Rocket Man

Saturday night I got to experience something really special. My friend Isabel invited me to the symphony and it wasn't just any symphony, but the VSO with CMDR Chris Hadfield! Being a huge fan of space exploration and this exceptional Canadian astronaut as well, I jumped at the chance.

I have to say this goes down as one of the most amazing experiences of my life. First of all, there was the music. Having lived with a hearing impairment my entire life, when I listen to music, it's very one dimensional to me. The Orpheum where the concert was played was built for sound so it felt like I was enveloped in the music. Usually I am all about the strings, but the epic scores they were playing really made the percussionists shine. I was fascinated by the endless variety of sounds they could produce. I couldn't take my eyes off them!

The highlight for me was hearing John Williams' score for the closing credits of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His music is unmistakable in the way he layers sound and hearing that piece performed by classically trained musicians was incredible. My other favourite piece of the night was something I'd never heard before, but instantly fell in love with Holst's The Planets: Jupiter. Such a gorgeous piece! They paired it with photographs from outer space that were projected onto two big screens. It was really cool. Here's a link to a sampling of it. (The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is performing this version.)

CMDR Hadfield performed a number of songs from his album, including I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) which is my personal favourite. It was originally recorded with The Barenaked Ladies. Here's the video:

 

At one point, he was singing a new song, Beyond the Terror and I was sitting there thinking "Why is he singing about terrorists? That's a little harsh." The next day I was reading through my program guide and saw the song was"Beyond the Terra". Uh...yeah...okay that makes more sense! This is what happens when you have a hearing impairment. Fun times! 

CDMR Hadfield also performed David Bowie's Space Oddity. He talked about the emails he exchanged with Bowie leading up to the video and cover he did while aboard the International Space Station. He said that Bowie expressed such joy that this song he'd written about how he imagined space travel to be was being recorded in the very place he he'd written about. CMDR Hadfield said it meant so much to know that he'd given Bowie joy in the final weeks of his life, when no one knew he was dying. Very poignant.

The UBC Opera Ensemble performed a piece from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace that was super creepy and dark. It was pretty powerful. I had no idea that UBC had an opera ensemble.

I had such a good time with Isabel and I feel so lucky to have seen this concert. It allowed me to cross two things off my life list-1. To hear CMDR Hadfield play live and 2. To hear John Williams' music played live by a symphony. Two things I will treasure forever. THANK YOU Isabel!!

Big News!!

So...alot of exciting things have been happening in my life lately-amazing opportunities have been cropping up all over the place. Here's one I want to share with you:

I am teaching a journal making workshop 

at Delish General Store  on Granville Island! 

Ex Libris Journal Workshop Sample

Yes indeed, owner Tamara Komuniecki will be hosting my Ex-Libris Journal workshop on Saturday, May 2nd at her beautiful store. I am really excited to be partnering with her and spending the day at one of my favourite places in Vancouver! We will spend a full day together and I will be sharing how to transform an old book into an amazing and unique journal to capture your thoughts and art. It's a wonderful way to make some time and space just for you and to meet others who love journals as much as you do-it's always wonderful to meet kindred spirits!

For more information click here and to register, click here.
Hurry as space is limited!

You can also get a peek at another of my journals made using the techniques you will be learning in class here. The book I used to create my 2015 journal is 101 years old! It's a really wonderful way to give an old book a new and wonderful life and it saves it from going into the landfill!

I hope to see YOU there!

Catching Up

Hello again! I know things have been quiet lately. Life stuff, ya know? Add to that we just survived a very long heat wave (ask me how much I hated every second of it) and I haven't been spending much time in the studio. Things have cooled down finally, so here I am.

We had some summer adventures around town before the heatwave hit. 

Here's a peek:

Random graffiti found while walking on the False Creek Seawall. I always have my eyes peeled for little gems like these.

We checked out the Food Cart Fest which is running weekly on Sundays from noon-5 pm in Vancouver. If you're in town, go! There are about 20 or so food carts to choose from. If you're a VanCity member, you can get in free-just flash your bank card. If you're not, no worries-admission is minimal-$2 gets you in. You can get all the details here.

