At the Christmas Tree Farm

This month has been so hectic that I wasn't sure when (or even if!) we would make it to the Christmas tree farm to pick up our tree, which has become our annual tradition. Since we worked the first three weekends of the month, we were only left with one option - the weekend right before Christmas.

Saturday it rained all day (and it wasn't just regular rain, but icy rain!) which narrowed our window even further, to Sunday alone. On Sunday morning, my brother woke up feeling terrible (there's been a cold/flu virus making its way through our whole family for the past month, and it had finally gotten to him too), so I wasn't sure if we would even make it to the farm at all. After some back and forth, we decided to go, though our visit was quite different from those of previous years. While we usually spend a good chunk of time walking among the trees before deciding on our favourite, this time it took us about 5 minutes to pick the tree, and within about 20 minutes we were back in the car, making our way home.

Thankfully, it was a gorgeous day outside and I made it a point to capture some pictures (and videos too, that I shared on Instagram Stories - you can follow me there to see more glimpses of my day-to-day and what I'm working on) while we were there. As I was looking back at them earlier today, all that stood out to me was the beautiful weather and scenery, and I'm so happy that we went anyway, despite all the obstacles that seemed so big at the time.

PS: I shared pictures of our visits all the way back in 2011 and 2012, too. I can't believe it's already been this long that we've been going to this beautiful farm! 

Bright Spots

A box of beautiful citrus - lemons and clementines.

I am aware that we haven't had a long and hard winter so far, but I really do miss summer. In all of January, we've had no more than two total days of sunshine, one at the beginning and one at the end; the rest of it was entirely grey. Needless to say, it was starting to really affect me and, despite my efforts, my mood went way down. Thankfully, February has been a little brighter so far. Although it's still mostly grey, we've had peeks of sunshine that have really helped me out a lot: there have been a few sunny mornings already and there was also that one day last week with beautiful afternoon sunlight coming out from behind the clouds just in time to shine down on us for a little while before sundown. Even this morning, as I'm writing this, the sun is coming up into a bright blue sky, peeking out from behind the house on the other side of the street and giving me the energy and happy vibes I need to start this new week off on the right foot.

A brightly coloured cup for my next hot concoction.

I miss summer. I miss the warm weather, the mostly sunny days, and most of all, I miss the sights, sounds, and smells of the season - birds chirping, flowers blooming, grass growing... all the little things. I think one of the hardest parts of winter for me is the lack of colour. On a bad day during this end of January - beginning of February period, when winter has been here for long enough already but I know that it will still be here for quite a bit longer, I feel particularly discouraged. On these days, I make sure to do a couple of things that help me feel better: for one, I try to stay away from my Instagram feed, that every year seems to be filled with pictures of sunny and warm (sandal-wearing warm!) places that seem so far away from my current reality. Second, I do my best to fill my indoor life with as much colour as possible; it might seem silly, but it's incredible how much a little bit of colour - whether it's in the form of a cup, a piece of fruit, or a shirt - can do for my mood.

New drawer organization that's making me smile more than anything else right now.

For now, I'm thoroughly enjoying this sunshine that's now falling directly on my face and later on in the afternoon, when, according to the weather channel, we'll have some more snow falling (and, consequently, more grey skies), I'll hold on to the thought that last week, most groundhogs across Canada predicted an early spring.

I'd love to know, do you prefer summer or winter? How do you cope with all the grey winter days?

On a cold February morning...

...when you've had enough of winter, but winter is actually in full force
...when temperatures regularly dip down to the -20 degree (Celsius) mark, and sometimes even further down
....when you're not sure how you're going to make it through the next two months of cold weather, before spring starts showing up
...when you'd give almost anything to stay in your warm bed rather than start getting ready to head out into the cold
....when the holiday cheer is long gone

This is the kind of morning when you start wondering.....
....why you don't live closer to the equator
...whether summer really exists or it's just an illusion
...if making a living is actually worth getting out of said warm bed
...if you should add that fourth layer or leave it at three
...and so much more of the same.

At least I do.

