returning

perhaps we only leave

so we may once again arrive,

to get a bird's eye view

of what it means to be alive.

for there is beauty in returning,

oh how wonderful, how strange,

to see that everything is different

but know it's only you who's changed.

                         - e.h.

yup... i'm back

i've been tinkering with the video component of my camera

because i sooooo want to make some beautiful videos.

the learning is slow but exciting,

but i'm getting there.

stay tuned...

erica

xoxo

momma's day

we spent momma's day under the giant rhodo trees...

victoria's playfair park was in full bloom !!!

it was another beautiful sunny day,

made perfect, because both my kiddos spent (most) of the day with me,

made special, because i was the recipient of a gazillion sweet kisses, 
extra loooong hugs, and several whispered 'i love yous'.

belated happy mommas day 

to all you nurturers out there...

erica

soxo

hello

hello everyone...

yes...i'm still here.

i am having a few technical difficulties with our computer at the moment

and for some reason can't download any photos (without the task taking close to an hour)

we are going to try new cables...

 then i'll be back !!!

wishing you all a very lovely weekend.

erica

xoxo

tulip flags

we've been getting a lot of visitors to our garden lately.

neighbours and friends have been popping by 

to check out what is coming up this year.

we also have some hungry four legged iris munchers hanging around.

they come in through our next-door neighbour's unfenced yard.

so i had an idea...

 i've always wanted to hang a string of those beautiful tibetan prayer flags in my garden,

but have never found a place to hang them...

until now!!!

so as an experimental, temporary measure,

i made my own string of flags out of old, stained, colourful, tulip place mats

and see if they will deter the deer from jumping into my garden.

so far...

my tulip flags are working !!!

erica

xoxo

joining frontier dreams

thrifted threads: supersized flannel

good morning!!

welcome to another

'what i wore' wednesday

when i link up with lindsey for some fashion fun.

these days, the weather is hovering around that need to wear flannel point,

and yesterday, i did just that.

i purchased this xxxl flannel at a thrift shop about a year ago,

because i loved the colour and the softness of the fabric

 and thought i would/could wear it as pajamas.

but it ended up becoming one of my favourites,

especially for busy errand days.

i was all over the city yesterday...

grocery store, garden centre, gym, library, hardware store, pet food store, bank (phew!!!)

but today...

it will be the gym and the backyard (aaah!!!)

spring time is so exciting around here

and my head is spinning as i try and choose 

which of my hundreds of projects/ideas i will attempt at manifesting.

(i am terrible at follow through, but thank goodness ian isn't)

stay tuned and i'll keep you all posted with my progress.

wishing you all a wonderful wednesday

erica

xoxo

p.s.  here is the supersized untucked pajama version.

fun things: blue in the garden

i took my blue scrap blanket out to the garden 

to soak in some magic.

and there we stayed for at least an inch or two of growth 

on this ongoing blanket of mine.

erica

xoxo

joining frontier dreams and small things

giving it away

a bell is not a bell

until you ring it.

a song is not a song

until you sing it.

love was not placed in your heart to stay.

love is not love until you give it away.

                                           - marilee burgeson

i read this 

and i smiled

and i thought

and i decided

today...i'm giving it away !!!

erica

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

colours of finerty garden

the public gardens of victoria

are currently displaying all the colours of the spectrum...

and it isn't even the month of may yet?!

part of our weekend was spent

checking out the spectacular colour show that

the rhododendrons are putting on 

at finerty gardens.

the rhodos are peaking right now (this minute...as i blog)

the blooms are huge,

and some surprised us 

with the sweetest of fragrances.

this garden is one of my favourites in victoria.

it is located just by the entrance to the university grounds.
admission to this hidden treasure is free.

you know how much i love purple,

but when it comes to rhodos...

these cinnamon coloured cinnabarinums are my favourite !!!

 hope you are having a lovely start to your week.

erica

xoxo

blue camas-flaging

we had a long list of chores to tackle...

but it was saturday,

and the sun was shining,

and the birds were singing,

and everyone was craving some sushi take-out,

and...

and...

and...

the blue camas were calling !!!

we headed up mount tolmie,

our neighbourhood mountain,

to sit and enjoy the sushi, the view, and the fading blue camas.

our chore list remained uncheck-offed for another day.

but that's ok... because most times it feels like 

the faster we check things off the longer the list gets.

you already know how much i love purple...

well here is the purple lover camouflaging with the blue camas.

hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

erica

xoxo

shrouded

i love this time of year

when the purple-ing of the back yard is at full tilt,

and we are shrouded in fragrant wisteria, laburnum, and lilac blossoms.

i also love this time

because we get to expand our life 

from our cozy, squishy, teeny tiny home into the spacious outdoors 

and live most of our days on the back deck and in the back yard.

yup...the deck pillows are out,  

and they are there to stay!!!

(i have my handy dandy tarp ready in case of rain)

erica

xoxo

thrifted threads: shortened smock

welcome to

'what i wore' wednesday

when i link up with lindsey for some fashion fun.

the temperature in celsius has reached the mid-twenties around here.

so i'm pulling out my dresses (to wear over my jeans)

the combo makes cycling around town so much easier!!

i found this thrifted oversize smock dress for $2 (american)

while we were in healdsburg, california.

the photos of the beautiful hanging succulents where taken there as well.

when i first saw it, i immediately fell in love with the big flower print

but i wasn't too sure about the size.

i had a feeling that it might be a wee bit 

too tent-like, too smocky, and too long for me.

so i shortened it by a couple of inches...

and now, it is perfect to wear with my favourite cut-offs.

it turned out just the way i like it

loose and comfy all the way.

wishing you a lovely hump day

erica

xoxo

p.s.  if you are wondering why the pictures are so grainy...

it's because i collect old grainy mirrors

and maybe also because i might need to clean them.