We ventured into the forest at Stanley Park and diverged from the marked path to find Two Spirits nestled amongst the trees. It's been there for over 20 years and this is the first time my husband and I had ever seen it. It's pure magic and one of Stanley Park's best kept secrets.

A couple weeks ago, Indy had his first Charleson Park swim this year. I love that I manage to capture him mid-leap! He loves the dog pool there so much. I wish there was one closer to home. Whomever designed this feature in the park is brilliant. My dog thanks you.

In the meantime, I've been prepping for classes and doing some other things that are hush-hush for now. Autumn is going to be crazy busy. The current Health Mentors program will be resuming in September and the 2014-2015 session will also be launching. I've been confirmed to do VIP Transportation Dispatch for the 102nd Grey Cup Festival in November. (For non-Canadians, that's our big national professional football championship.) I had such a great time volunteering at the 99th Grey Cup that as soon as I heard we were hosting the 102nd, I was immediately on board. There are several other things coming up that I am involved in, so my dance card is filling up fast.

Just a quick update for now. Hope your summer is going well!

Can YOU Help?

So you've heard me talk about the UBC Interprofessional Health Mentors Program and what an amazing and rewarding volunteer experience this has been for me. (So much so that I hope to do a third cohort with the program!) I have only glowing things to say about the faculty and the students I  have had the pleasure to work with.

What I wanted to share with those of you who are local (living in the Metro Vancouver area) is that the program is in URGENT need of Health Mentors. I am putting the call out here in the hopes that some of you might be moved to step up and help shape the future of health care.

If you are someone who lives with a chronic illness or disability or care for someone who does, I urge you to share the benefit of your experience by applying to become a Health Mentor. I promise you, your story matters! Please take a moment to watch this short video that gives you an idea of the kind of impact you can have.

Inspiring, isn't it? Applications are being accepted for the program until July 31st, 2014 for the 2014/2015 session. You can click here for more information about becoming a Health Mentor. 

If you have any questions about my experience, feel free to get in touch by leaving me a comment and be sure to indicate an email address so I can respond. I'd be happy to talk to you about it. If you know someone you think would be a great Health Mentor, feel free to share this post with them! Thanks peeps!

Scenes From A Weekend

Thursday night, dinner with my husband at OSF. We love their BamBam Shrimp. So nice to not have to cook after a long commute to UBC. I had an interview with a doctor/professor who is here from the UK to learn about the Health Mentors program and see if it's something that can implement in their country to better the education of their health care professionals. It was a fascinating conversation and I'll be interested in hearing what the outcome is. Amazing to think Health Mentors here are potentially having an impact on the future of health care in the UK!

Friday: We were up and out early to Granville Island since this was the only day forcasted as sunny this weekend and we wanted to spend as much of it outdoors as possible. Indy got a good walk, I got to shoot some photographs, (Don'tcha just love this graffiti?) and we all got to lunch in the sunshine. It felt so good to soak up some vitamin D! The innumerable ornamental cherry trees that are so common here are thick with blooms. Their branches are hanging low they are so loaded.

Of course what's a trip to Granville Island without a wee bit of retail therapy? I discovered that The Cloth Shop has moved to the island-not sure why I hadn't noticed it there before...granted, it is tucked away on a back corner, so it's not entirely obvious. Anyway, they have evolved into a store that is carrying mostly modern style fabrics! I had to have this piece which seemed so collage-y to me. It kind of looks red in this photo, but it's actually a very vibrant orange. I even love the salvage! Really, I wanted to buy more, but I'll visit again next time I'm out there.

I've been looking for these stamps for awhile now and happened to spot it at Paper Ya yesterday. $14 for this charming set.

Too cute! I like that it reminds me of pictures from a 1950's reader.

I made granola from scratch yesterday afternoon. I had some for brekki this morning. It was delicious. 

Today I am taking my husband to this amazing Italian grocery I just found out about and then I am meeting a friend for coffee on Commercial Drive. (A trendy/funky part of town.) It's already been a busy weekend and it's only Saturday! I see a nap in my future!

P.S. Some exciting news is *almost* read to share...stay tuned!

Sochi 2014 Celebrations!

Just a quick post to help get the word out about a few events happening around the Sochi Olympics:

The first two are for Blue Jackets-time to suit up & celebrate!

I hope you’re doing well and excited about the upcoming Olympics. I work for CBC Radio and am currently organizing a big opening ceremonies show for our morning program, “The Early Edition”, on Friday, February 7th. 

I’m writing to invite blue jacket volunteers to come down to our show. It will be held in and around our new CBC Canada House, which is our Olympics studio, between 6-9 a.m. at Georgia and Hamilton in downtown Vancouver. There will be free coffee and the ceremonies will be on our big screen outside the CBC studios.

If you’re interested in coming, we would love to have you out. If you could possibly pass this along to any other blue jacket volunteers, I would sincerely appreciate that as well. 

 Jeremy Allingham 

Producer,CBC Radio One 

***** 

Winter Games Legacy Celebration for Blue Jacket Volunteers 

Sunday, 9 February 2014 from 12:30pm until 2:30pm 

Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver 

 Celebrate and commemorate the Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games at Creekside Centre in the former Olympic & Paralympic Athletes Village! This is an all ages event that will feature big screen play back of Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Events, games and craft stations for children and much more! 

All former volunteers at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games can register to attend this free event and participate in a parade, pin trading, interactive games, and enjoy live entertainment. 

Registration is required for Blue Jacket Volunteers (ages 19+) and have your accreditation pass number ready when registering, and present on the day of the event. To register, please call the Creekside Community Recreation Centre at 604–257–3050 ext 2.

***** 

BC Sports Hall Of Fame & Museum 

Red Mitten Weekend 

Feb. 8, 9 &10th 10 am-5pm 

Gate A, BC Place Stadium 

Website:http://www.bcsportshalloffame.com/ 

Hey kids, do you remember where your RED MITTENS are? Be sure to find them and wear them to the BC Sports Hall of Fame over Family Day Weekend for FREE admission! 

We've got lots of activities to choose from Family Day weekend February 8,9, & 10th including:

- the chance to slam some ping pongs against your opponent on the table used in the 2010 Athletes’ Village 

- a unique collection of figure skating paintings of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Joannie Rochette, and Johnny Weir 

- breaking a sweat in our games room where you can rock-climb, run, and try your hockey shootout skills! 

- watching highlights of the 2010 Games on our big screen and MUCH MORE! 

Everyone welcome! Look forward to seeing you over the weekend!

NMO Day 2013, Vancouver

Top: NMO Day Venue, the beautiful VIFF Vancity Theatre

Bottom: (L-R) Nancy Reimer, NMO Advocate, NMO Walk/Run Organizer

Dr. Katja Van Herle, Guthy-Jackson Foundation

Dr. Tony Traboulsee, Neurologist, Researcher, NMO Specialist UBC

Lelainia Lloyd, Advocate, Health Mentor

Last Thursday was NMO Patient Information Day here in Vancouver. As I've mentioned before, I was presenting about the Health Mentors Program. It went very well. There was alot of positive feedback and I was able to hand out pamphlets to people who were interested in applying to be Health Mentors next year. I actually ran out of pamphlets!

My friend Nancy Reimer talked about being an advocate and organizing the first NMO 5 km walk/run (the first anywhere in the world!) this past May. She did a great job. When she talked about her 9 year old son's battle with NMO, it brought me to tears. Kids should not have to deal with life threatening illness!

Dr. Katja Van Hurle, from the Guthy-Jackson Foundation spoke about the work the foundation is doing. It's easy to see from her energy and enthusiasm that she is such an asset to the foundation. Listening to what she had to say, it was impossible not to feel hopeful and encouraged about the progress the foundation is making. I hope to be able to attend GJF's NMO Day in San Diego next year. I would love to connect with the larger NMO community in person.

The MS Society Lower Mainland Chapter also did a presentation on the support services they offer. Since the Guthy-Jackson Foundation is based in the US, the Canadian MS Society has kindly offered to take NMO patients under their wing and offer all their services to us as well. 

I got a nice surprise when they were showing their slides. There, up at the top left of each one was one of my photographs! That's my hand on top and the rest belong to members of my support group. I shot this about a year and a half ago. So far it's been used on the cover of the Peer Support information pamphlet and now as part of their slide show header! 

Yesterday I had to head out to UBC for a neuro appointment. When I arrived, one of the researchers was at the front desk and immediately greeted me and told me what a great job I did on my presentation. When the neuro fellow came to get me from the waiting room, she told me she'd heard great things about my presentation. I wasn't expecting this, but it made me feel really good to know I'd had an impact. The feedback has been very positive. I really love doing advocacy and awareness work.

This is Annie, one of the NMO researchers at UBC. Without her hard work, NMO Day would not be possible. She is a dynamo at pulling everything together and such a kind and lovely person. We adore her!

So...that's the scoop from the 2nd annual NMO Patient Day here in Vancouver. I'm so grateful to live in a city where connecting to others living with this rare disease is possible. Together we are stronger!

Indie Kindred

So for awhile now, Jen Lee has been screening this feature length film about creative collaboration around the US.

Take a peek:

Sandra Harris of Rain Coast Creative Salon will be hosting the Vancouver screening on November 21st. Tickets are $20 and include drinks, appies & good conversation. Sound like fun? Get your tickets here!

Hope to see you there!

September Long Weekend 2013

         

I hope everyone had a great long weekend! We decided to spend most of Saturday at Spanish Banks in Vancouver. There's a huge stretch of beach there and if you drive right the last segment of it, there's a dedicated dog beach.

      

When we arrived at about 10 a.m., the tide was way out, which made me happy because I love to walk on the sand. We could get a fair way out and still only be ankle deep once we hit the water.

Here's a short video clip of Indy having a great time with a Husky he made friends with. You can kind of get an idea how far out we were and he's not even chest deep.

         

I shot this from where I was standing, mid-shin deep. I didn't go out further because I had my iPhone in my pocket and with my lack of proprioception didn't want to lose my balance, fall down and get my phone wet. If I'd had a ziplock bag to keep my phone safe, I would have walked out as far as I could go, just for fun. I'll know to be better prepared next time!

We had a picnic lunch and after lunch went back down to the beach. In the short 1/2 hour we were eating, the tide had come in and it was finally deep enough for Indy to swim. He had a great time retrieving his water Kong and shooting the waves. 

I'm ready for Autumn now!

For The Win!

The latest issue of Uppercase, #18 has arrived! I had completely forgotten that I had a Subscriber profile included in this issue. I was flipping through, saw it on the page and had a moment of "Oh yeah!" Very honoured to have been included in such a great publication. Thanks Janine!

There is so much good stuff in issue 18-a collection of tiny chairs, (I have a wee collection of these myself) ransom note art, (I made one to submit, but sadly, it never made it into the mail-life happens) assemblages and more. Each issue is a delicious dose of eyecandy! If you're not subscribed, you're missing out!

In other news, I won a set of tickets from Stanley Park 125 for a horse drawn tour of Stanley Park! THANK YOU!! I am thrilled! I've lived here for 27 years and never actually done this. When I told my husband, he was excited about sharing that experience with me. I'd like to do it in early autumn when the trees will be turning colour-I can't think of a better way to celebrate the arrival of my favourite season! 

Horses + my beloved park + autumn = MAGIC!

Stanley Park turns 125 on August 24th-25th and I will be volunteering at the weekend-long celebration. There is going to be a variety of concerts and events throughout the park. You can find more information here. There's something for everyone! Hope to see you there!

Scenes From the Weekend

On Sunday, we got up early to take Indy to check out a new (to us) park along the Fraser River. He loves anywhere where he has the opportunity to swim. 

