Seems to be a message :)

Pride was Proud

Blessed with a beautiful day on Salt Spring.

Where to begin...
Meditation.
My mother.
Annie Lennox.
Sprouts, Michael Ableman, raw tartelettes (chocolate and vanilla), zuccini, eggs, and Saturday market after labour day in indian summer.
Cafe Talia, Espresso machiatos, Sunshine, beautiful islanders and the dance of two beautiful minds, the dance of mother and daughter, the dance of deep friendship.
Pride Parade, pink-shirted Papa stepping in line, traffic stopping old friends, new times.
Central park, downtown Ganges, Sally Sunshine, Gazebo theatre samba band dance-along.
Conversations with strangers, new friends and fellow travelers.
Palu's rain-bow/sun-bow/local-show.

Late afternoon. Late summer. Late summer afternoon. Late afternoon in late summer.
Three generations.

A feather grew.

A first tattoo?





A singing story too.
The puppet-man/sailor prepares the gazebo for the evening's do.

Parading lanterns weaving through.

Dancers in the light and dancers in the dark.

A meteor with two tails.

A Top Model finalist and a dazzled little girl.


Shadow puppetry, youthful wisdom and shared laughter.

Poi et la belle langue avec une danseuse montréalaise.

Barb's Buns' Proud Pride party, body art bonding with sisters.


Dancing and more bonding with sisters.
Dancing and more bonding with brothers, mothers, sisters, fathers.
Grandfather dj with hot old tunes and fresh new beats.
Ushered home by fairies.
Time for some long-awaited eats.

and a seat.
and late night a poetry feat.

and a second recipe this week.

I bought this homous at the store (made by Hold Homous), but I'd like to add an easy raw twist.

In a food processor (or blender with some extra water):
Sub zuccini for chick peas
Red Peppers (roasted or not)
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Tahini
Garlic
Spice - suggestions: cayenne, coriander, cilantro or parsley

3/4 of a box of clover sprouts made into a nest in a bowl
half an avo chopped and scooped into the nest
a dollop of homous
dulse if you love it

A new leaf - recipes!

So something has to give. Me! I need to start giving something! This evening I've decided it'll be a recipe that I made today:

Cream of Red Pepper Soup (raw):

Soak a cup of almonds overnight
1/2 a cup of cashews soaked for a few hours prior to prep

In a food processor (or vita-mix) grind up first:
your soaked nuts
a few cloves of garlic (if you like garlic as much as me)
a quarter onion
about 4 tbsp olive oil (optional)
a teaspoon or so of salt


then add and process:
2 cups of red pepper (at least 3 peppers - I used sweet cayenne peppers that were left over from seed saving, so used a few handfulls)
1.5 cups of water or more, depending on how thick or thin you like your soup
spices to taste: hungarian spicy paprika, cayenne and ethiopian berbere spice are what I added

Heat the soup on very low temperature and enjoy!

tip to the wise: try soaking all nuts and seeds with a touch of apple cider vinegar - it helps to break down the seed's natural preservation methods that are undigestible to us.

And a poem for desert! :


So many pullings. People. Rhythms. Ideas. Whispers. Calls. Doubts.

But only one path.

How is this so?

Quiet the mind.
Sing to the heart.
Hold court at her doorstep.
Allow her to reign.

Please.

Step back. Let her unmask you.
Unhinge you.
Melt the illusions with her gentle flame.
Her laughter will spill over you, washing you clean.
Your constant companion.
Her every beat affirming your path.

Whoah!! My how summertime flies!

And I continue to fly.

The coast was calling and I am surrendered to the pull of saltspringseed-y-ness, family time and sweet ocean breezes. I have arrived on Salt Spring for the fall months to work with my Dad and save some money for travels this winter. Right now it looks like Israel and perhaps Egypt with my mom, but we shall see.

This summer has been full and empty at the same time. So much letting go, grieving and being with not knowing what is next. Lots of ideas but I have just been resting in the present. Meditation and daily movement practice have been key as well as healthy eating and clean water. (of course, somesummer celebration too ;)

So much beautiful and healing retreat time was spent in the Kootenays - as well as two packed trips to visit the west coast. I definitely fell in love with the Kootenays, so left a fair bit of my stuff there and could see myself very easily living there again one day soon.

I'm realizing that my journey through my own health issues has brought me so much knowledge and understanding, and a deeper study of healing arts is very much on-going and on the horizon... Still looking for the specific route, though strong pulls come from the chinese 5 element system, acupuncture, reflexology and nutrition based healing using wild plants especially. . .

Dance is always present - I dance I dance I dance, everywhere I go to, every rhythm, and keep channeling that dancer spirit in me. I hope to get into Vancouver regularly this fall for flamenco classes and continue my own practices that cultivate my connection with the subtle and athletic bodies.

So there it is! Here I am! Back on Salt Spring once again. A place to be seasoned and a place to spring from. I am excited to have landed (I have a home already and am moving in today), and to see what the work with the infamous Dan Jason has in store for me. For tonight I'm going to go shake it at the Beaver Point Hall like a true home-coming.

Here are some pics of the summertime adventures:

The Coast:
The Harvest from our backyard in the Koots:

Family:

The Cake for my Grandfather's 89th:

My New Digs

So I finally have some pics to share from my new environment. It has been pretty hectic since I got here. Lots of web work, and work to get the cabin ready to move into. Not to mention being in a new place and planting a garden...

In no particular order, here is a little tour of where I am hanging out - up a long driveway in 13mile - just outside Nelson BC...


PREP:


ready to paint


When we arrived - lots of work to do....


Ali oiling the kitchen counter


the 1rst phase of the garden.


little cabin in the woods when we first arrived







Springtime in the kootenays!

























Juicing and planting:

Inside our beautiful home:

Garden

in the 'greenhouse' (yet to have plastic)

down the slope

From our deck:

coming in from the driveway

Cabin shots:

View out the kitchen window:

my room:

view from the outhouse :)

Keith's place - (our friend and landlord) beautiful strawbale home where we stayed while we were setting up the cabin and where I work from...

The view from my office

The view from Keith's office:

Tia; the next bjork and Keith's 5 year old daughter: