Cowichan River and Small Things

Sunday morning and time for a hike along the Cowichan River. We decided we only had time to do a short hike as it was Mother's day and we had family commitments later on. We headed out on the Trans Canada trail again but this time turned off and followed part of the Cowichan River trail for a few km's
It's a beautiful trail but there were places where the river bank has washed away during the winter so it will take some work to reroute the trail Needless to say we had to do a bit of bushwacking. 

The Cowichan River is a beautiful river that flows down from Cowichan Lake through our valley and into Cowichan Bay. It is where I took my children swimming through all of their growing up years. The water is cold and fresh and every year the river looks a little bit different as it changes it's course with winter storms. 

As we hiked along I couldn't help but notice all the little fungi and flowers along the trail. I feel that these months of being home alone and not being able to get out has helped me to appreciate some of the smaller things in life and also realize that there are so many things we take for granted. 

 Along the trails were flowers, trillium, wild roses and dogwood, each sharing their colours and beauty with us. I love that the Dogwood is our province's flower. It's so wonderful to come across them growing in the forests. 

I am always amazed by the beauty and strength of the mushrooms and am quite content to leave them where they grow. They are one of my least favourite foods and I am certain the ones along the trail are not edible. 

It's always fun to find them growing on the trees and old logs. They seem to just pop out among all the greenery. 

It was a great hike and a nice way to start off Mother's Day. The Cowichan River is one of favourite places to be. The sounds and sights are just so renewing to my spirit. A good place to renew and reboot and prepare for whatever life brings to us. 

Breaking free during Covid

They have finally lifted some of the restrictions so I am back seeing my family and getting out on some hikes. I know we will be eventually back in lock down so I am making the most of this time. 
First thing was an outdoor family gathering so that everyone could meet Evan. 
Sara and Garret came down for the day and we met at Amy's house outside where the kids could play and we could social distance somewhat. 

It was great to finally all be together again. I finally had all seven of my grand kids in the same space. Times are so precious when we are all together. 

The kids had so much fun playing in the yard and on the slide but most importantly the Great Grandparents got to meet their newest great grandson. 

It's been really hard for the elders of our family and community as to protect themselves from the virus they have all been staying home and apart from other people. I have been doing their grocery shopping and for two months was pretty much the only person they saw. 

Although we needed and still need to stay apart to keep ourselves physically safe we also have to think of our mental health and the tole it is taking on folks. 
We had such a good two hour visit and then we left so that others could come
 and meet him as well. Doing what we can to be together and yet keep everyone safe. 

Easter of 2020

It's almost Easter, one of my favourite holidays. We gather for a big turkey dinner and most years I make a bunny cake for dessert. Fun for the young ones to see and eat. 

Then for Easter breakfast they come to my place and Nana hides eggs out in the backyard for my grandkids to find. They each have their own coloured basket and find that colour of egg. They may get the odd candy in the eggs but mostly they are filled with healthier choices. Now that there are 7 of them I am not sure what will happen as the eggs only come in six colours!

This year though....it's gonna be very different. 

Our world is trapped indoors with a virus running rampant among the people of this world. We are social distancing and self isolating to try and avoid the spread and the strain it puts on our hospitals and workers. Most people are now working from home, churches and businesses are closed. Streets are rather quiet. 

It's been a long hard month with not seeing my grand babies and my children. It's even harder on my parents who have been trapped at home seeing none of their friends and not being allowed to do their own shopping. The elderly are the most vulnerable so they need to do what they can to stay safe. Thankfully I am able to do their shopping and drop it off once a week and visit with them on the porch or go for a walk.

Now I have to confess I have gone on one social distance hike with a friend and it was great. We stayed six feet apart and enjoyed being outdoors. Most of the people we saw were doing the same and there was great respect shown. 

I also met with my daughter's family from up island twice to exchange some items and enjoy a walk, six feet apart and a tailgate picnic. Her babies are both under two so they are easily contained and don't try to run to see Nana. It has been hard not being there to help them with their newborn who is now a month old. I am missing out on so much but I am thankful I get to see them from a distance. My other grandkids, well the two older ones understand but the three year olds don't so I haven't been able to go on any outings with them. 

I have seen them to chat once or twice though in their vehicle and we are getting much better at video chats. I am sure it is even harder on them that it is on me and for all the parents out there, it's gotta be tough. No playgrounds are open, no parks and no friends can come over.

It's definitely a different world out there and we will be living like this for at least two more months. Thankfully here on the island there are very few people with it and mostly only 1 or 2 new cases a day which is good news for us all. It's very hard on people's mental health, such a sense of aloneness. 

It's important that we all do our part I guess as hard as it is. I still walk every day and will continue to do the odd hike even though they are closing most of the parks and trails. Thankfully the CVRD hasn't closed the local ones yet.  It's a shame that a few people have to ruin it for everyone but that is what is happening. 

So this Easter, well I will just relax at home and think back on the past Easters and smile with good memories. We will pray that next year we can all be together again and share in the fun and not just virtually. Staying home keeps us safe and that is what matters - that we are all still her next year to celebrate!

Welcome Evan!

Thirty years ago when I was expecting my third child I had a boys name picked out, Evan. However I gave birth to a beautiful little girl. She just gave birth to a wonderful little baby boy and named him Evan.  As I am welsh Evan is a family name and I am just thrilled to have it continue on in our family.

As each little life enters my world I continue to be amazed. The whole process of creation is a mystery in many ways. It's marvelous how two people can come together in love and create a family. The birthing process is a miracle on it's own. Thankfully my daughter is blessed with easy births - although I am not sure any birth is actually. We were glad that both my older daughter and I could be there for the birth and support them. 