This particular park is across the water from YVR (Vancouver International Airport) so we got to watch lots of planes coming in, which I enjoyed. I even spotted a seal swimming along.

I kind of love this silhouette shot of Indy playing in the waves.

The nosy nose that knows.

Plus a quick selfie, just for good measure. It feels good to be shooting with my Rebel again. I've been neglecting it of late, in favour of getting familiar with my iPhone camera and a bunch of photography apps. It's good fun, but really, my DSLR is my first love. There's just no comparison.

In case you're wondering, the apps I am enjoying are:

Over 

A Beautiful Mess 

Afterlight

Kaleido Lens

Typic Pro

 They are all good, but Typic Pro is my personal favourite of the bunch!

If you have some photography apps you love, please comment & let me know what they are!

Canada Day Long Weekend 2013

So this past weekend marked the 146th birthday of our great nation. We celebrated Canada Day on July 1st. Usually this holiday is pretty low key in our house-we tend to just do some hiking and BBQing and that's about it. It ended up busier than I had originally anticipated. 

Sunday evening, my pal Jenn and I went to see Shayne Koyczan at the Vogue. As I mentioned before, I won tickets from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. I have to tell you, this was an amazing experience. Jenn and I arrived early to pick up the tickets at the box office and then we lined up. While we were standing in line, this woman came up to us and asked if we'd be willing to do an on camera interview of our thoughts about Shane Koyczan. They were filming with plans to put the interviews together as a video at some point. We thought it would be fun and since we both adore him, we said we were in. It was pretty funny and I can't wait to see what they do with the footage. Funny that I seem to be doing alot of TV lately.

Eventually, we were let into the theatre. The seating was rush seating and since were at the front of the line, we easily got seats in row two, up front and center. Shane ended up performing for THREE HOURS. He is not only a gifted poet, but also incredibly funny. I laughed so much my face hurt. His band was incredible and I was so happy there were so many strings-cello, base, guitar and violin, along with keyboard, trombone and trumpet. The beauty of combining spoken word with music is that the music beautifully underscores the words and adds another layer to the emotion that is being expressed. It's an experience like no other.

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival has never had spoken word poetry as part of their line up. It's really cool that they decided to take a chance to include it.  Seeing Shane Koyczan, whom I consider to be one of Canada's national treasures was the perfect way to celebrate the Canada Day long weekend.

 

   

While Jenn and I were having dinner before the show, I got a message from the good people at False Creek Ferries. (The company that runs the ferry service we often ride from Science World to Granville  Island. It's one of our favourite things to do.) Awhile back they invited Rick Mercer to join them on Canada Day for their traditional ferry ballet. (Think Musical Ride, only on water, using ferries instead of horses.) I told them half jokingly that if Rick Mercer didn't want to do it, I did. Well, Rick Mercer never got back to them, so they very sweetly extended the invitation for me to join them. Of course I said yes! 

I got home pretty late from the Vogue-1am and didn't get to sleep till 2am, but still managed to get up for 5am so I could get downtown in time. The morning was so beautiful. This photo is the reflection of Science World in False Creek. The water was like glass. It was so peaceful.

I waited at the dock at Olympic Village and at about 7:30am, a fleet of 6 ferries came to get me. Nothing like a fleet of boats turning up to make a girl feel special! I hopped aboard and we were off. The manager of the company (in the left hand photo) was calling the manoeuvres via radio.

  

The ferries did figure eights, various lines and circle sequences in several locations along False Creek. People were watching from shore or out on their boats, clapping, waving flags and shouting "Happy Canada Day!"

We made our way up to Granville Island over the course of about an hour and a half. There was a cooling breeze and I was shooting photos, laughing and waving to people the whole time. Rick Mercer has no idea how much fun he missed!!

 

When we arrived at Granville Island, Jenn was waiting there for me! We hung out till I caught the ferry back to Olympic Village. A HUGE thank you to False Creek Ferries for making my Canada Day so special. You guys are THE BEST!! 

