choice
I stepped out of the port terminal in Miami ready to hail a cab. Signs pointed me in the direction of the taxi stand and as I approached, an older man standing outside his cab waved to me. I nodded in agreement as I walked around to meet him, navigating the people control barriers. As…
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It’s All in There
What if I told you of a place where you could learn anything, be anything, and become anything. You can dream, imagine, and grow, in silence, on your own. There is a such a place. It’s real. And it’s all in there. Can you guess what this place is? It’s a bookshop, a library, a…
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Slow Wondrous Mornings and Theta
I’ll confess I’m not really an early bird. The days of shuttling kids to school, rushing off to work, and waking at an ungodly hour to make sure everything ticks along perfectly, are now behind me. Which gives me time to enjoy slow wondrous mornings. As spring begins to awaken, so do I. Like an…
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In the Quiet Zone
I watched as they took their seat on the park bench. Settled in, he put his arm around her. She shifted towards him to fit into that familiar curve as they sat in pensive thought. No words were spoken. They were in the quiet zone. There’s joy in those pensive moments of silence. It is…
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This Wonderland
In any ordinary week, in any ordinary life, there are moments filled with magic that lead you to your own wonderland. Thursday was a day I was looking forward to. The weather app promised snow. Some may see it as a warning, but I thought of it as a promise. It may be winter in…
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What Happened to Happiness
It’s Tuesday, and on Tuesdays from March to October I would post a happiness prompt and affirmation to help shift your perspective and mine towards happiness, gratitude and ultimately joy. If you’ve been here before then you may realize I haven’t made a Happiness Project post for over 3 months now. What happened to happiness? Well, time…
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A Message for You
Hello Friends! It has been a while and for good reason. There have been multiple things to deal with in these last two harrowing months. One wedding, two funerals and several other emergencies meant that everything else went on the back burner and I fell off the radar. Remember my last happiness project? I’ve been busy being…
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Happiness Project Week 29 In the Storm
I’ve been M.I.A. from here and all for good reason. While in the Caribbean this past week we were in the midst of Tropical Storm Phillipe. Thankfully it was downgraded from hurricane status before it hit the Leeward Islands. Though we experienced the effects of it, it wasn’t as devastating as it was feared. I…
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Happiness Project Week 28
Ahhhh the cozy vibes of autumn. It’s time to pull out the fuzzy blankets and light your scented candles. Not to mention the pumpkin spice lattes that I’ve been enjoying from my favorite drive thru. Apparently it’s a meal in a cup, or so my kids warn me, especially if you opt for the venti.…
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Happiness Project Week 27
You’d think I plan these prompts ahead of time and have them all scheduled and ready to go, but such is not the case. Though I am fairly organized in many aspects of my life, my blog, unfortunately is not one of those uber organized things, for the simple reason that I allow this space…
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Happiness Project Week 26
Sometimes in my less happy times I intentionally seek out something that brings me joy. Often it’s related to nature, though occasionally it’s at my piano. That got me thinking about this week’s happiness prompt. Here’s the prompt for this week, albeit a day late, because what a week! The Happiness Project is my way…
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Happiness Project Week 25
For me, I find happiness in many quiet moments. Perhaps you do too. This week’s happiness comes in a quiet moment that I love, but don’t get a chance to enjoy too often. Let me know if this is one of your happy moments too. Here’s the prompt for this week: The Happiness Project is…
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Happiness Project Week 24
Hope exploring your own creativity brought you some happiness last week. This week we’ll explore simple play with a special friend. Here’s the prompt for this week: Let me know how much fun you find in this undistracted play time. The Happiness Project is my way of sprinkling happiness like fairy dust so that we…
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Happiness Project Week 23
Did you find some open green spaces last week that brought you some joy? This week we’re exploring creativity. Here’s the prompt for this week: Creating without restrictions really gives us a sense of freedom, doesn’t it. What will you create? The Happiness Project is my way of sprinkling happiness like fairy dust so that…
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Happiness Project Week 22
I hope you were able to find a sense of meditation and mindfulness last week in a state of Blue Mind. This week we’re going from blue to green. Here’s the prompt for this week: There are a lot of studies that point to green spaces being beneficial to our mental health. Though anecdotal evidence…
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Happiness Project Week 21
Last week’s happiness prompt had us reflecting on our legacy and contributions. I hope you found the exercise fun, thought provoking and joyful. This week it’s more about a reflective material than a reflection. Watch the video first and I’ll explain. Here’s the prompt for this week: As you have probably discovered for yourself being…
