Showing posts with label winter camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter camping. Show all posts

Thursday, January 19, 2012

My Vision Board 2012

Yes, I'm finally going to share with you my Vision Board. Michael and I each created one and this year's version had its beginning HERE:
Winter Camping - The Pinery
January 1, 2012

Michael and I took a few bags full of magazines, scissors, glue and paper so that we could spend some cozy time inside the yurt clipping out words, phrases and pictures that spoke to us in some way. During the cutting out stage we don't spend a lot of time analyzing we just go with our gut.

Here are a few of the phrases that I found and
clipped out.
It's an interesting process because when we go to the assembly stage words, phrases and pictures make new connections due to the way in which we arrange them creating new ideas and dreams that we hadn't been aware of but that "fit us" in exciting ways.

I apologize in advance for the quality of the photos - it was difficult to get angles with no glare yet allow you to still see the details. Plus, I dropped my camera at the Wine and Food (some call it Food and Wine but not me...;) and since then I think the quality of the pictures it takes has declined. It seems I am in the market for a new camera. Lucky me I am already saving up towards one!

 J'adore Louise Pitre!(the woman in red!) She is Canadian, the same age as me (55), attended my alma mater (University of Western Ontario) and is the epitome of glamour & talent (she sings and acts on stage across Canada & in the UK) and I want to be her when I grow up!
 Louise says: "A lot of the lines I have are because I laugh a lot. I don't have a problem with those!" Me either:) :) :)!! I love that a woman of 55 can look HOT!!! - she OWNS that red dress! Also in this section of my vision board are references to health and fitness, something I'm always working on: find your fit, love your shape, get outside, walking, having adventures.... encouraging phrases to help me stay the course at work, in my relationships, and with my goals: challenge, intense, passion, love, never cry quit, triumph and this special one: It may challenge my strength, but I am stronger. It may challenge my independence, but I am resolute... and "happiness and staying positive": Happiness levels change but, in my experience, the more positively we approach things in life, the happier we will be.
 Here is the lower half of my vision board which emphasizes clean eating which means no processed foods, nothing from a package or can, no chemicals, no additives - just plain, wholesome and delicious foods. More about this in a future post. I am always looking to "simplify my life" ( no more stuff!) and to "celebrate life" with family and "friends". I want to "reach" for my goals ("Think Big. Be Big"), be "bold" and "love No. 1" (that's a hard one sometimes!)  Some of my goals found in this section include learning to cross country ski, learn more about gardening, getting back to the basics (a more sustainable way of living - these goals have to do with when I'll be living full-time in PEI), travel, ("I had always dreamed of travel..." PEI & perhaps the Iles-de-la-Madeleine or Halifax this summer), and of course I want to "have fun"!!
I need to continue to "save" and "love my shape" no matter what weight I am - but if I reach my weight goal I just might buy a pair of skinny jeans!" I have to "face facts" and get on my bike and pedal my ass into those jeans!! So far "Will Power: 1....Giving Up: 0!" 
P.S. I love mischief, oh yes I do!
 I've included a lot of pictures of the outdoors such as the northern lights and a garden pathway I'd like to create in my PEI garden. Photos of birds and animals (I'm not too sure what the sheep illustrates but isn't she sweet?!!) The hat I covet!!
These two phrases speak VOLUMES to me. "EXHALE" is something I've finally begun to do. I've been holding my feelings in very tightly all of my life. There was never time to grieve, to celebrate, to let my guard down or even to slow down. As a single mother I've had to fight my way through life holding myself together for the sake of Kazi. Now I have my very own life coach who rejoices with me that I've started to let go a little, let myself feel and release myself from a lifetime of stress. Now that I have a partner I don't have to be the only one "holding it altogether." I CAN take a break, I CAN take a bubblebath, I CAN have a "room of my own" to escape to, I CAN look after myself and the world won't fall apart. I CAN exhale and learn to trust. I'm not there yet but the process has begun. The "room of my own" ("this room must be off limits") feels like the platform from which I'll finally be able to accomplish a lot of my goals, especially the one in the bottom right-hand corner: I FINALLY FOUND me ME me Me me ME!
Isn't that sheep too cute?!
 I see a dog in my future, though I don't know what kind. I'm saving for a camera - good thing!
 I finally found me! I am a lover of oats and blueberries (I'm having some right now!)
 Under "life" it says "taking care of what you cherish most" - which is ME! See, I can type it, but I don't feel it 100%. I've always put others, especially Kazi, first...it even "feels wrong" to cherish myself the most. I understand the logic, but it's hard to change a lifetime habit.
 See that blurry picture under the word "comfort"? A woman is relaxing outside in a hot tub and all around her are snow covered trees! I am SO going to make that happen in PEI!!
 I am under "NEW MANAGEMENT - YOURS!...well MINE!" I AM going to try something new this summer - I am going to be staying in PEI for a few weeks all alone! This excites me (being the introvert that I am) but I am also going to have many adventures, travel, explore, visit friends, make new ones, and CELEBRATE MY LIFE!!
 Because "life matters"! If you turn your head to the left and read the small print beside the lighthouse it says "I am a lean, mean health machine." HAH! Not sure if I'll ever be lean again but I'm going to try!!
It's a new year; anything is possible. Will I triumph? Yes, I rather think I shall! I keep my vision board on the wall beside my stationary bike. I see it every time I bike, every time I go to bed and everyday when I wake up. I take a moment to scan and see what will inspire me today. Hmmmm...I think today will be all about LOVE - self LOVE!
Do you have a vision for yourself in 2012?