This week is going to be quiet, which is a good thing-the past 2 months have been an absolute whirlwind!

FCM Vancouver

So if you wondered where I'd disappeared to, I've been at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference volunteering for the last four days. It's an annual conference where leaders from municipalities from across Canada gather to network and learn from one another. I was serving as an Operations Assistant, which meant I was helping facilitate the organization, loading and dispatch of a fleet of buses that were used for study and companion tours. There were 2600 delegates at the conference so this was a big and challenging job, but something I love doing. I've done VIP transportation dispatch for several of the big city events in the past (World Police & Fire Games, 99th Grey Cup Festival and CONCACAF Women's Olympic Soccer Qualifier) so my skills were put to good use. I got to work with a great team, so that made the job fun. I was really lucky!

The City of Vancouver gave use these pretty blue vests as our uniform. It was just like being a Blue Jacket all over again, because the conference was held at Canada Place, a place where there are alot of tourists so people would see us and ask for all sorts of information and assistance whether they were part of the conference or not. The legacy of the beloved Blue Jackets lives on!

One of the great things about this job was that I got to meet and greet delegates from communities across Canada. There were delegates from Tanzania, Jamaica, the Ukraine and Belize as well. Many of the delegates brought pins to give out, from their cities. One delegate from Quebec handed me a pin as I was assisting him onto a bus and after that, people saw it on my ID lanyard and kept giving them to me. By the end of the conference, it was loaded! That was really lovely and unexpected. One of the delegates I spoke to from Manitoba actually knew some of my family! We both agreed that Winnipeg really is like a small town full of extended family. I gave her my card (and a hug!) so she could give it to my second cousin when she sees her. 

I also had (by chance!) the opportunity to assist Green Party Member of Parliament, Elizabeth May when she arrived to give a speech at the conference on Sunday morning. I escorted her to the conference center and we had a really nice chat on our walk up. It's always interesting to get to know someone you see in the media even just a little when they are just being themselves. She is a lovely and I have to say I admire her dedication and perseverance. She is the first and only Green Party candidate to serve in the Federal legislature, so she truly is a trailblazer and a hardworking one at that.

Rick Hansen and Federal Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau were also at the conference, but I didn't see them, unfortunately. I was pretty busy dealing with transportation. I would have loved to hear what Rick Hansen had to say. I am hoping his speech was recorded and will be available online at some point.

I also bumped in the Mayor of Coquitlam, Richard Stewart. It was really nice to see a familiar face in the crowd and to know he was there working diligently on behalf of our community. I was completely dumbfounded at the intensity of the work that gets done at this conference. The schedule is exhausting, but it's extremely important. Our elected officials are working hard to strengthen our communities-I saw this first hand.

My teammate Michelle invited me to have lunch with her on Sunday, so we went to the Cactus Club at Jack Poole Plaza. The one side of the restaurant has these giant angles glass windows that electronically slide open on good weather days. We sat next to them and had this amazing view of Burrard Inlet. That's the Harbour Air dock in the foreground, looking towards Stanley Park and then beyond that to the North Shore Mountains. It's a million dollar view!

This is looking to Coal Harbour and the sea wall to the left. It was such a special treat to be able to relax and enjoy lunch with a new friend in between scheduled bus times. It's these kinds of moments that remind me how lucky I am to live somewhere that is so amazingly beautiful. I never take it for granted. It truly IS paradise.

One thing that really impressed me was that I had the chance to cross paths with one of the organizers, Mar Warrender who took the time to ask me how my volunteer experience was. It says alot about the organization that she cared enough to ask. I told her it was comparable to the other big city events I've been involved in. I've actually worked with volunteer coordinators, Mike and Carrie at another event, Vancouver 125 and they are fantastic. We were treated like gold and I really enjoyed the experience. 

I especially appreciated being thanked for my service by Vancouver Mayor, Gregor Robertson, Coquitlam Mayor, Richard Stewart and by the countless delegates and their companions (husbands, wives, partners, etc.). It's always happy-making to know what you are doing is making a difference.

