Sideways

So...it's been awhile since I posted. It's really a case of "Life is what happens when you're busy making plans." I had a NMO relapse and had to have a round of IV steroids in early June and then two weeks ago today, my husband suffered a major heart attack at work. Our lives have gone sideways, so we are kind of in a state of shock still and trying to recover from the scare. Fortunately he had immediate surgery and is recovering, though his heart rate is still wonky. I am trying to deal with what's immediately in front of me, in an attempt to try and keep my stress manageable.

I had just done this revamp of my blog header and template the day before all hell broke loose and then didn't get a chance to actually post. Since I had a sliver of time today, I thought I would do a quick update. Without further ado...

Teresa posted this really interesting book on her Instagram and I was so intrigued I had to run off to the book store to find it. It's really good and reminds me of a zine in so many ways. Fun stuff! I'd love to see more books done in this style. The aesthetics of it is so appealing and it feels like you are almost peeking into someone's mixed media journal in a way. If I was going to write a book, I'd like to do it this way. Someday...

Speaking of zines, I wrapped up the zine exchange I was hosting. I now have a beautiful box of inspiration. So much good stuff!

This was my contribution, the 4th edition of Manual Dexterity. My plan was to have a few copies available in my Etsy store, but with all the health stuff that came out of nowhere, I just haven't had the time. I will have copies for sale eventually and I'll post here to let anyone who is interested know. I just can't say exactly when that will happen right now.

I've been puttering in my 101 year old journal. Some days it's nice to sit down for half an hour and make something. I have just been flipping to a random page and going for it. Slowly but surely, the pages are filling up. I am so in love with this journal.

I have been enjoying exploring my new neighbourhood with Indy. This is part of the green belt one minute outside my door. I feel so lucky to just be able to pop into the woods any time I feel like it. We live in an area that, according to my best friend has a very high incidence of bear sightings, but so far, no luck. I am not afraid of bears-I took a bear aware course years ago, but I do have respect for them. I am always mindful that our paths could cross any time I am out and about and I will be prepared to act accordingly. I don't want any bears to come to any harm because of me.

On Father's Day, we went up to Whistler for the day because we felt the need to see things like this.

And swim in Lost Lake.

 And eat amazing food like this (The BEST fish taco)

And this from La Cantina, our favourite restaurant in the village. My son had never been before and is a foodie so it was fun watching him taste a bunch of different menu items.

My friend Amy very sweetly sent me this book when I was having trouble sourcing it locally. It just arrived this week, so as soon as the weather cools down a bit, I am going to dive into painting. Can't wait. It's so hot at the moment that I don't think my paints would stay open long enough for me to get them onto the canvas. By the way, the author, Tracy Verdugo is turning 50 and so she's giving away 22 spots in her upcoming online class. The details are here. I've been entering daily because I'd LOVE to have the opportunity to expand my painting knowledge. Paint for me is joy and I'm on a mission to invite more joy into my life. I have my *fingers crossed*!

Maureen made this gorgeous paracord bracelet and sent it to me. That was a good mail day-perfectly timed to lift my spirits. I love how chunky it is and how comfortably it wears. It has a really great magnetic clasp so I can manage to put it on and off myself. (This has become a big issue with my jewelery-with my hands so numb, working closures has become a major problem.) I really love this piece and have been wearing it pretty much non-stop. Maureen is a local BC artist-you should check her out!

I have also been super busy with advocacy work. It seems I just get one project done and another pops up. I have shared a big announcement on NMODiaries this week. I have a guest post up for the MS Society of Canada and I'm working on something else that I can't talk about right now. It's so great to be able to have opportunities to contribute and make a difference. I really do love advocacy work. It's the work of my heart.

So..as you can see, life has been rolling along, despite the major bumps and potholes. We are coping. I am going to try and post more regularly over the summer. 

Whistler 2014

I keep meaning to post about our trip to Whistler three weeks ago, but things have been so busy I'm just getting around to it now. We had a fantastic time and the weather was spectacular-sunny but not hot. We had meals out on several restaurant patios so that Indy could be with us. We hiked an amazing hike, which I would love to tell you more about, but I am writing an article to submit for publication, so for now I'm not sharing photos or details. 

We rented a canoe and did some paddling on Alta Lake, giving Indy his first canoe experience. He was so good-he lay down in the middle of the boat and just popped his head up to see where we were going. I had fully prepared myself for the possibility of our canoe being overturned if he decided he needed a swim (he is a Lab, after all and swimming is his bliss) but he was content to just relax and enjoy the ride. The only time we thought something might happen is when a flock of Canada geese were taking off from across the lake and Indy heard them honking. That immediately got his attention, but fortunately he just wanted to see them, not go after them. 

