2017 - A Year Full to the Brim!

Today is the last day of a wonderful year that was full of adventures and new beginnings. Each year seems to go faster than the last year and this year has been no exception. I started the year off with a small hike and ended it with another small hike, both in the snow which is rather strange seeing as we don't normally get a lot of snow here on the island. 
I am so thankful for all of the great adventures I have had with friends over this past year. Thankful to be able to get out in nature and explore and see some of the wonders of this world. 

The year began with a little place -  Crofton Lake,

followed by snowshoeing with my daughter and son-in-law in Strathcona Park. Always a fun time!

Then there was the wonderful hike with my Mom, who is in her 80's - taking her to Stoney Hill was a gift I will always be grateful for!

 It was a year full of hikes - East Sooke Park with the hiking group, 

a couple of trips to Gabriola with my pals

a few nice hikes over on the Sunshine Coast during vacation time. A wonderful place to explore and explore. 

There were also many quick hikes up Mount Tzouhalem, Stoney Hill and Genoa Bay on days when there wasn't time to venture further a field. 

Hiking with my grandchildren at Goldstream Park, Eves Park, Kinsol Trestle and Stoney Hill are adventures I will also treasure. 

It was a year full of blessings as I welcomed two new little boys into my life. There will now be four little ones to take out into the woods and explore the trails and beaches of our island. Seeing nature through their young eyes has me being more appreciative of the little things in creation. 

In among the hikes there were also a couple of trips out in the kayak with my friends, times that I always look forward to and am thankful for.  Exploring the land from the sea is always a delight - its fun to look at the shoreline and see it all from a different view. Like looking at life from both sides. 

In the fall I also did a 43km walk with my sister and friends. It was a long day hiking on the Trans Canada trail from Shawnighan Lake to Lake Cowichan. A wet day but certainly one to be treasured. 

I also finally made it out to Avatar Grove thanks to my friends. The old growth forest and huge trees are just amazing out there. 

There were way too many hikes on the island to even try to mention them all but as for hiking the highlight of my year was definitely my four day hiking trip in Strathcona Park with the Walker family. We hiked up Mount Albert Edward - a climb that had me out of my comfort zone and reaching new heights. It was a hike that brought me new confidence and an achievement I will always be proud of.

As a new year approaches I can't help but think of what lays ahead. What great adventure will I embark on. Life is never easy and we must all strive to reach new goals to stretch ourselves, to have the confidence to try new things. Words that I heard on a show, "Call the Midwife" remind me that I must have faith. 

"Some might call it confidence, others name it faith, but if it makes us brave the label doesn't matter for it's the thing that frees us to embrace life itself." 

These words are so true - the label doesn't matter but what does matter is that we find confidence or have faith in ourselves so that we can be brave to try new adventures. Adventures outdoors, adventures in our careers anything that has us embracing life. As we all know life is so short and so precious. Being able to try new things, explore new avenues and celebrate life has us living life to its fullest. 

I am so thankful for my family and friends who were there filling this year full to the brim with new adventures, new life and new accomplishments. Looking ahead to 2018 - I can't imagine how it will ever top this year but in its own way I have faith that it will.  Staying positive in a world so full of angst is not always easy but we must be free to embrace all that life has to give us. In striving for and reaching new heights and accomplishments we gain the strength to handle the down times that occur.   I will have faith, I will be free to embrace life and all that it blesses me with. Wishing us all a year full of new adventures - welcome 2018!

Turned Around

As Christmas approaching life gets busier and busier. So many events to attend, decorating the house, baking and many other things which are all things of great fun. Sadly though there are only so many days in the week to fit it all into leaving very little time for hiking. Thankfully today we were able to get out on the trail and hike up to the ridge on Mount Tzouhalem. When we left the valley it was covered in fog and we thought we were in for a mystical time up the mountain, taking a GPS in case we couldn't see our way. However when reaching the parking lot we were up well above the fog and as we began our hike we were able to look down on our fog covered Cowichan Valley. It was to be a quick hike up to the cross and back, a trail we have done many times.

As we hiked towards the cross we came to the old logging road that leads to the ridge. We had come down from the ridge a few times that way but never gone up. We decided to change our plans and hike to the ridge instead of the cross. We followed the trail along and I felt really comfortable that I was leading us in the right direction, and I was until we came to a junction. I chose the trail to the right and yet after a ways it didn't look familiar at all and so we turned around and went in the other direction. We still could not see the ridge or the water on the other side. At one point my friend said oh this is where we came down from but I wasn't so sure that was the way to go and headed further down the trail but it soon became obvious that she was correct and we had to turn around once again. Thankfully, we soon came to ridge and enjoyed the wonderful views down onto Cowichan Bay. 

It always amazes me how turned around I can get in the woods and I'm always thankful for my friends sense of direction to get us heading in the right direction.  Life can be like that as well. We set off on a path confident of the outcome, feeling it is the best "pathway" for us to take. Then all of a sudden circumstances can have us feeling lost and unsure of whether we are on the true path. We have gotten ourselves turned around from our original goal. At times like this in my life I have always been thankful to have my friends. As with being out on the trail, your friends are there to listen and to guide and to sometimes speak the truth and say hey - you're going the wrong way or making the wrong choice. They are able to point us in the right direction. It would be very lonely on life's pathways if we didn't have our friends along to support us and for us to also support them. 

Life is always a continuation of choices to be made. Sometimes we make the right ones, other times maybe not so much. There are times when we all feel lost and there are times when we feel alone but hopefully we have our family and friends to get us back on the right path of life. I feel for those who are truly alone and have no one to guide them. 

Today was a great day and I am glad we managed to get up to the ridge. It has always been a favourite place of mine to sit and reflect. Although I never hike up there alone anymore it is a great place to share with a friend and relax from the busyness of Christmas time. A great place to breathe deeply and let go as we await the birth of Jesus.