***

Not sure what's up next-I haven't had time to check my calendar. I do know that Peter Grande, president of MV-1 Canada is in town on business and I am hoping to be able to catch up with him while he's here to thank him in person for supporting the NMO 5km walk/run last weekend. 

I am hoping to get out with my camera for a shoot soon-I'm having withdrawals. Time to make some art!!

Moving Forward

Photos from week 2 of Rose Coloured Glasses. The first 4 were taken at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden the day I went to see the Tibetan Monks. 

 Rainy Day

 Lanterns

 Framed

 Golden Orange

And lastly, a self-portrait:

Tired

(On the day we were doing them, I was tired and stressed and in desperate need of a nap. Some days are just like that.)

It's been difficult shooting through this class. I've been having problems with my vision for some time now and recently found out that it's because I've had at least 4 attacks of optic neuritis since February. Over the summer, I'd finally learned how to shoot manually, but with the damage to my vision, everything I was shooting was coming out blurry, even with my glasses on. What I perceived as focused wasn't. Vivienne, ever the supportive teacher that she is, encouraged me to go back to shooting on auto. (Unless, of course, I am trying to achieve blur.) 

Despite setbacks, I still feel I learned something: I always feel better when I am creating, even if that becomes a challenge. I just have to keep moving forward.

Ancient Art

On Friday, I discovered that the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden was hosting Tibetan monks who were going to be creating a sand mandala. I've always wanted to see this, so I quickly emailed my friend Carol to see if she wanted to come with me. She did, so yesterday, we braved the weather (it was pouring and windy) and went to meet them.

When we arrived, we discovered that the monks had not yet arrived. The docent explained that they were on "Tibetan time", which made me laugh. You cannot expect those that live in the now to be the slave of a schedule. She needn't have worried though-they arrived right after she'd said it, smiling and in good spirits despite the dismal weather.

They'd begun working on the sand mandala the day before so we were able to see the amazing progress they had already made. The mandala is drawn from memory and then they begin the painstaking work of filling it in using colourful sands.

They have two tapering medal rods that are ribbed. The top end of the rod is wide and open and they scoop the sand into the rod from this end. The other end is narrow and this is where the sand comes out. They rub the second rod up and down the one full of sand, to create vibration to make the sand come out. It's like a sand version of paint by numbers.

They create intricate patterns and outlines, using the different colours and though it's hard to tell from the photos, there are also a variety of textures created. It's really incredible the amount of skill and patience required to do this. The knowledge of this art has been handed down through the ages. 

Each element of the design has meaning. Mandalas are symmetric with a series of concentric circles and square. The center point is where the deity resides. The finished mandalas have four gates, which symbolize the four virtues: compassion, kindness, sympathy and equanimity. Sand mandalas are for purification and healing and the act of their creation is a form of meditation. Once completed, the mandala will be consecrated and then ceremoniously wiped away and dispersed into flowing water, symbolizing the impermanent nature of existence.

Before they began their work the day before, they also held a puja ceremony, honouring Buddha. Offerings were made and incense was burned. Usually I am not a fan of incense because I have allergies but the incense they used was really lovely. It didn't bother me at all.

The Abbot, Jampa Sopa created this butter sculpture. Butter sculptures are a made from a mixture of Yak butter, wax and dyes. When you're working with it, you have to dip your fingers in cold water to keep it from sticking to you. Butter sculptures are given as offerings. This one stood about a foot high, but for special ceremonies, they can reach several meters high. Again, each of the colours and designs holds special meaning.

I was able to shoot a short video of the monks working on the mandala. I wanted to be able to share with you the sound of what they were doing. It was oddly mesmerizing. Carol and I found that we lost all track of time watching them work.

During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, (1950-1959) the monk's monastery was razed to the ground. Of the 600 monks of the Dzongkar Choede monastery, only 5% survived, fleeing to Southern India with the Dalai Lama. Today they are a community of 300 monk and run a school for young monks, many of whom are orphans or semi-orphans from poor families. The monks have come to Canada to raise funds to support their school and to provide health care. I believe everyone should have access to an education and health care. It felt good making a donation to support this.