All jokes aside, every year in January and February, once the holidays are over, I'm reminded just how complicated my relationship with winter is, and that I should maybe start thinking more seriously about living in a warmer region...or at least taking lots of trips to those areas of the world.

Tell me, how do you feel about winter?

Winter Break

We've been back at work for a full week already, but my mind is still on the two weeks of vacation that we had before because, to be honest, those two weeks were a dream. After a year spent living at a crazy pace, the winter break was a much-needed and so-very-welcome slow down from it all.

It was full of....
puppy cuddles; family time; movie watching; kitty cuddles; being home; cooking yummy things and eating yummy things; late wake-up calls (or no calls at all really) and late bedtimes; more being and less doing; belly laughs; puppy play time; blog reading and social media reviewing; online shop building (!!!); simply enjoying.

and sprinkled with little bits of...
blog writing; house cleaning; holiday decorating; puppy walks in the snow; kitty play time; 2015 planning and dreaming.

and lots of other things that just don't come to mind right now, but that I know were equally enjoyable and relaxing. These two weeks fully convinced me that all vacations from now on must include at least a few days of the same.

Thankful January

Last year was a really tough one, with many challenges and heartbreaks along the way. It managed to get the best of me and put me in a negative frame of mind most of the time. While I know that I couldn't have done anything to change what happened throughout the year, I sometimes wish that I would have done something to change the way I reacted to what happened, that I could have seen more of the positives even when the negatives seemed to outweigh them.

But that is the past now, and this year is a new beginning in which I want to focus on the positive as much as possible. So, to serve as a constant reminder of my intention, I had an idea of doing a year-long project in which I would express my thankfulness for something in my life for every day of 2014. I don't usually do this kind of projects because I'm generally not very good at following through until the end, but so far I'm really enjoying it - while at the same time not putting any pressure on myself to be completely perfect. 

I made it into a Twitter/Instagram project, and I've been using the hashtags #thankful2014 and #yearofthankfulness to keep track, and it has been very interesting so far - most days a lot of fun, some days a bit of a struggle, but so far a learning experience about myself, thankfulness, and long-term projects like this. 

These are the things I was thankful for in January:

• a sunny start to the year
• our weekly organic produce box, especially now in the middle of winter
• the simple things, like a yummy home-cooked meal
• a quiet evening curled up on the recliner with my newest knitting project on the needles
• one last day of blissful rest & relaxation before work started again
• our cozy sofa, especially when compared to my desk chair at work
• my pillow where I can rest my head and recharge after an exhausting day
• the wonderful people and things that blogging has shown me over the years
• beautiful music getting stuck in my head and lifting my spirits
• the weekend after a long week back at work
• family movie night
• a patch of blue sky and sunshine among all the darkness
• the milder weather that allowed me to wear a skirt for the first time in a very long time
• potential new opportunities on the horizon
• a break in the routine and a glimpse at what used to be and what might be again soon
• a walk on an almost spring-like day, mild and sunny day, that made my heart happy again
• an easy and calm end to the week
• my acupuncture sessions
• a relaxing day that involved sleeping in and lots of time spent on the couch
• having great things to dream about, work towards and look forward to
• school and education in general
• the warmth and comfort of home, after being out in the -20 some degree weather
• finding a way to get organized that seems to work well for me
• my mittens, like never before
• weekend days with late mornings, late nights, and no agenda in between
• technology
• books and their infinite wisdom and wonder
• quiet moments of daydreaming
• a cozy bed
• a productive evening in which I checked off almost all of my to-do's
• the whole month; it was a pretty good one.

Brilliant Style

Fashion has been on my mind a lot lately for a few reasons, but mostly because when the temperatures outside are far below zero, I can only think and dream about beautiful clothes. The ones that I actually put on are far less so, and generally in layers upon layers of whatever will keep me the warmest possible.