Monday, January 9, 2012

Winter Camping in a Yurt - Day Three

Yes, the saga ends tonight! Tomorrow I'm going to talk about my love affair....... with pads of paper! AND how to spend and still have a NO SPEND DAY!! Ooooh, that's a good one!!


So here's the last of the photos from the Yurt adventure:
A wee bit of sunshine struggling to get
through the grey clouds. Mmmmmuch
colder today - down to -18c!

Before you think we're getting
all mushy here, I was a bit of
a grumpus because it was so
ccccccold and Michael was all
gungho about going for another
100 mile hike. Sometimes I just can't
handle his high level of gungho-ness!
This is how he
tries to improve my mood!
Pretty underhanded
wouldn't ya say?

Where all had been open water yesterday
is now covered with a thin veneer of ice
and snow - would NOT want to fall into
the river or the lake today!

We took a different trail but then drove
down the road a ways so we could go to
the lake again - lots of wave action again
today - I don't know HOW cold it was with
the wind chill.

Inviting no?
NOT!!
No sand today - just lots of ice formations!

Because of the size of the waves and the
frigid temperatures everything
within 20 - 30 feet of the shoreline was
now coated with ice!


Just hanging around trying to stay warm!

Lumpy ice is nice!

I felt sorry for the long grasses -
they were frozen solid!

Won't be long now til the river is all
covered with ice.

A very different shoreline
than yesterday! Everything
is frozen solid.


As we were walking back to the car we
came across a family feeding the chickadees!
So I joined in and Michael snapped a few
pictures. I tried it without my mitts but
my hand froze within seconds.
But the birds didn't mind my mitts.
So was I glad that Michael dragged my
butt out for a hike - YES!!
Just an example of the pros and cons
of living with a life coach - ya just
can't get away with being a grumpus!
Look - two chickadees!
Gotta go, going to finally finish watching
"Couples Retreat"!!
SO FUNNY!!
Don't ya just love Vince Vaughn?
Ya sure wouldn't catch him on a
100 mile hike!!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Winter Camping in a Yurt - Day Two

So many topics to write about and not enough time. But I'll get there, I know I will. Tomorrow sees me getting back into routine again: get up at 5:45am, work til 3pm, get back on the exercise bike and start racking up the miles to get to Judy in Philadelphia! 


