Borealiso Beautiful

Friday, October 19, 2012

Sugar honey

Dad sent me this clip, The Real Bears, a couple of days ago. Makes you think about what's in your fridge, or what you order when you're out for lunch. Go Jason Mraz, you crooner, you.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

"Whatsssat? Whatsssiss? Ooooh!"

Baby's first words? There's definitely a mama and dada in there, but those could be attributed to phonological ease and claiming the people most important to her.

So the next runners-up would be "Whatssat? Whatsssiss? Oooh!" Inquisitive baby discovering the world one word at a time. That's my kind of girl.

Shinrin-yoku

Orchid family? Newest discovery, July.

Shinrin-yoku, in Japanese, means "forest bathing".

Boosts your well-being and your vitamin D, reduces bullying

got this from Chatelaine.

not yo' mama's magazine.

Well, it's my mama's magazine.

And for a while now, yo, mama, it's been my magazine.

Though slightly ousted by Canadian House and Home (research, bedside),

Food and Drink, Ricardo, Flavours (meal dreaming, bathroom and Sunday morning planning)

Explore and Saltscapes (destination and adventure ideas, bathroom)

Not to mention blogs. Oh, the death of papered print!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Baby Blues

Ambrose, we've got you a harmonica dueller.

She's also fluent on the tin whistle.

Milestones

Here are the blueberry picking shots of the season. Also, this was the beginning of Evelyn's bipedal career. She is now tearing around the house. Incentive to put away the piles. Otherwise, Evelyn walks by the office door happily clutching a screw driver. Which you take away from her, turn her around and send her off, only to have her cruise by a moment later waving a chisel.

Baby learns quick. Mom and dad, not so much.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Beautiful

Pre-weekend bush walk.

Can we talk about the outfit? Toque from Jen. E.V. keeps pulling the wool strands out of the pompom. Jacket passed on from Sydney. Too frickin' cute. Fuzzy kitty sweater from Grandma, first worn by Mom. Felted magic mushroom booties, leather soled, from Sara, made by Jess. Comfy even just pulling them on.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Summer highlights, so far (as recalled by my camera)

Swinging at Tyson

A new way to laugh

Apparently, babies like that free-fall feeling:

The moment where they have lost control

Are suspended in the air

But then are securely brought back to earth

To arms.

That's why baby tossing is approved.

Scrambling up the Shield

Hot rock, searching for finger and toe holds.

Exhilerating at the top

And then the question:

How do we get down?

This cliff is bigger than it appears.

Pique-nique sur les Plaines d'Abraham

First tastes of terrine, pate and many things good and French.

Bill Murray's nemesis x 2, the groundhog, a curious observer.

Cirque du soleil sous le pont a Quebec

Surreal dream come true

Bouncing baby, booming beats.

Explorer au bord du littoral du fleuve St-Laurent

First ocean swims and dunks.

Daily practice.

Experiences en ravioli aux pates-maison dans le presbytere

A rosee sauce (peux-tu m'envoyer la recette, Annie-Claude?) and pasta

that we'll make thinner and less sticky next time round.

Savourer les vues, le vent et l'amitie sur les Appalaches

And more seafood. Daily seafood.

Cockles and mussels, crabs and fish.

Sandscrubs and castles on Lawrencetown Beach

Blue-lipped baby warmed by towels, hugs

and aunts and grandmas who can't get enough of her.

The kimono, Jess, has been invaluable.

Everyone needs a kimono come summertime.

Bedtime Stories

October 10: Mr. Fox (Helen Oyeyemi): Why say with a few words what this review says so well with a lot? Took me a while, but I've been busy. I may have told you. It's a book I floated on top of, dipping my toe in, not really sinking into. Maybe it was the violence against women dressed up in fables. But a couple of passages that I loved. Here's one: ""Let this enemy of progress tell you something," I said. "I'm never sad when a friend goes far away, because whichever city or country that friend goes to, they turn the place friendly. They turn a suspicious-looking name on the map into a place where a welcome can be found. Maybe the friend will talk about you sometimes, to other friends that live around him, and then that's almost as good as being there yourself. You're in several places at once! In fact, my daughter, I would even go so far as to say that the farther away your friends are, and the more spread out they are, the better your chances of going safely through the world..." "Ugh," my daughter said."
August 12: Be Different (John Elder Robison): Here's a view of life with Aspergers. An easy, informative and entertaining read. I like how he stresses that Asperger's does not necessarily mean you're disabled, or that there's something wrong with you; you're just different. Your brain is wired differently. A good insight into some of the behaviours linked with Aspergers. Robison stressed that these behaviours are not there to hurt, bother or defy other people; they are entirely self-serving. As the author points out, however, knowledge is power. Both the Aspergian and those who live and work with them benefit from knowing about Aspergers so that true growth can happen.
Early August: Fifty Shades of Grey and Fifty Shades Darker (ELJames): I don't know if I should be admitting to reading these. Annie-Claude called it mommy porn. I am a mommy. I would consider this porn. But the website says erotica. If there's a bandwagon, you should jump on it, right?
Mid-July: On the Outside Looking Indian (Rupinder Gill): This girl could definitely be a stand-up comic. As for a novelist or a "year-in-the-life-of-ist", she's a bit of a lightweight. Superficial goals that only briefly acknowledge their raison d'etre...this is a quest for happiness and self-acceptance, Rupinder, not just for Disney Land and a childhood denied. You'rein charge of your own destiny, rah rah rah.
Early July : The Dovekeepers (Alice Hoffman): She's a witch! Alice Hoffman has a good feel for the customs, speech and social expectations and taboos of these Roman times. Great strong female characters.
May 16: The Continuum Concept (Jean Liedloff): Felt like I was sitting in on my first-year anthropology class, listening to a very passionate teacher who adored her subject but who had to share it with an indifferent audience. What did I take away from this? I like to carry my baby, had her in a sling or carrier most of the time when she was young, let her feed on demand...but she sleeps in her crib (a no-no, according to Jean). I do like her description of the "in-arms phase", where "...the infant is always present but rarely the center of attention. He is simply there, in the midst of the caretaker's life, constantly experiencing things, safely being held." Until he starts exploring on his own, at which point he does so without interference ("protection"), but with mother nearby and available if he needs help. Ready, set, explore Clearwater Lake! Waldkind.
May 8: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs...really?!): Great creepy, black-and-white photos of (real) peculiar children. The story is kind of contrived and spoon-fed, though. It is a beautiful looking book, found in the well-stocked children's lit section of Brighton's tiny bookstore.
May 3: On Writing (Stephen King): I like books on writing. Teaching writing, becoming a better writer. Essentially, it boils down to two things: you need to read a lot and write a lot. That's it. As a side note, did you know that Stephen King was an alcoholic and drug addict? Liked his memoirs and thoughts on his own stories. Am quite happy to steer very clear of said stories. I believe that they're good. Good enough for me.
April 27: I Love You, Beth Cooper (Larry Doyle): Steve's been wanting me to read this for a while. It is hilarious. I was actually grossed out in the first few pages and expected to gag on a description of exploding white puss-filled zits, but was soon flying through an epic grad night. Adventures in Babysitting style. I now want to see the movie.
April 22: I am Number Four (Pittacus Lore): Tee hee hee. Young-adult superhero book at its "best". Favourite line: "That's for my dad!" (as Sam uses a shotgun to blow away the Mogadorian, revenge for the abduction of his father).