The Legend of Lacey

The great lady Lacey she comes once a year
Her story’s so sad it’s caused many a tear
No one knows for sure how she came to depart
But it’s legend she died of a still broken heart

She’s elegant, classy, so please have no fear
She simply comes looking for one who was dear
She comes in October on All Hallow’s Eve
It’s all part of healing, of trying to grieve

Her beauty and might give glimpse to her strength
Her eyes and her spirit show she’s suffered at length
Oh how she remembers that knock at the door
That told her she’d lost her beloved to war

She remembers him dearly, from a time far away
But nor sadness nor grief has led to dismay
Her courage and faith keep her hopeful each year
That she’ll find him, she’s closer, she feels him, he’s near

So tonight if you’re careful, you may see or hear
Lacey praying or calling, but be there no fear
She’ll be searching as always, with love and with grace
With beauty and spirit, and a gown made of lace.

- October 31, 2004

This is based on a Halloween ghost Sis, another friend and I pieced together with a lace tablecloth, a feathered mask and a hanger. We named her Lacey. When Sis asked if we should put a Remembrance Day poppy on her we decided not to, but our friend suggested that maybe she’d lost her husband to war and died of a broken heart. I felt moved to write about it.

NaBloPoMo

November is National Blog Posting Month - NaBloPoMo for short. The goal is for participating bloggers to post something every day for a total of 30 posts.

I'm still undecided, but it sounds like a fun challenge doesn't it? Whether I have 30 days worth of something interesting to say remains to be seen too. Hm.

I have to think about it; I'll keep you posted ... tee hee.

Grand Manan Pics: Post-fog

As promised, here a few of my favourite post-fog pictures from Grand Manan.

Most of these were taken on Hike #2. Although we couldn't see much beyond the coastline, I enjoyed our trek through the mist. It had a surreal, almost ethereal feel to it. I connected with the imperfection of it all: the dampness, the rugged terrain, the crooked wind-shaped trees and the thick bushes of wild roses and potentilla blooms that seemed determined to thrive in such an unfriendly climate.

I wish I could convey the experience of the fog - how it felt on my cheeks, how it constantly transformed the landscape or how the chime of the foghorn echoed on the ocean's surface. I wish you could feel the muffled silence of the fog, broken by the crisp blow of a whale beneath the cliff. But alas you can't. With humility before Mother Nature's prose, I offer you these few snapshots to compensate.

Enjoy ...

(Thanks to D. for pic #5.)

Grand Manan Pics: Pre-fog

Finally! A few of my favourite pictures from our trip to Grand Manan in late July.

I was enchanted by this island hidden somewhere between New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Maine. Try as I may to show you with a few snapshots just how enchanting it is, they won't do it justice. But I'll still try. :)

We were lucky enough to get a full day of sunshine after which the fog rolled in and never left. I've divided my pictures into two posts: pre- and post-fog. These pre-fog pictures were taken on Hike #1, along what I think is the northern coast of the island. (Thanks to D. for pics 1 & 2!)

100-Mile Chili Man

Congratulations to D. for collecting 2nd prize at the office's United Way chili cookoff this week! Not only was the chili delicious, it was based on the 100-Mile Diet idea, made using only ingredients produced within a 100-mile radius of Ottawa. No salt, no cumin, none of the other fancy stuff he couldn't find.

He dehydrated local chili peppers in the oven and ground them with a mortar & pestle. He peeled tomatoes grown in our little backyard garden and used some of our herbs too. Ground beef came from a beef co-op in Fitzroy Harbour and red kidney beans from a farm in Mountain.

I'm reaping the benefits of his research too. Thanks to him, I'm now aware of a farm 25 miles outside of Ottawa that grows its own wheat and mills its own flour. Who knew?

Kudos to you D.!

A Whole Lotta Goodness

It seems I've been a fairweather blogger lately, but tonight I write. Nothing fancy, I just write. It feels good.

For the first time in about six months, I felt inspired to pack up the ol' laptop and walk to my favourite café. The smell of fresh coffee, sound of background chatter and funky jazz rhythms are invigorating. I feel inspired and alive, and that feels good.

Slowly but surely I'm reincorporating bits & pieces of what made my sabbatical so fulfilling into an everyday life that now includes full time work. It feels good.

Whether it's hanging out at my favourite coffee shop, making myself healthy, wholesome meals or registering for an exercise class, it feels good.

Whether it's sleeping when I'm tired, rediscovering my creativity or taking in the urban vibe, it feels good.

I've pondered my career options, regained interest in local events, sustainability and simple living, and booked time off from work to attend my former Thursday morning writers group. It feels good.

For the first time in several weeks I feel eager to move on, to embrace life and become what I know I can be. And THAT my friends, just for today, feels oh so good.

Meals for You, Meals for Me

At this time last year I was leisurely enjoying the new season, drinking tea and making big pots of homemade soup to share with friends and family for dinner. Now that I'm back at work I have trouble finding the energy to make myself a decent meal, let alone make something that's fit to be shared with company. That's too bad.

I want to give that some thought.

Thanksgiving Weekend Hike - Luskville Falls

onward and upward!

D. and I spent yesterday hiking under the sun, taking in the gorgeous fall colours of Gatineau Park and the Ottawa Valley. We did the Luskville Falls trail - a new trail for me.

What a trek!

It's not a long trail - about 4-5km return trip - but it's a demanding one. It climbs 300m up the steep face of the Eardley Escarpment, rewarding us with stunning views of the Ottawa Valley along the way. More than once I had to stop and bend over to catch my breath, but it felt so great to be out there! Once we reached the top, we enjoyed a picnic lunch and cracked open our tetra pack of Chardonnay.

All in all not a shabby way to start the long weekend.