west coasting...

it's spring break 
and the kiddies are off school for
 two whole glorious weeks...

this family of west coasters is coasting down the west coast !!!

it has been almost twenty years since ian and i travelled down this beautiful coast.

if we have time, and if our teens don't drive us crazy... 

we want to make it as far down as san fransisco.

i'm not sure how much i can blog while en route,
but do keep an eye out for a few postcards here and there.

so ... i want to wish you all 
a couple of wonderful weeks.

i'll be back !!!

erica

xoxo

p.s.  yup, the knitting is coming with me...

moment : 03/06/15

a moment
a friday ritual, a single photo, no words, capturing a moment from the week
a simple, special, extraordinary moment
i want to pause, savour and 

remember.

erica

xoxo

inspired by soulemama

breathing small

                              listen,

                              are you

                              breathing

                              just a little

                              and calling

                              it a life?

                                    - mary oliver

 yes... actually, i am 

if i had stumbled upon this mary oliver quote a decade ago,
i would probably have mumbled something like 
"i don't think i'm doing enough..." or "my life could be more exciting..."
most likely, i would have uttered some vague and confused feelings of inadequacy 
for choosing and living a small life.

but now... with a lot more grey hair, much longer teeth,
a loving soul mate, two healthy teens and a non-stop shedding harlow,
i've come to realize and see my little life as a true blessing, a gift so full and abundant.

it is still pretty small if you measure it in terms of what society deems "successful"
(ie. more money, more recognition, more influence, more possessions, more security)

but there is so much beauty in its smallness...
so much breathing space
so much creativity
so much peace
so much love


erica
xoxo

p.s.  aren't some quotes better than sudoku for boggling up the brain matter?

thrifted threads: purple tunic

welcome to 'what i wore wednesday'

i'm linking up with lindsey at the pleated poppy for some fashion fun.

today i'm camouflaging a thrifted purple tunic 

amongst some gorgeous purple daisy-like flowers

that has popped up all over our neighbourhood.

i haven't been able to identify the species: 
these beauties do not have long daisy stems, 
but are lower to the ground like geraniums.

this thrifted purple tunic cost me a whole toonie and 

was purchased during my last trip to salt spring.

there were no tags on it, but the fabric feels like cotton to me - so soft and easy to wash.

also, these pictures don't show it very well... 

but it has gorgeous gold embroidery all down the front.

purple... purple... purple !!!

still one of my favourite colours in nature and in my closet.

happy humpday everyone

erica

xoxo

knitting and reading: 03/03/15

knitting:
i've started another scrap blanket
this time, in the fuchsia colour spectrum...
i have a real love/hate relationship with this colour
in some light it looks so bright and happy... but then after a while, the garishness factor starts to roll in
i'm excited because my neighbour just gifted me some of her left over yarn in blues and teals that might blend nicely into this experiment.

reading:
i'm really enjoying graeme simsion's the rosie project.
it's easy and fun reading - a welcome reprieve after world war themed novels.
written in the perspective of an adult on the autism spectrum, the book gives one a glance of how autism affects a certain segment of society.

talk about syncronicity... while reading this book, i stumbled upon a great documentary 
called too sane for this world.  
if your are interested in understanding the challenges of the autism community... this is a must watch film.

i only have a few chapters to go before finishing and hopefully i will be able to read its sequel the rosie effect.

what are you knitting and reading lately?

care to share?

erica

xoxo

joining frontier dreams and small things

hello monday

hello friends !!

welcome to 'hello monday' 

i'm linking up with lisa to greet the brand new week and all it has to bring.

hello unpopped magnolias... don't they remind you of extra large vanilla soft ice cream cones?

hello month of march... thank you for bringing more sunshine

hello daylight savings... are you ready to spring forward this coming saturday????

hello putting out the deck pillows and enjoying lounging on the back deck

hello report cards... they come home later this week and i already know they are going to be great

hello packing and getting ready for a little spring break get-a-way

hello cleaning and organizing this messy home that gave us so much comfort this past weekend

hello brand new beautiful week... i'm ready and receptive for all you have to offer !!

wishing you all a wonderful start to your week

erica

xoxo

sundaying

s u n d a y  =  r e s t

it was a very restful sunday !!!

the only items on the agenda were meeting up with a dear friend for coffee

and another go at dungeons and dragons with the family 

(OMG... this is probably the most difficult game i have ever had to learn to play)

i know that it is so important to take this time to rest, to breathe, to walk slowly and hold hands.
even though we have chosen to live a very simple life, our days are busy
...and slowing down and resting takes deliberation.

so...

no cooking... sandwiches for lunch and pizza night

no laundry... hurray for enough socks and underwear

no dishes... that can't wait till tomorrow morning

while this art of sundaying takes practise...  

by george, i think we've got it.

erica

xoxo

joining karen