I don't usually shop when on holiday, but this time I saw a few small things I wanted. The Canada Home shirt was something I had pinned on Pinterest ages ago and happened to come across in this lovely little shop called 3 Singing Birds. I also found a beautiful handmade style mug at Starbucks and couldn't resist. The grey bamboo bird scarf spoke to me at June van der Star's booth at the Farmer's Market and I had to have it. It's super cozy. Lastly, I wanted a t-shirt with mountains on it because I love my mountains. I love that it's orange!

We stayed at our favourite hotel, Summit Lodge & Spa. I'd won a 2 night stay in one of their deluxe suits and they did not disappoint. The room was beautiful and spacious and super comfortable. If you ever travel to Whistler, I highly recommend staying there. We've been guests at Summit twice now with Indy and have nothing but glowing things to say about our experiences there. The service is impeccable. The staff left these sock monsters tucked in every nook and cranny of our room as a joke. It was pretty funny. I gathered them all up to get a group photo on the back of the couch.

The food in Whistler is always amazing. I had a Thai Salad from the Brewhouse one day and a rockfish taco and a chicken taco from La Cantina Urban Taco Bar. The rockfish taco was fantastic! I have never had a fish taco before, but this one was super crispy and light and the pico de gallo on top was just a party in my mouth. *SO* good! We had take out pizza one night from Avalanche Pizza because we'd had it the last time we were in Whistler and enjoyed it so much. They even delivered it to the hotel for us, which was super nice!

We were there for 3 days, a short holiday, but one of the best we've ever had. It was so relaxing and I'd purposely picked a weekend where there wasn't alot going on in the village, so it was much quieter than the last time we'd been. (Crankworx weekend in August was nuts!) Whistler in mid-September was perfect for us and we both felt this was the best vacation we've ever had. We love Whistler so much that every time we're on our way home, we're already trying to figure out how long it will be till we can return. I don't think we'll ever get tired of it-there's just so much to see and do and it's so incredibly beautiful there.

Currently

Creating: 

My creative time is taken up with designing workshops right now. Yes, you read correctly-after a long hiatus, I am excited to announce that I'm about to return to teaching mixed media workshops! An opportunity came along that works perfectly for me, so I decided to go for it. I've missed teaching-I really love seeing the joy my students experience when they embrace their own creativity. I'll be sharing more about where and when I'll be teaching once I have all the details ironed out. Stay tuned!

Reading: 

Right now I am working my way through James Patterson's Murder Club Series. I caught up on his Alex Cross series over the winter and this one is equally as good. I've been reading it as e-books, which I love because it means less running back and forth to the library.

Watching: 

In between books, I am watching Game of Thrones, (which is deliciously good!) Nurse Jackie, Deadliest Catch and I just started watching Orphan Black. I tend to do more reading than TV watching in the summer-I find the summer is a TV wasteland. 

I have also been watching lots of documentaries. The best one I've seen lately is called Mile...Mile & a Half. It's about hiking the John Muir Trail and the scenery is spectacular. If you are an artist, a journaler, a photographer, a hiker, a musician or an adventurer, this documentary is for you. You can find it on Netflix.
Here's a peek at the trailer:

Listening: 

New on my iTunes play list rotation:

A House is a Home-Ben Harper & Ellen Harper

Details in the Fabric-Jason Mraz

Hearts on Fire-Passenger

Maybe-Ingrid Michaelson

Dreaming:

We're planning a trip to Whistler in the fall. A few months ago, I won a weekend stay at our favourite hotel, Summit Lodge & Spa. We're celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary at the end of October, so this is going to be an early anniversary trip. We're going in the early fall because we're working around weather-we want to be there while it's still warm enough to sit out on restaurant patios to eat and to have good hiking weather, since we're taking Indy with us. I am going to look into what adventures we might do while we're up there. We've already ruled out zipline and Peak to Peak, since my husband is not a fan of heights. I am sure we'll be able to agree on something exciting to do. I adore Whistler-I love being right in the heart of the mountains. It feeds my soul.

So Much To Share!

Hello again! Well I have lots to share, so grab a cup of tea and settle in.

Last week, I had my 8 week follow up with the surgeon who repaired my wrist. I thought you might find it interesting to see his handiwork.