It was an amazing opportunity to be able to experience Tibetan culture right in my own back yard. I have read about the struggle of the Tibetan people for years. 7 Years in Tibet is my all time favourite movie. I never dreamed that someday, I would be sitting in a scholar's garden in the heart of Vancouver, watching ancient history and tradition unfold before me. The world seems a little bit smaller now and certainly more beautiful. Yesterday was magical and mystical and I'll never forget it. 

To see what Carol had to say about our experience, click here. Her photos are fantastic.

What's Happening Here

(Shot in Whistler for YAYOM)

-Watching the light change as the season begins to shift. Autumn brings light the colour of faded denim. I love witnessing this transition.

-Attending Popluck, a new dining experience, following the same plan as the Al Fresco dinners we enjoy. This group started last month, so it's very new. I am making a lemon loaf to share. It's in the oven now and smells delicious.

-Enjoying some down time. I needed it. I didn't know how much, until it happened. It's a good reminder to create space for this every now and again.

-Just starting to think about the things I want to accomplish over the next few months. Getting some of those plans in motion now. I live for adventure, truly.

-Watching the 2012 Paralympics. I saw the opening ceremony yesterday. It was infinitely more enjoyable than the Olympic one. I was especially thrilled to see Stephen Hawking hosting. That was brilliant! Team Canada looked like they were eager to get to work. GO Canada GO!!

-Penn, Carol & I got tickets to go to the Vancouver Etsy Party next week. If you're local and want to go, send me an email and I'll help you get tickets at a discounted rate. The good folks who are organizing the party sent me a promo code to share with friends who might want to join us. All the fun you can craft for $15! (Click the link to learn more.)

-I treated myself to this new Sabrina Ward Harrison book. I thumbed through it in the store and it's full of eye candy, so I had to have it. It also has a big glassine envelope inside the front cover, full of collage ephemera. I didn't notice that until after I got it home, so it was a pleasant surprise. It's the kind of book you pick up over and over again to pour over. YUM!

And you? What are have you been up to?

Good Food & Good Music

So I'm on vacation and it feels like things are just as busy as they were when I wasn't. Not complaining-just an observation. Thursday, we attended the second Al Fresco dinner of 2012. I had my first taste of elk.

The secret location this time around was at the Roundhouse. There's this big metal structure (I think it's supposed to be art) in the courtyard area and we sat right underneath it. It was a really nice evening.

Saturday, through a stroke of luck, I got a free ticket to the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival out on Deer Lake. I arrived around 4:30 pm and it was smokin' hot out. Really, too hot for me, but I had a good reason to be there.

Jimmie Vaughn, brother of Stevie Ray Vaughn played. He's really every bit as good as his brother. At one point, he played an entire song with his guitar behind his head, backwards. Crazy!

THIS was the real reason I went though. I adore the Indigo Girls and though I've been a fan for years, I've never seen them in concert!

They are so incredibly talented and gave a great concert. Every time they finished a set, we'd clap and they'd say "Thanks Y'all!" So charming! When they play here again, I am most certainly getting tickets. They're touring the US soon, playing with local symphonies in several cities. I imagine that's going to be fantastic. I wish they were coming here.

Sadly, the Olympics are over. I watched hours and hours of events while it was on. I didn't manage to make it through the closing ceremony though. That was ridiculously long. I fell asleep during the part with Russell Brand. They re-aired it in the evening, so I picked up where I'd left off, but by the time 7 pm rolled around, it wasn't even close to being done and Breaking Bad was coming on, so I gave up. I think any ceremony longer than 3 hours is too long. 

Now there's the 2 week changeover for the Paralympics. The opening ceremony is on the 29th. I am hoping we get good coverage, but if not, the Paralympic website will be live streaming events. I plan to watch as much as I can and cheer for team Canada!

Oh and one more thing before I sign off-I haven't forgotten about the giveaway. I'll be contacting the winner later today!