Evan is my 7th grandchild and very well could be my last. They are all so precious, each with their own personalities. Evan met his older sister when he was only a few hours old and the bonding began. They will be wonderful siblings together and keep Mom and Dad very busy. 

I look forward to getting to spending time with Evan as much as I can. Thankfully he is only a couple of hours away. So much to be thankful for in my life. 

I truly am very blessed!

Mother Daughter days

Time spent with my children is always special but time spent with them individually is totally precious. I was lucky to go and spend a day with my youngest daughter up island. She is expecting her second son in a month so I went up to help with her toddler and also to just have a day with the two of us. 

We started by going into town and having a pedicure. It was very relaxing sitting side by side chatting while our feet soaked and later were massaged an then our nails done up. It was fun as well.

 Following this we went out for breakfast and talked about the old days of her and her siblings and well it became quite obvious that her memory is better than mine. 

We finished the day off by doing some shopping before picking up her daughter from daycare. 
The time spent with children one on one is so important right from their very beginnings. It is important as a parent to make time for them when they are small, when they are teenagers and when they are adults. It is precious time and creates such special bonds.

Our lives get so busy that it is not always easy to find time for family and even harder to find time to be with your adult children free from their children but it is important to do what one can to make that time. 

They are always and always will be very special days!

2020 Snow Shoeing Adventure

With my life being so busy and a new grandchild soon to arrive I feared I wouldn't get up to Mount Washington to snowshoe this year but thankfully my friends found the time when I was free to take me. It was Monday, Family Day but my children were all in favour of me taking the day to go snowshoeing. We can go hiking together with the littles a little later in the spring.

It was a beautiful day up in the mountains. My plan was to leave the trails of Paradise Meadows and snowshoe out to Battleship lake and then if I was lucky head down to Helen McKenzie lake and do the loop. As these trails are not groomed by the mountain staff they are not marked so one has to have some idea of where they are going to find the right trail.

I however had an idea but my distance was slightly off so instead of heading up the trail to Battleship we headed up the trail to Helen McKenzie and did the loop in the opposite direction of what I had planned. 
The trail had a few other folks on it but was in no way crowded. We didn't talk much between the three of us, just enjoyed the silence that comes in the woods blanketed in snow. There was some incline at first...quite a bit I felt and we didn't always know where we were but I had my gps and was using the caches at the lake to help me decide which trail to take. It wasn't long before we arrived at the Lake and sat down to have our lunch along with many other small groups who also stopped to enjoy the view. 

Some folks had made a trail across the middle of the lake which I am guessing when out to Circlet Lake or Kwai Lake. 

Our destination however was to the left and along the lake shore. It is a much shorter route when you are snowshoeing over frozen water, one can take a few shortcuts. 

At the end of Helen McKenzie we headed to the right and came out onto a cross country ski trail...walking up it a short ways we found another trail that headed up and over another hill. We took this and sure enough we eventually came out at the far end of Battleship Lake. It was a straight trail along the lake edge. It was so open and beautiful looking. Half way we found someone had dug out an ice cave. As I looked at it I wondered if they had camped in it over night but it was pretty small. 

We headed down to the end of the lake and then back down the side of the mountain to Paradise meadows. There we chose to go back to the lodge via the orange trail. I have to admit I was rather tired and looking forward to sitting down. Three and a half hours to do the loop which was pretty good time seeing as we stopped often to decide which way to go next. 
I love being up in the snow covered mountains. It is so peaceful and quiet. It gives one time to just think about life and all of it's ups and downs. It is restorative and I'm sure always brings a smile to everyone's face. You don't find any grumpy people out snowshoeing, that is for sure. 

We are so blessed here on the island...it's just wonderful! It was a great day and I am so glad I was able to finally snowshoe the loop to the lakes. One more thing to cross off my bucket list!

Expanding families!

Over these past six years my family has grown in leaps and bounds. In 2004 my first grandchild arrived and now at the end of 2019 I awaiting the arrival of my seventh grandchild which will arrive in March. That's going to be seven special little people under the age of 6..well for one month and they the oldest will turn 6. 

Love is an amazing thing. No matter how many people you love, each for their own uniqueness you always have love for more. As each grandchild has arrived my heart has grown and been filled with love. 

As the babies have grown into toddlers and the toddlers into preschool my love for them grows as well. They are all so very different and all so individually perfect! 

I feel so blessed to have such a large family and yes it may not sound large to many people but when you are raised in a family of four growing to a family of 18 seems like a lot, especially when you are having Christmas dinner. 

It is always fun to gather as a family over Christmas. I have all my children come on Boxing day for breakfast and then we open our gifts, well we only buy for the littles a the rest of us don't really need much. 

Every other year most of them come for Christmas dinner as well but my favourite meal is breakfast and so I chose Boxing day to be my day that all my family can come together. It frees my kids up to be with their other families for the Christmas meal. 

We have a great time and the kids all love to play together and the babies get passed around from person to person giving the parents a break here and there. At 84 years of age my parents are still doing well and Mom is always helping prepare the meal and doing up the dishes. It's amazing how well they do at their age compared to the last generation. My grandparents were "old" well before they hit their 80's!

I love Christmas - I always have but I have also let go on having the dinner and all the presents. That is all small stuff. What is important is for us all to be together and share in some laughter and stories of days gone by. 

It was a great Christmas this year! And it will be a great new year and for some reason I feel 2020 is going to be a very special year. It just is!!