Trip in a Nutshell

A second trip to Peachland was this time blessed with the company of sister, signigicant other, and kitty! Friday morning we escaped the congested city and cruised through the valleys, slowly passing from rainforest to desert.




Our arrival was met with hugs and smiles and drinks on the deck in the hot afternoon sun. In the evening, another walk along the lakeshore and sampling another local resturant, followed by drinks on the deck and a peaceful sleep.

Saturday brought another day of beautiful sun and Daddy's 59th birthday! We visited first the Mission Hill Estates winery. The wine, the architecture, and the views were all amazing...








Next we visited Quail's Gate winery. Following the grandeur of Mission Hill, Quail's Gate was no less wonderful; the juxtaposition enhanced the character and quaintness.


After winetasting, we cooled off in the lake and enjoyed the afternoon breeze.






Returning home again, we enjoyed newly discovered and wonderful wine on the deck, followed by dinner, good stories and conversation on into the evening of cool blustering wind.




Sunday was the sad day that we had to go home. So back down the valleys we wound, stopping in tiny Keremeos for fresh fruit, finding old cars and tractors nestled in along the edges of an orchard.








It was, all in all, a lovely trip. Unfortunately, again, too short, but lovely just the same.

A Spontaneous Trip

Sunday night I decided to go, monday morning I got up early and boarded a bus to take me away. We snaked our way through the country suburbs and into the Fraser Valley and we crawled up the Coquihalla. The trip was long, but it was worth it to arrive in my parents' new little town of Peachland. It was hot and dry when I arrived and the very first thing we did was buy fresh fruit. Over the two days, we supped in a lovely little restaurant and afterward, with full bellies, walked beside the lake in the warm evening air. We ate our meals on the deck in the peace and quiet; we gardened and I had a small part in making their new house their own. We walked up to a waterfall and had such a lovely photofeast on the way. My stay was too short, but it was so wonderful despite. The bliss of the peace, the quiet, the wind in the trees at night and the cool air through an open window lures me to return.
It was only three days and two nights away, but I missed my loved ones back home. The trip back was stressfully slow as I had to work that evening, but despite being an hour late getting back, it all worked out fine. The most wonderful thing was what was waiting for me at home. A trail of flowers and notes, telling me I was missed and loved. A beautiful bouquet of cheerful flowers and a reminder to slow down and take the time to smell them and enjoy them. It was just what I needed after six hours on a bus, in a state of hurry and stress.
I know right now that I am so incredibly lucky, and so very happy.

Tattoo

Permanent on my body, a symbol of all that makes my world go around. A symbol of the love of my life and all that I have learned from him, of the blossoming of my capacities for love and communication. A symbol of the live-giving sun and all of the beauty and life that flows forth from it, a symbol of my worship. Soon I will add the water as an ode to the liquid of my soul and my deep connection with the undulations of waves through my life. Situated on my lower belly, it, for me, represents the chakra of pleasure and beauty, the senses and the capacity for enjoyment. One need not chase and grasp at sensory experiences and enjoyment, for one enjoys exacly what one has at the moment and there is beauty all around us at all times.

Strange Days

How bizarre, my parents have finally made the move that they have talked about for so long. Having only seen then once a week for almost a year now, it is still easy for me to forget that they are no longer just a 20 minute drive away, but a 4 hour drive away! I'm happy for them, that their great plan has come to fruition. And what an excellent excuse for a road trip!