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Paletta Park Lakefront Mansion a Hidden Legacy
An older gentleman pushing a walker came towards me through the gates at Paletta Lakefront Park. This was the end of my informal self-guided tour and the beginning of his. “Hi sweetie” he said in a joyful tone. “Hi,” I responded, “beautiful day for an adventure isn’t it?” As he walked past me towards Paletta…
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Happiness Project Week 20
I hope you enjoyed yourself walking through a garden or two last week. I too have visited a few gardens over the last few weeks, I mean it is summer in the northern hemisphere. And since the season of flowers here in the great white north is short, I am making the most of it.…
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Happiness Project Week 19
Observing nature is one way that we can find ourselves suddenly enjoying the moment and it brings joy and happiness. I hope you found that was the case for you last week. This week is an easy prompt that is one of my favourite things to do and I’m sure you will love it also.…
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Happiness Project Week 18
Did you find 3 things each day last week to bring you some joy? You can keep that practice going and will be amazed at how it shifts your perspective. And if that feels like too much then write down one thing each day and make that one thing happen. Ensuring happiness is hard work…
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Happiness Project Week 17
I hope you found some happiness last week in the simple joy of walking barefoot in the grass. It is a very simple thing to do, yet fills us with a few moments of happiness. This week is similar and you get to choose which simple things bring you happiness. Here’s the prompt for this…
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This Blooming Cactus a Metaphor for Life: FOTD
The cacti in my garden is blooming, bright and yellow on thorny flat green stems that look like a beaver’s tail. The cacti has spread further into the garden bed and when I asked a neighbour if she wanted some she said, “oh no, cactus is too ugly and has too many thorns.” What do…
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Happiness Project Week 16
You know how on a holiday weekend garbage pickup is one day late? Well this week’s Happiness Project prompt is one day late for the same reason. Or maybe I just got my days messed up, or maybe I was being lazy. Who knows! Either way, here I am with this week’s prompt and affirmation…
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Happiness Project Week 15
If you’re reading this on your phone, then wait to finish reading this before following this week’s prompt. 🙂 This week’s prompt is all about alleviating the distractions in life. Our phones are an enormous distraction and these distractions prevent us from moving towards joy. This week I hope you’ll take some time to quell…
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What is Summer to You
Happy Summer! Today is the first day of summer, a season that reveals itself in simple joys, slow living, and an abundance of nature. As we say, “see you later,” to spring we must acknowledge the shifting of the seasons, and the gentle bowing out of spring. Here’s a short video to acknowledge that graceful…
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Happiness Project Week 14
Last week was a lot of fun wasn’t it. Giving a simple flower away brings joy to the receiver and the giver and that is a true win win. This week we’ll continue the giving, however in a slightly different way. And as always you get to choose. Here’s the prompt for this week: The…
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Happiness Project Week 13
Last week was all about noticing the details in flowers. That tiny action is a way to slow down and appreciate the beauty in something we often take for granted. And the motion of stopping to notice details changes our perspective pushing us towards a blissful moment of happiness. I’m hoping you discovered that last…
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Happiness Project Week 12
Happiness is all around you. Just walk through a garden, yours or anyone’s, and you are sure to feel a sense of joy, happiness, and peace. This week’s prompt asks you to do something special with flowers, and if you live in a place where there are no flowers at this time of year, supermarket…
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Happiness Project Week 11
Last week’s prompt to hold hands and really feel the connection of human touch evoked a beautiful post from Cee that is linked below. Cee talks about how we use touch as a method of healing and told of a special story between her and her partner Chris. Hands have special meaning to me too.…
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Happiness Project Week 10
Did you sing last week? Out loud? How did it make you feel? I hope you found the power in your own voice. This week’s happiness prompt and affirmation requires another person, or two. I hope it brings you a few minutes of joy and happiness. And I encourage you to write down how you…
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Happiness Project Week 9
So how was last week? Did you walk 3 times? Did it bring you some happiness? Were you able to get into a natural space? I can’t wait to hear. This week’s happiness prompt and affirmation can be done while absolutely alone or maybe even for an audience. It all depends on you and your…
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The Mothering Circle and Gooseberries