This post-holidays period is the time of the year when I've had enough of winter yet I know spring is still far away, so my sartorial dreams have been filled with looks that fit within a fine balance of warm and comfortable but also ladylike and in either light or bright colours - to compensate for the dark days that refuse to let us see the sun too often.

dress / cardigan / coat / Brilliant Earth ring / Brilliant Earth earrings / boots / nail polish

The people at Brilliant Earth contacted me recently to ask whether I'd like to participate in their Personality Style Challenge and, after giving it some thought, doing a bit of research and falling head over heels with both their jewelry pieces and their sustainable ethos, I realized that I would really enjoy to take part in it. I was already aware of the company, but didn't know much about it other than the fact that they are the experts when it comes to ethically-sourced engagement rings and diamonds. Now I've loved learning more about them and, as a business school graduate, I can appreciate a great mission statement, so their mission to "transform the jewelry industry one diamond at a time...through sustainability, transparency and compassion" honestly sends chills down my spine.

At first, I wasn't sure what personality I would fall under, so I looked through some of my favourite Earth-conscious online shops  - the one thing that I did know was that I wanted this outfit to be entirely eco-friendly. Picking items that caught my eye here and there, I was hoping that something would come together naturally and, funny enough, that is exactly what happened with this look: the drop waist silhouette of the dress, the classic plaid coat and the rib knit cardigan were all details that I really loved and I thought they matched perfectly with the vintage-dress-and-thrift-store-shopping kind of girl described in the challenge.

Disclaimer: I was contacted by Brilliant Earth to be a part of the Personality Style Challenge. However, I am not being compensated for this post, and all creative freedom and opinions are my own.

Hot Cocoa Moment

I won't lie, this winter has been a difficult one. It managed to break me down and get the best of me. Bitter, long and secluded are three words that come to mind, and they do not a happy girl make. Luckily, last week I decided it was time I take back control and find my joy again. Somehow, I don't know exactly how, I managed to do it and keep it up even through the many little setbacks that the week brought (Thankfully, there were just as many little successes to counteract them.)

Yesterday, we had a snowstorm. Yes, April 12th, 2013, well into the so-called spring season, we had a snowstorm. So, after the morning's errands were done, the only logical thing I could think of doing was to stay tucked inside and enjoy a slow afternoon. After lunch, I made myself a big cup of hot cocoa and spent a few blissful moments sipping it while watching the snow fall.

I have been fed up with this winter for many weeks now. But, over the last couple of weeks, I noticed that the temperatures (very) slowly but steadily crept up - on Thursday we even noticed that the tulip and daffodil buds have come up above the layer of mulch in our frontyard (!!!) - so I knew that it wouldn't last long, even if the weatherman predicted up to 15 cm of snow. (With temperatures going up to 8 degrees Celsius today, and even further up tomorrow, it doesn't stand a chance!) So, I didn't mind it. Instead, I spent those few minutes sipping my cocoa and looking out into our garden. And what wonderful minutes they were. It felt like the last effort of this long winter and the perfect way to say 'so long!'

• Mixing • Stirring • Sipping • Finishing off •

In other news, my almost-8-years-old point-and-shoot camera (the only one I've got!) is, sadly, on its last legs. The photos are way overexposed and have horizontal lines all over them. So with no way of capturing the moment through images, I tried taking a video of it - which seems to work perfectly fine still (with no sound capabilities, mind you; ah, the joys of this old camera...) - but that didn't turn out too well either. I did find a few good stills though, and I think they capture the vibe of the moment much better.

Goodbye Winter

There is still snow on the ground, and layers are still required when heading outside, but last week was the mildest of the year so far. Between the increasingly brighter days and the steadily rising temperatures, I am starting to build up hope that we'll be able to experience the wonderful joys of spring soon. So I thought this was the perfect opportunity to say my goodbyes to the winter that got a good grasp on our side of the world and hung tightly for as long as it could:

Goodbye blanket of snow; you were beautiful and magical at first, but lost your charm when you didn't stop accumulating until well into March.

Goodbye temperatures that have kept the mercury in our thermometers way below the freezing point for many long months now.

Goodbye heavy coats and boots, and goodbye my new cold-weather lifesavers; I've enjoyed knitting and wearing you, but it's time for lighter - and brighter! - layers.

Goodbye naked tree branches, bitter cold winds and grey atmosphere, we're all ready for some vibrant colours and warming sunshine.

