Rabbit Rabbit & Farewell to Summer

Summer is coming to an end in western Newfoundland; cooler nights and changing leaves are as sure a sign as the calendar. And while I love Autumn, I am reticent to say goodbye to summer. It's never quite long enough for me because I know fall will come and go in the blink of an eye and then long winter will arrive. But before that beauty sets in, let's stay focused on the beauty of this dying season. 

I took my daily walk one early evening last week just after two days of rain had finally stopped and the blessed sun came out blazing. It was at the perfect angle when I reached 'the promenade' as the sun shining on the green trees behind the tall birch and spruce created the most amazing glow. Magic!  

We had mostly cloudy nights during the end of the month when the super blue moon was to be seen. But I did manage to snap this rather inferior but still quite dramatic photo. August was a good month!

      

August was good to me at the thrift stores. Here are my top finds:

• The complete series of "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott
• This gorgeous 4 piece cannister set
• 100% cotton/linen tunic in a gorgeous golden sunflower color with really pretty detail down the front-sides.
• 100% cotton maxi dress with this lovely pink cotton-ribbon edging detailing.

And one of my favorite memories of this month was a trip I took with my oldest friend, blood sisters since we were 10 years old. She with her replaced hip, me with my crunchy knees and orthotics, both with our walking sticks, we creaked and puffed and cackled all the way round our wee hike and picnic.  

I don't know about you, but I can feel a busy September in store as the harvests come in. 

Until we meet again, keep healthy, active and happy. Namaste, y'all!

I spent my past week moving furniture from room to room just ahead of the painter; one more day (for the painter) to completion! 🤞 My aching body has been glad of a few days off to take my time with the aftermath and prepare for Tuesday when painting resumes. So, I decided that today would be a day of total rest; just a lazy day of indulgence. I began with an 8 am brookside walk. 

The 1st part of the path is now covered with beautiful ferns on both sides. If I looked at them too long, everything went fuzzy ..... like looking for the hidden image in one of those maze-type pictures that come across your Facebook page. Whozzy! But so beautiful to walk through these waves of lacy green!

The mornings are still quite cool here - only 8𝇈C (46𝇈F). I was chilled when I got back. So, coffee was next on my agenda. Freshly ground, good quality beans, frothy milk and just a smidge of honey make this such a treat. And I drank it from my new cup (Homegoods). Ahhhh! 

I'll make granola later. And I'll probably walk the path again this afternoon. But for now, I'll catch up on my bloggy friends and u-tubers. And I'll rest, rest, rest. 

I leave you with a Happy Father's Day and a Happy Pride Month. 

Namaste y'all! 💖

Managing Pain

Spring has finally come to western Newfoundland! The snow has melted around town and is slowly leaving the forest and mountains. With any luck, I can actually walk my favorite brookside path today. The other morning, I bundled up and sat outside with my coffee, and I had some new visitors from a nearby house. (One must now be more careful where one walks!)

For the past two weeks, I've been dealing with debilitating arthritis pain in my right hand, arm and shoulder. (It seems as if now that I've retired, my body thinks it should break down and point out all my ailments immediately! Scheesch!) My doctor just yesterday prescribed Tylenol 3 (which I will take sparingly) and sent me for an x-ray on my hand so we can be sure that it is arthritis and perhaps determine what kind. 

In the meantime, I'll keep to my own pain routine: I'm still trying to eat an anti-inflammatory diet at least 80% of the time, and I'm a huge proponent of cannabis which is, thank goodness, legal in Canada. With my sensitivity to prescription drugs, it is the only thing I've found that will alleviate most of the pain and has no side effects.  Finding CBD only (no psychoactive effects) is difficult here; I do have CBD gummies and I use an infused cream. But CBD alone has not as effective as weed with THC. Moderation in everything has always been one of my personal tenets! But aging is a new adventure that I find I must take on a daily basis: some days will be better than others, I guess, and I must adjust accordingly.  

Any suggestions you might have on dealing with arthritis pain would be more than welcome.

• Drinking green tea? 
• Applying an onion poltice? 
• Dancing (not naked) round my fire pot at midnight?

 I'll try it all! In the meantime, the sun is coming out ...... and I can hear the forest calling. 

Namaste y'all!

And now, back to our normal forecast!

Well, the winter 'honeymoon' period is over! After almost 2 months of little to no snow in western Newfoundland, the weather seems to have reverted to normal. Our senior's cottage community has a local man who shovels the pathways from one cottage to the next to the parking lot: he shovels when he feels like it, and he warned me it could be the middle of the night. I don't normally hear him: but last night, I woke at 2 am and again at 5 am to the scrape, scrape, scrape of shovel on concrete. Yet when I awoke at 7 am, you couldn't tell anyone had been here! I'm grateful that I no longer have to make my way to work but can nest safely in my little home.

I'm also grateful that I took an extra long walk yesterday, not only for the health benefits and fresh air in my lungs but because it's part of how I spend all the new-to-me hours in my day. It was very cold and crisp yesterday, one of those days when the light is somehow different and in the midst of all that snow, everything seems to have a bolder outline.

 I took the path by the brook like I've done a few times, but this time, I crossed the main road to what used to be the old road before we had a highway. I walked on the bridge we always crossed back in the 60's when my family would head to our cabin at Big Bonne Bay Pond. It brought back such memories: Mom and Dad in the front seat with baby on Mom's lap, 4 kids crammed in the back complaining about who's touching who, and the dog on the back window! (The days before seatbelts!!!) But somehow, we all survived. I spent a good hour outside and my legs were happy to be home again.

I made myself a gourmet hot chocolate with frothy hot milk (I love my milk frother!).  And I also had some apple crisp that I'd baked earlier. The week before, I'd bought some raisin oatmeal cookies on sale, but I didn't really care for them. Being on a fixed income and not wanting to waste money, I turned them into crumbs, rubbed in some soft butter, added some chopped walnuts and used this as my crisp topping. It was delicious!

I have no plans for this snowy day other than a little puttering ...... and the remainder of that crisp! 

How's your day going? 

Namaste!