Nurture Self 365

365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Nineteen

August 19, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: challenge, hiking, milestones, Ruth Lake, steep, walking | Leave a comment

“It’s when ordinary people rise above the expectations and seize the opportunity that milestones truly are reached.” Mike Huckabee

Shortly after I started this Blog and my 365 Project back in January . . . my MIL fell and broke her hip. She is 92 years old, so we were quite worried and concerned about her future. Luckily, it was a fracture, not a break . . . and she healed so well, beyond the expectations of Doctors and Physiotherapists. After months of Physio, we were able to get her up to the summer home in the Interior of BC where she has spent her summers for many, many years. Fear of falling has been her biggest hurdle since the accident, so there were many challenges to be faced in the more rugged surroundings.

Kudo’s to her! With determination and help from a neighbor who is a retired Physiotherapist . . . she is now walking, with the aide of hiking poles, from the cabin and up the steep driveway to the main road. This is a major accomplishment for her, as she would do nothing without her walker when we left her at the beginning of the summer. She is still fearful of falling, but is not allowing the fear to stop her in her tracks. I’m so proud of her! She is such an inspiration . . . and she turns 93 in just a few days!

Talk about Milestones eh??

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Eighteen

August 18, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: boat, breeze, hot, relax, relaxation, Ruth Lake, weather | Leave a comment

“I don’t have anything to prove anymore. I can relax.” Paloma Picasso

Yet another rough day hanging out at the Lake. The hot weather continues – so here I am cooling off in the nice breeze on the boat. It’s a tough life, but someone has to do it . . . right??

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Seventeen

August 17, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: celsius, cool off, hot, Ruth Lake, swimming | Leave a comment

“I actually love swimming but I just hate jumping in the water.” Natalie Coughlin

My oh my, we’ve had a very hot day here at the Lake. 39 degrees Celsius, which is about 102F. Ugh!! The only place to keep cool is in the water. It feels so good!!

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Sixteen

August 16, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: church, historic, historical, river, spences bridge | Leave a comment

“Architecture is a visual art, and the buildings speak for themselves.” Julia Morgan

I’m on the road again today . . . headed to the Interior and our cabin at the Lake. I have passed by this landmark in Spences Bridge for years and years. Today I finally stopped and used it as a back drop for my 365. I’d love to know more about the history . . . apparently it was built around 1905 to replace the original church that was destroyed in a large landslide at the original townsite across the river. It is apparently unused today.

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Fifteen

August 15, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: baking, fresh, Garden, goodness, muffins, oven, zucchini | 1 comment

“Do you know the Muffin Man?” from the movie Shrek

Mmmmmmmm . . . . baking this morning . . . using up all the zucchini goodness from the garden. I took this shot with my D7000 on a tripod with the oven light on. Can you see me? Gonna freeze me up a bunch of these bad boys to enjoy in the months to come. I did a triple batch of the Zucchini Bread recipe, but made muffins. I did a tray of mini muffin bites as well. Tomorrow I’ll post a picture of the Chocolate Zucchini Brownies that are in the works.

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Fourteen

August 14, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: beets, carrots, fresh, Garden, home grown peas, tomatoes, vegetables | 2 comments

“Harvest the bounty of rich tradition and amazing possibilities.” Mary Anne Radmacher

We’re just now starting to get a good harvest off of the garden. Peas, carrots, beets (so sweet!) and cherry tomatoes . . . delish! It’s been an odd growing season with a very wet and cool spring, with only recently warm weather in our summer. Never-the-less it’s so nice to pull this out of the garden and cook it for dinner . . .

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Thirteen

August 13, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: bmw, contraol, golden, honey bears, sweet | Leave a comment

“Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers.” Robert Green Ingersoll

One last photo with the Honey Bear . . . we made a visit to see the locals. This Honeybee Center is just a few miles from my house. I wish I could have gotten close to some actual hives. That would have been kind of fun. However the East Coast cousins enjoyed meeting the West Coast cousins. Now, it’s time to put Honey Bear to work doing what he is intended to do . . . sweeten my life! Yum!!

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Twelve

August 12, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: bmw, contraol, golden, honey bears, sweet | Leave a comment

“I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside.” Wayne Dyer

Honey Bears are getting a bit uppity . . . driving my car, new hood ornament . . . what next? Time to remind them why they are here . . . to sweeten my life not take it over! Lol!

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Eleven

August 11, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: BC Ferries, cancer, meteor, night, party, perseid showers, Vancouver | Leave a comment

“Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.” Unknown

A little back-story: my Niece, who lives on Vancouver Island, was married to the love of her life back in June, in a very small, private ceremony performed by a local Marriage Commissioner. I was one of the honored few to be in attendance at that time. The reason they were married in this manner is because he is dying of a very rare and aggressive cancer. It’s a very heart wrenching story, but also at the same time, very heartwarming. I am incredibly proud of how they are both walking this journey hand in hand, working thru every moment together – the good and the bad. They write in their own private journals to each other every day. They are taking each moment for what it is . . . and cherishing what they have in the here and now.

Today we traveled to the Island to celebrate their union, with the family and friends who were not able to be a part of the ceremony in June. It was a lovely catered event, in a lovely back yard garden hosted by some very close friends. He is doing surprisingly well, as they both mingled and enjoyed the evening. We have no idea how long before this invader takes him from us . . . but I am grateful for the moments I’ve been blessed with in the short time I’ve known him.

Unfortunately, we had to travel back to the mainland on the last ferry of the night. I took this shot on the top deck, hoping to catch some of the Perseid Meteor Showers . . . to no avail. There was just too much light pollution from the ferry itself. I did capture the Vancouver skyline however . . . that is my “ghostly” shadow on the right of the photo.

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365 Self Portrait Challenge: Day Two Hundred Ten

August 10, 2012 in ma365, Photo Challenge, Photography, Self-Portrait | Tags: agave, agave nectar, honey, honey bear, mediation, mediator, middle child syndrome, New Jersey | Leave a comment

“I’m a typical middle child. I’m the mediator. The one that makes everything OK, puts their own needs aside to make sure everybody’s happy. It’s hard to change your nature, even with years and years of therapy.” Jennifer Jason Leigh

Oh My Gosh! I read the above quote and thought to myself . . . that is me! Totally me! I am the middle child of seven – two older brothers, one older sister, and three younger sisters. As a child, I mainly just stayed invisible because that was the safest place to be. As I grew older, I found myself being a mediator of sorts . . . the person who always tried to make things ok for everyone. As a result, I grew up a lot of insecurities and no sense of self what so ever. I have worked very hard over the last decade or so to become more confident in who I am, and discovering what it is that makes me tick. I never knew, so how could anyone around me know??

At 60 years of age, I am very much a work in progress but now I know that I have choice, that I have power, that I have value. I hope I can pass this on to my Grandkids through my actions and the way I live my life with accountability and truth. If even a little bit rubs off . . . I have lived my life with purpose.

In today’s photo, I am playing mediator yet again . . . between the New Jersey Honey Bears and my half empty bottle of Agave Nectar. Agave Nectar is not too pleased with the Honey Bear invasion!