It feels like eons ago when I became a mother, and thus have celebrated many Mother’s Days. The early days of spaghetti necklaces, friendship bracelets and homemade cards splattered with paint are far behind me. I miss them somehow. Fast forward to yesterday and for the first time ever I celebrated Mother’s Day at my…
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Exploring the Hollows in Saint Martins
Beneath the waters of the Bay of Fundy lay sea caves carved by the Atlantic Ocean from the soft sandstone cliffs. You don’t have to go diving to explore these amazing hollows, you simply have to wait. Each day in a twelve hour cycle the tide goes out revealing the ocean floor and the beautiful…
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Happiness Project Week 8
As you probably already know, exercise is a fantastic mood booster. As we exercise, even moderately, three times a week, our brain produces a variety of feel-good chemicals. One of them is Endorphins, the hormone that kickstarts that happy feeling. This week I challenge you to some light exercise so that you can experience that…
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Happiness Project Week 7
If it’s spring in your part of the world you may see some beautiful blossoming trees. There’s really something magical about trees that flower to beat fruit later in the season. It speaks of hope and abundance. This week’s Happiness Project is all about noticing and appreciating that abundance, while acknowledging your own blossoming. If…
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From Fear to Joy: Should you be Fearless
We often hear the phrase BE FEARLESS. It is shouted out at us across the divide, echoing in the canyon as you stand on the precipice about to take the leap. As business leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and anyone trying to achieve their goals in life, we keep coming across the phrase BE FEARLESS. But should…
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Happiness Project Week 6
Welcome or welcome back to the Happiness Project, where each week we live mindfully so that we can let joy and happiness into our lives. How many hugs did you give last week? This week’s prompt asks you to stop and notice something that is available to all of us. Then feel the feelings and…
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Happiness Project Week 5
This week’s happiness prompt is simple (aren’t they all). And that’s exactly the point. It’s about the simple little things. The simple pleasures that inject a little happiness and bring us joy everyday. I hope you enjoyed last week’s prompt, all about the beach, and were able to use it to encourage more of the…
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Abigail’s Tea House A Cozy and Elegant Afternoon
It was a rainy spring day, the kind tailor-made for an unrushed cozyafternoon tea. And Abigail’s Tea House in St. George, Ontario was the perfectspot to indulge in some hygge and cozy relaxation over High Tea. The welcoming green door on the corner of Main St. in the quaint littletown of St. George is impossible…
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Happiness Project Week 4
Remember days spent at the beach? These are usually lounge-worthy days, full of sunshine and blissful relaxation. Reading a good book, building sand castles, going for a long romantic walk, cold drinks and juicy fruit, whatever your flavour, beaches are evocative of happy memories. Can you hear the sound of waves, children laughing, dogs barking?…
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Happiness Project Week 3
Sometimes it’s easier to do for others and love them than it is to love ourselves and give ourselves time. This week’s Happiness prompt is all about you. I hope you enjoyed last week’s prompt and were able to use it to encourage more of the simple joys to enter your life. If you missed…
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Happiness Project Week 2
Spring has sprung in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere lightening the air and lengthening the days. Oh what joy. I hope you enjoyed last week’s prompt and were able to use it to encourage more of the simple joys to enter your life. If you missed week 1, see it linked below along with…
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Nickel Beach and Port Promenade in Port Colborne
There’s something about Port Colborne that I really like. It has a quaintness to it that isn’t imbued in perfection. It’s rough edges similar to the coarse brown-sugar Lake Erie sand found on Nickel Beach. There’s something very human and personal about this little Niagara town and I have lots of happy memories of summer…
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Happiness Project Week 1
Today is the first day of Spring, a time of renewal, rebirth, and rejuvenation. As we emerge into this new season I do so with gratitude and joy as much as I can. So today I am beginning the Happiness Project. It is my way of sprinkling happiness like fairy dust everywhere I go. We…
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Afternoon Tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel A Place for Friends
There is something divine and decadent in the ritual of afternoon tea. Experiencing it in the lavish Drawing Room at the historic Prince of Wales Hotel in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake certainly elevates the affair of afternoon tea, especially in the company of good friends. Afternoon tea was something I grew up with. Not as resplendent as…
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12 Things to Love about Prince Edward Island
I’ve had a fascination with and a long distance love affair with Prince Edward Island ever since I read Lucy Maud Montgomery’s books as a young girl. Her descriptions of the island and its many natural spaces have held my interest for decades. As fortune would have it I was able to visit this beautiful…