This is the ulna bone in my arm. It's the one that runs from your wrist below your pinkie finger to your elbow. He sawed this bone in 3 pieces, removing a section in the middle, and bolted the two remaining pieces together using a titanium plate and 6 screws. This is where I have a rather long and spectacular scar on my arm, which is still healing. Surprisingly, this was the least painful of the two surgeries I had done. It hasn't really hurt since after the first 2 weeks post-op. Yay for that! The other surgery, on the heel of my hand continues to be incredibly painful. I am still trying to find the optimal dose of nerve pain medication to deal with that. *sigh*

Meanwhile, in the good news department, on Tuesday, I got an email telling me I'd won a 2 night stay at Summit Lodge & Spa in Whistler. This is the same lovely hotel I stayed at in August 2012 when I went to Whistler for Vivienne's You Are Your Own Muse photography class. Indy blogged a review of the hotel and they are going to share it on their Facebook page on January 27th. They are extremely dog-friendly and we love that because where we go, Indy goes!

In the email they sent, they said if I sent a selfie about winning, they would have a gift waiting in my room when I arrive. I thought it would be fun to send them this:

We look forward to visiting Whistler later this year and I am thrilled we get to stay at our favourite hotel! We LOVE Whistler.

In other news, awhile back, @CBCOlympics asked Canadians to tweet a message of support for Canadian Olympic athletes as part of their #OurAthletes project. I sent them a tweet. Yesterday they let me know that mine was one of twenty selected to be made into a pin. 

(Photo used with permission of CBC Olympics)

Monika Platek of CBC Sports has pinned these 20 pins to her scarf and is taking them to Sochi. As she meets Olympic athletes, she will gift them with a pin and snap a photo, which she will then share with the person whose message appears on a pin. I'd say that's pretty darn cool! I am so pleased to be able to participate in this project-I can't wait to see who ends up with mine! You can read about the #OurAthlete project here.

In other sports related news, I woke this morning to find an email from FIFA. I applied last year to volunteer for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015. (Crazy to think I'm planning my life 2 years into the future!) Anyway, I was accepted! YAY! I fell in love with women's soccer when I volunteered for the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifier for London 2012 and I couldn't be happier to support women's soccer in Canada (in Vancouver!) again in 2015. No idea what I will be doing yet, though my specialty is serving as a VIP transportation dispatcher, so that's a distinct possibility. I am sure it's going to be an amazing experience!

And while all this stuff has been going on, I quietly decided that this year's word is 

Extraordinary. 

May it be extraordinarily good in as many ways as possible!

Things Worth Celebrating

Back in March, I went to Whistler with the Para Nordic Cross Country Skiing is Believing program to do some photography. My friend Andrea had asked me to come do some photography for them to provide to their funders. There was also the possibly some of the photos being published in a BC XC ski magazine. I was more than happy to support this amazing program. (Which, if you missed it, I posted about here.) 

I now have copies of the magazine! This is it:

It's distributed BC wide.

Two of my photographs appear with an article that talks about the program. One is at the top with the header (two sit skiers racing) and the other is the second down on the right. (A group of sit skiers practicing what to do if they should tip over.)

Here's my photo credit! I am really chuffed about this because it's the first time my photos have been published outside of artistic publications. I am still not quite comfortable labelling myself as a photographer-I am not technical about it at all. I shoot and edit with what feels right to my artistic eye, but I can't for the life of me tell you what a f-stop is, nor do I care. All I know is that I enjoy shooting and editing and I really loved the opportunity to have this experience.

Speaking of Andrea, last Tuesday, I went out to UBC with my friend Courtney to support Andrea as she defended her thesis, which was her work on AthletesFirst. Andrea did an fantastic job staying cool under pressure. I think the Doctors who were hearing her defence were very impressed with her as well because in the end, she was granted her Doctor of Philosophy degree! We are all *SO* proud of her!

This was the final slide of Andrea's presentation. Recognize anyone? It was sweet of her to include this photo. (I guest blogged for AthletesFirst at one point, which is why I was included in the presentation.) Another lovely thing about attending Andrea's defence was that I finally got to meet Josh Vander Vies and Meyrick Jones. Both great guys-Josh is super smart and Meyrick is really funny.

Soon Andrea will be off to the UK to do some post-doctorate work. Congratulations Dr. Andrea!!

Skiing Is Believing: Redefining What's Possible

Saturday, I spent the entire day at Whistler Olympic Park, which was home to the Olympic and Paralympic Cross Country Skiing and Biathalon events. My friend Andrea asked me to come and be the photographer for the Skiing is Believing program and I jumped at the chance. I adore Whistler and I was more than happy to support the important work she and Paralympian Courtney Knight are doing.

The Skiing Is Believing program introduces people with disability to cross country skiing. Paralympians, their coaches and team of dedicated volunteers teach people with a variety of physical and sensory disabilities, (wheelchair users, amputees, people who are blind or visually impaired, people with cerebral palsy) as well as their friends and family to ski. 