There are challenges galore: The No/Low Spend January, the Live on the $70 in my Wallet Challenge, The 10 Pound Weight Loss Challenge, the Biking to See a Whole Whack of my Blogging Friends Challenge and the Sealed Pot Challenge. So let me see if I've got this straight:


I can't spend, I can't eat, I must excercise and I must save. 


Thank goodness I have a great support team - YOU!!


Obviously I love a challenge, always have, so it's a matter of matching wits with myself to not only achieve my goals but have fun in the meantime. And believe me, I have more than enough ways  to have fun: I LOVE playing with my new iPad, I have the "7 Money Rules for Life" by Mary Hunt to read(thanks for the loan Carla!) along with "Plum Island" by Nelson deMille (I'm about 1/2 way through and it is SOOOOOO GOOOOOD!(thanks Secret Santa!!) and two books on making the most of my introvertedness (thanks to Lisa for that new word)! AND I have two other purchases I will tell you about soon made in December so they don't count in the No/Low Spend January though they do cause me a few guilty pangs once in a while (rarely!) 


So onto adding more FUN into the day - here are some more  Winter Camping in a Yurt Day Two pictures for your viewing pleasure:
A sneak peak at some of Michael's
inspirational words for his vision board.

The campsite looks a little forlorn
with a smidgen of snow, but no worries,
there'll be a blazing fire later in the day.

The temperature has fallen from +7c to -2c
but nothing that Michael's super duper coat
couldn't handle
with how many was it dear? 9 pockets??

At the start of the Cedar Trail,
about 2.3km each way.

Dear, how many times have I told you
to hold the camera HIGHER!! No one
needs to see all of my chins!


Although it's called the Cedar Trail it is
largely covered with oak trees - a slight
change in colour from grey and white.

OK, you didn't tell me there were STAIRS,
lots and lots of STAIRS on this trail!

We persevered on all of those stairs to reach
LAKE HURON;
just down the road about 30 minutes
from Bayfield where my, well
not mine anymore, trailer resides.

The waves were huge due to the strong winds - we could hear the roar of these waves from our yurt - I just love falling asleep to that sound.
My nice daughter downloaded a free app called Relax Melodies onto my iPad that plays all sorts of sounds from nature so last night we went to sleep to the sounds of ocean waves. The app comes with a timer so it will eventually shut itself off and an alarm so you can wake up to whatever sound you like.
I don't think I'd wake up though - the sounds are too soothing!

Pretending the wind chill isn't minus 50!!

When in Rome...

Right after this shot a big wave got him!!

Leaving our mark

Heading back - I snapped this photo
hoping to get the waves in the
background - I got more than I
bargained for lol!


I know, I know, we can be pretty
sappy sometimes...Michael more
than me of course:)

Ok, I told him to look "sexy"...

It was a pretty gloomy day weather-wise;
snow pellets off and on all day. 

This is where you go to rent a canoe etc;
closed for the season.

Ahhhhhhhh, stirring up the fire and
loving every minute.

Chef Michael warms up some chili to go with
our sausage on a bun - YUM!

He wanted to take a lot of pictures of his
Blundstone Boots because you can
send the photos to the company
and possibly win a trip:)

We rang in the New Year...again...
with a bottle of bubbly -
it was chilled to absolute perfection
with just a few ice crystals in it.
Freixenet is best
very very cold!

Oh no, not again!

I improvised by putting tinfoil over
the top of this lantern so the wind
wouldn't blow it out - worked great!

Popping the bubbly!

Nothing better than a
paper cup of cold bubbly...


...unless it's a paper cup of cold bubbly
in the middle of a snow pellet storm
by a roaring fire! Yes, I actually
enjoyed this immensely...

...and so did my fearless partner!
Happy Birthday Michael! (Jan. 17th!)

Keeping the home fires burning...

Twirling in the snow on my way to the
washroom hut (it was actually really nice
- warm, clean and most importantly
not too far from our yurt!

And of course the night wouldn't
be complete without
creating snow angels!

I wonder what Day 3 will bring...besides
more snow!
Hi honey!