dangling on...

have you packed christmas away for another year?

i am one of those

who holds on to the twinkle of the holiday

for just a little while longer...

and apparently,

i am not alone.

there were evidence of dangler on-ers  

just like me all over our neighbourhood.

taken yesterday, 

these pics are only a few of those i took 

of the remnants of the season.

while the recycling truck have taken away 

all the discarded christmas paper and boxes,
my favourite christmas cds back in their cases
and sitting in the bottom of the pile,

our christmas tree will twinkle on 
for just a little while longer.

well, at least until the crocuses start to bloom...

erica

xoxo

moment: 01/09/15

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

early bloomers

harlow and i are slowly getting back to our daily walking routine

he was excited to revisit our regular routes...

say hello to his favourite post person...

and sit immediately upon command in exchange for nibbles 

from the generous non-pet owners we meet with pockets full of dog treats.

on the way home from the village yesterday,

we stumbled upon these hellebores in bloom.

i had noticed their shoots popping up before the holidays

but didn't expect them to already be open.

hellebores have become a favourite for victoria gardeners

mostly because they are deer resistant.

(there was family of three in our front yard on the weekend 

but unfortunately, i wasn't fast enough with the camera)

yup...spring is about to start in the west coast,

and i'm really excited to revisit many of the gardens, parks and nature walks 

and share with you some of the beauty of our little island.

also, in 2015...

i have plans for more vegetables in my garden.

i just picked up a copy gayla trail's grow great grub from the library.

with a giant walnut tree in our back yard, 

i haven't had much success with vegetables in the past,

but gayla's container gardening ideas have really inspired me.

wishing you all a beautiful thursday

erica

xoxo

thrifted threads: teal

welcome to another 

'what i wore wednesday'

i'm linking up with lindsey to join in with the fashion fun.

i'm gravitating towards really comfortable and easy outfits this week,

as i tackle the post holiday season chores
 and try to get back into my everyday routine.

victoria's temperature is hitting double digits this next week... 
and the rain has finally stopped (hurray !!)
so i've been getting away with just a couple of layers of light wool.

i'm wearing a thrifted wool turtleneck that i found before the holidays.

i was drawn to it because of the its shade of teal... 

but finding out that it was made of 100% wool 

made its $3 price tag irresistible.

i've been trying to limit any purchasing (even thrift store finds)

as i continue on my decluttering challenge

but with this sweater, i couldn't resist.

the scarf/cowl was salvaged from a silk taffeta skirt i shortened.

the colour of the scarf is a beautiful match for the sweater 

and its silk content makes it so wonderfully warm to wear.

the faded black pants must be at least 20 years old 
and a hand-me-down from my sister.
they are so comfortable and perfect
as i manoeuvre back into a 
no-more holiday chocolate phase of healthy eating.

happy first hump day for 2015 everyone !!!

erica

xoxo

knitting and reading: 01/06/15

only a few more inches to go

and the charcoal scarf is almost done

i took this project with me over the holidays

but didn't get quite as far as i wanted.

it's funny how the process of surveying a huge selection of 

chocolate bon bons on my sister's coffee table, 

selecting my favourites and eating them 

can distract one from working those needles !!!

also...this week,

i am rereading salinger's the catcher in the rye.

my son is reading it for his high school english course 

and i'm aching to discuss this classic with him.

i got so much from this book when i read it the first time,

it will be interesting to hear what a teenage boy has to say.

gosh... sometimes highschool seems just like yesterday !

back to knitting projects

check out what my sister knitted...

they were so colourful and cheerful on her mantel

that i knew instantly how i was going to learn the art of knitting socks.

erica

xoxo

joining fronteir dreams and small things

white table cloth challenge

like a few people i know

i've set a couple of challenges for myself and my family for 2015

and last night... was the kick off for my white table cloth challenge.

for 52 sundays... 

i want to lay a white tablecloth, 

set a beautiful table,

and prepare a simple meal

 to share and enjoy.

but the challenge is... 

to encourage all four of us to contribute to the process of this creation.

despite our hectic schedules, 

we are fortunate that we are still able to share several meals together.

 with the white table cloth,

i'm hoping to take it up a notch ...

and make our sunday meals an extra special celebration of life as a family. 

last night's menu was simple:

steak (barbequed by ian)

potatoes (peeled and mashed by cole)

salad (rinced and tossed my me)

candles and table (lit and set by libby)

leftovers (demolished within seconds by harlow)

erica

xoxo

better late than....

Happy New Year Everyone !

we have just returned from holidays, 

all rested and energized from all the love and togetherness 

we received from family and friends over the christmas season.

despite the mess that we left behind 
due to our quick get-a-way after christmas day

and the chaos of unpacking from this trip, 

it feels soooooo good to be home.

2015 is here and i am so excited to journey through it with you all....

erica

xoxo