Goodbye darkness that has kept us tucked inside our home for a good part of these winter months. We want to be outside enjoying the long days of spring and summer.

Goodbye winter preserves, you took a lot of work and time to make last fall and kept us well fed all winter, but now we're ready to delight in your fresh counterparts.

Goodbye dry indoor air caused by the heaters that kept my hands and lips perpetually in need of extra moisture, it will feel wonderful to turn down the heat and have soft skin again.

Goodbye winter, we'll meet again in December (and hopefully not a single moment sooner!)

I'd love to know, what about winter are you most glad to say goodbye to?

This February

We are already two full months into 2013. How wild! Every year, somehow, the time seems to pass by faster and faster, and every year I try to find ways to enjoy the little moments and to remember more of them, in hopes of making it seem slower. That's why I want to write these monthly recap posts: because to me, looking at a shorter period of time - rather than the entire year so far - makes me realize that maybe time didn't pass quite as quickly. Remembering specific things, entire days and special moments from the last 30 or so days helps me to see just how much has happened in this time span, and how much I have, in fact, lived.

All of February, I was worried that I wouldn't have anything to write for this month because most days looked so similar to those from January. That was until I finally made the decision to stop contemplating and just open a new post to write whatever comes to mind. From there, I had my topics outlined in a matter of minutes. And just like that, February looks to have been a little more eventful, a little more busy and a little more lived than I had made it up in my head.

Knitting: Whereas last month, I was overwhelmed by so many yarns and ideas of what to make with them, this month I decided to focus on just one and start working with it. I picked a beautiful off-white yarn and have been working tirelessly on a project idea for which I had tested the pattern in January. I have been enjoying the process and getting excited about finishing and wearing it soon.

Snow: Although we've been spared from last month's frigid temperatures, I can't say the same about the amount of snow we've been getting. We faced a couple of snowstorms throughout the month and another one, that I hope was the last of the season, this week. Luckily, the milder temperatures and the anticipation of spring being just around the corner makes it all seem a little more bearable. But at the same time, I can't wait to have this feeling again once clear signs of spring show up, and if history is any indication, I don't have too much longer to wait!

Garden preparations: It's already time to start thinking about this year's garden, so we've ordered and received the last of the seed packets that we need - we bought from the same company as last year, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and have added a few more varieties to the mix, both veggies and flowers. I've also started to study from our gardening books - Apartment Gardening, One Magic Square, and The New Seed-Starters Handbook - in order to plan the layout of the garden and make sure we have enough space for everything.


Disclaimer: The book links used in this post are part of the Amazon Associates program.

This January

I have a bad tendency to wish away the weeks and months that I don't particularly enjoy. January, with its return to reality after the indulgent holiday season and the still freezing temperatures, is often a serious contender. So, in an effort to focus on the positive, this year I decided that, at the end of each month (or in this case, the beginning of the next one!), I will write about the things I loved that defined the way I spent the majority of my time, because I have a feeling that each month - no matter how cold, short or busy - comes with its own magical moments.

Avocado and buckwheat: In January I realized just how much I have changed my eating habits - for the better, thankfully! A year ago, these two foods were non-existent in my diet, and now they are two favourites that show up in my meals almost every day.

Yarn: Having had more time to spend at home, January was a great opportunity to start doing some of the things I've been dreaming about, and one of them - in which I delved full force these past few weeks - was knitting. Going through the yarns that I have at home, looking at pattern ideas, starting new projects and planning for even more kept this hobby  - and the cozy goodness that is yarn - on my mind the entire month.

I'd love to know, how did you spend your January?

Happy Days: The Comforts of Home

Between keeping busy with job searching and knitting projects, seeking shelter from the bitter cold and cooking as many comforting and healthy dishes as I can, I've been spending lots of time indoors over the last few weeks. On the one hand, this has given me quite a serious case of cabin fever but on the other, it has made me appreciate the little moments of every day even more.

• Making another batch of this favourite healthy, winter-appropriate soup •

• Missing the green leaves of the trees but enjoying some spectacular morning skies that are now visible behind them •

• Working on a new knitting project and getting restless to finish it •

Below Freezing

Last week we were spoiled with a few mild days (read: above 0 Celsius) but this week the temperatures have dipped way below freezing, somewhere in between the -20 and -30 degrees (Celsius) marks.