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Rainy Days and Sundays: Bloganuary
The song from my parents’ record player wafted through the house with Karen Carpenter’s voice. One line stuck in my memory, “rainy days and Sundays always get me down.” Rainy days certainly do not have that affect on me. I love rainy days. They offer an opportunity to slow down, get things done indoors, and…
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Walking in the Footsteps of Lucy Maud Montgomery at Green Gables
With the sweet taste of Amapola still lingering on my tongue, I threw myself onto the day bed in the front verandah of my childhood home. As I often did on summer afternoons while others siestad, I pulled a classic from my father’s collection. What I didn’t realize at the time was the indelible impression…
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The Carter House Port Colborne and Anne of Ingleside
There’s something about grand old houses that rouses the storyteller and the curious cat in me. So, when I serendipitously came across The Carter House in Port Colborne Ontario I was smitten. A little bit of Googling produced the results. The house was built in 1867 for the Carter family and remained in the family…
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Magnolia Alley Niagara Falls Love at First Sight
Magnolia Alley in Niagara Falls is a feast for the senses. A nature lovers delight. And don’t say I didn’t warn you about falling in love here. I can’t gush enough about this place and I feel blessed to live so close by. I have visited in every season and every season has its wonders,…
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Spring is Late and I’m Craving Flowers
It’s been particularly cool this spring in Niagara, Canada. Cherry Blossoms have barely budded and the lilacs are still tiny pods waiting to burst forth. As I wander around my garden, I can’t help but crave the colour and beauty of flowers. What do you do when you are craving flowers and it has been…
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Anne With an E and the Beauty of Nature
Lately I’ve been watching Anne with an E. It is, I am proud to say, a Canadian show based on the classic book series beginning with Anne of Green Gables. The television series is a partnership between the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Netflix. I’ve binged watched the three seasons, and yearn for more. Apparently the…
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Where to Find Cherry Blossoms in Niagara
In about a month Niagara cherry farms will glow in shades of pinks and soft whites as cherry blossoms come to life. It is a beautiful time of year as spring brings with it the blooming of fruit trees throughout this spectacular region. Cherry blossoms seem to be the favourite for people all over the…
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The Story of the Great Lakes Freighters
Ice thins and water seeps through the cracks severing winter’s grip. The softening March air and warming sunshine expedite the process and the canal returns to its former liquid state releasing the huge Great Lakes freighters that dock here in Port Colborne for their compulsory winter’s rest. This is the life of a Great Lake…
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What is the Meaning of Spring
Happy first day of Spring! Here she comes bringing joy and hope. Full of meaning. This past week Spring provided a teaser. We had two beautiful days of almost summer weather with temperatures as high as 20C. Suddenly, the birds emerged singing their beautiful songs, flitting from branch to branch with excitement in the season.…
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Time is Love: Here’s How I Know
As a young person coming of age in the 80s I bought in to the North American ideals of success. My big hair, six inch heels and peplum style designer suits were the lexicon of the era. Rushing was valued and achievement, at any cost, was applauded. I bought in completely and without question, and…
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When Sundays Were Slow
If you are from my generation you’ll remember a time when Sundays really were the restful day of the week. Shops and malls were closed. There was time for a leisurely breakfast after a slow wakening. And some people found joy in taking the day to visit church and immerse themselves in their faith. I…
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The Story of La Grande Hermine Dreams Lived Dreams Broken
If you’ve driven along the QEW between Toronto and Niagara Falls there’s a good chance you noticed the pirate ship in Jordan Harbour. The story of La Grande Hermine is about dreams. And it was someone’s dream that brought this ship to the Niagara Region of Lake Ontario. In 1535 the great French Explorer, Jacques…
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Learning to Accept Change Like the Seasons
Change isn’t easy, but it is a part of our daily lives. Depending on the change we’re facing we may choose to dig in and hold fast to our belief systems even when they don’t benefit us. Learning to accept change like the seasons keeps us evolving. Nature teaches us many joyful lessons, one of…
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Montefioralle A Tiny Italian Village Hidden Behind Stone Walls
In Tuscany between Florence and Sienna you will find the prettiest tiny Italian Village tucked neatly behind stone walls. This is Montefioralle, a place that dates back to the 11th century where double stone walls were built in an elliptical shape as fortification against the marauders that existed in the Chianti area. Let me take…
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