V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #67: sky

October 7, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

I am currently fixated on the sky, as if the gathering clouds have a secret to reveal, or as if the slivers of sun are trying to reach me with a personal message of hope. Is anyone else obsessed with the sky? Let’s look to the sky this week to find what inspiration we can. […]

Savouring the Season

October 6, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

October has arrived like an unexpected guest, catching me unprepared. Shorter days and cooler temperatures challenge summer’s laid back attitude. Winter nips at Autumn’s heels, and I want to stop the clock and savour whatever good days we have left. The featured image is of Kettle Point, on Lake Huron. Ric and I drove there […]

V.J.’s Challenge #66: savour

September 30, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Our youngest granddaughter loves food so much that when she takes a bite, she’ll close her eyes, hold the food in her mouth, savouring the flavour, and moan with appreciation. She is three. This is surely a God-given gift. Her sister and cousin eat so fast, I’m sure a famine must be chasing them. I […]

Just Smile and Do It

September 29, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

I argue with myself all day, and in the end decide to don a smile to cover my insecurities. I’ve already missed three circle meetings and it wouldn’t get any easier if I put it off one more time. Ric drives me so I can leave my walker at home. Having scouting out the location, […]

Small Town Bliss

September 26, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

No big box here,just shops lined upin historic rows our fragranceeau-de-ferme,earthen fresh Our spires remindersthat values are simple,and life blessed. (For Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Countryside/ and or Small Towns)

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #65: smile

September 23, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

“Anyone want to share their experiences this week?” I’m stood in front of my third year, Life Strategies class. It’s Friday, the day we have set aside to journal and/or discuss the weekly challenge. This week’s challenge has been to smile at someone new. I never know with this crowd whether or not the challenges […]

Forgive the Dance

September 22, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Please forgive the dance, but it is what I do –one step forward, then slide back,shuffle and lose the rhythmand start again. Always reaching forward –heart securely tucked in place –but there is something embedded,cellular – that invites the struggle and so, I dance – yesterday a warriortoday the fooltomorrow only knows multi-faceted,roughly cut,a gemof […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #64: resilience

September 16, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

There is a catch to this week’s challenge: I don’t want you to use the word itself, but to illustrate what resilience means to you. This challenge is open to any form of creativity. Just create a post and link it back here. Look forward to your responses.

Ripening With Anticipation

September 15, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

I’ve spent the day preparing enchilada sauce, having harvested a few tomatoes. A neighbour gifted me a handful of jalapeños, which are also going into the pot. Later, the kids are coming for dinner, so I hope my feast turns out. So much of life weaves in ways we never expect, and I am unwilling […]

Blessed Books

September 12, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Saturday mornings meant a trip to the library – my favourite outing of the week as a youngster. We’d load our arms with picture books, until that memorable day when I graduated to Chapter books. At the pique of my book blessedness, I owned two bookstores. And then, years later, we sold off our worldly […]

Imagine

If we could lift understandingto indigenous teachingsexpand our loveto earth, sky, and seaMake personal gain tabooand Ancients a weigh point If we could witness the mountainsslow floating across the skyand touch the dolphin’s soulanxiously swimmingwhere tuna are netted Would we cower at our insignificanceor move forward, learning to acceptthat all of life is deeply woveninto […]

Dear Child

I know a little girl,whose hair in ringletsfalls, unkempt from lackof brushing; who standswhen she should be sitting;who laughs with defiance whenchallenged, her dark eyes gleamingwith mischief; who holds her chin uphigh and stamps her feet, arms foldedin protest when she does not get her way. I see that little girl,have watched her play,with a […]