• Frosty windows •

Thankfully, I don't have many plans to go out in this cold and I'm content to just witness these rather sunny days from the warmth and comfort of home.

I did have to step out on Monday though, and in order to face the day I took out my warmest coat, layered as much as I could, and found comfort in the chunkiest infinity scarf that I have - in fact the only infinity scarf that I have (so far!) and that I actually knit myself!

Photo Journal

I have a love-hate relationship with photography. I'm a very visual person and seeing a beautiful image has the power to really move me. Sadly, I don't have the skills or equipment to take spectacular pictures and so, I often keep my camera tucked away, overwhelmed and intimidated by the actual talent that exists out there.

Two weeks ago though, I stumbled upon Elise's blog and looking through many of her posts, I realized just how important everyday pictures are. I learned that they are a great way to capture precious memories that would otherwise be forgotten forever, and as a result, I've reconsidered my entire approach to photography.

I want my pictures to be little snapshots of my life that I can look back on with satisfaction and a smile years from now, because they evoke a beautiful memory, not because they're impressively styled and perfectly lighted. Those photographs still have their crucial role, and I'm still just as inspired by them, but waiting until I know how to take such pictures - if ever - means missing lots of precious moments. And I've done too much of that already: with the exception of this year, I can probably count on one hand the number of occasions I've taken photos of me and my family in each of the last few years.

In that spirit, I thought it would be nice at some point to have a collection of pictures from my first year or first few months of my post-grad life - an idea inspired by this photo book by Elise. So far, I've had a lot of fun snapping pictures throughout the days, and I've found Instagram to be a great and practical tool to gather them, which means I've been updating it almost incessantly this month.

So, here is a little peek into how I spent the week before Christmas:

Food was a big part of these days, since a long to-do list meant that I needed to have enough energy to get through it; on the menu, there were: a serving of grapefruit before breakfast, a hearty winter soup, a healthy breakfast porridge and raw cookies.

A major project that had to be finished was painting the living room/entryway area in our home, and the staircase railing proved to be quite a tedious detail, but so rewarding when I got to see the progress!

With the second snow storm of the season so far, we got record quantities of snow, and I got my wish for a white Christmas. Thankfully, the highway was still easy to navigate so that we were able to finish our last-minute shopping in time.

During quiet moments, I winded down with a good book, a cup of tea and beautiful, inspiring pictures (yes, I finally got on board with Pinterest, and I'm having so much fun with it!).


PS: I just changed the blog header - long overdue! - because I couldn't take the old one anymore and, although I'm not sure how long this one will stay, I really like its simplicity - and the yellow colour! Hope you're enjoying it as well! :)

Disclaimer: The book link used in this post is part of the Amazon Associates program.

A Happy Christmas

From our white winter wonderland (inside and out), 

I wish you a very merry Christmas night 

and I hope you've enjoyed a wonderful Christmas day!

Happy Days: Season's Greetings

• After a two-day long snowfall in the beginning of the week, it looks like we should have a white Christmas after all •With just five days left until Christmas, things are getting really busy around here: there is food to make, a house to clean, a tree to trim, a painting project to finish, and presents to buy - yes, we are last-minute shoppers this year. So, as a respite from all the craziness, it's nice to delight in the few details that we do have together so far.

• Our house is all decked out in twinkling lights - mostly LEDs to make our holiday season a little more Earth-friendly. (You can see how my mom and I made the white wreath in the window here) •

• Making almond milk - a healthier and just as yummy version of Santa's favourite drink •

Tree Shopping

Christmas is less than two weeks away, and my family and I just managed to sync our schedules enough to go on our annual trip to pick out our Christmas tree last weekend. The trip has become a holiday tradition for us over the last few years; we love to walk around the beautiful site and look at countless trees before we choose the one.

This year, we went to the same farm as last year, but our outing was much quicker since it was a cloudy, snowy and very cold day - though it was nevertheless just as much fun.