Here's a quick peek:

(That was Andrea talking about the program!)

I spent the morning capturing various aspects of the program. It was a bit of a challenge because the weather was absolutely not cooperating-we had a combination of rain, rain mixed with slushy snow and then outright snow. I'd planned ahead though and brought an umbrella, as well as a Ziploc bag, some duct tape and scissors so I could McGyver a way to keep my camera dry. It was a good thing I did because by the end of the day, pretty much everything I owned was soaked. It pays to be prepared!

 

No one seemed to mind the less than ideal weather conditions-they geared up and got out there. What I really enjoyed was the opportunity to observe and learn. The coaches and volunteer guides were incredible. In no time they had their skiers geared up and ready to go. Everyone was assigned a volunteer so they had one-on-one support and instruction for the day. It was wonderful to see someone go from being tentative as they were learning, to gaining confidence as the day wore on. The transformation was amazing to witness.

Late in the morning, I went inside to warm up and see what I had shot so far. While I was sitting there, a skier and guide came in. The guide got her skier situated and then left to grab some lunch. We were the only two people in the room, so we chatted with one another, sharing our stories. It turns out I was familiar with her story because it had been in the news. We had a long conversation about processing and coping with difficult things and how we move forward in our lives. It was one of those moments when I realized the universe had conspired to put us in each other's path for a reason. That conversation was meant to happen. Her courage in the face of terrible adversity is remarkable. I am continually in awe of the resiliency of the human spirit.

After lunch, while everyone who'd spent the morning in lessons went off to ski the trails, I geared up and Andrea gave me my own lesson. I cross country skied as a kid, but that was some time ago and long before damage to my spinal cord made me to lose my proprioception. (The ability to know where your body is in space, which is absolutely necessary for balance.) I was very scared, but I was also determined to ski. I never allow fear to keep me from doing anything.

Andrea was super supportive and patient while I got used to moving on the skis. Even though we were working in what appeared to be a fairly flat area, there were still times when the skis would pick up speed on slight inclines and I would struggle to stay on my feet. Andrea told me to crouch down and put my hands on my knees to maintain balance. Most of the time that worked, but I fell a few times. I slipped and fell backwards once and whacked the back of my head, but I was okay though I think I might have scared Andrea. We got my feet out of the bindings and in less than a minute, I was up and laughing and went right back at it. It never occurred to me to give up.

I figured out that as long as I could keep my center of gravity over the tops of my boots, I wouldn't fall down. I found skiing uphill much easier than downhill. When I was going uphill, my balance was in the exact right place and I felt like I had control over my skis. It was much harder going downhill, but I attempted skiing down an incline (across and down a bridge) just to have the experience. (I'll try anything once!)

I got about 3/4's of the way down the bridge before I
 wiped out. *laughs* I knew falling would be part of the deal and I was okay with that. It's part of the learning process. The best way to describe what being on skis felt like for me is to liken it to when you see someone in the circus balancing on a piece of 2x4 , which is balanced on top of a ball. It took every ounce of my concentration to stay on my feet.

At one point, we were skiing in front of the Olympic rings and Andrea asked me if I realized I was skiing where the Olympic and Paralympic XC skiers had all crossed the finish line. I hadn't till she said it and I loved her for pointing that out to me. She knows how much I adore the Games. She took the photo of me standing in front of the rings at the top of this post. I felt the way I look in that picture-happy and grateful for the experience and personally triumphant that with Andrea's help, I DID IT.

 Skiing Is Believing beautifully illustrated for me how important Para sport programs are. It gives those who live with disability the opportunity to reclaim their physicality, to redefine what they believe is possible for themselves, to connect with others and if they so desire, to train to become competitive.

My experience on Saturday reaffirmed for me that anything is possible and that when life offers you an opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands. 

Be Open to Whatever Comes Next

A message of accessibility in Whistler Village.

Yesterday I got the most wonderful opportunity offered to me. My friend Andrea Bundon. emailed to ask if I would be interested in joining her for the Skiing Is Believing clinic at Whistler Olympic Park in March. The clinic teaches people with disabilities and a friend or family member to ski. Because the March event is the final one of the season, they have also invited the junior ski team and the Para-nordic race team to join them. 

 They're running a shuttle bus up to Whistler and back, so it will be a relaxing trip and after a brief orientation, everyone ski till 1 pm, have a lunch break and then casual group skiing or games till the bus leaves for home at 4 pm. Sounds like alot of fun! My job is to take photos of the event that can be submitted to their funders-the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Cross Country BC, which is circulated to a few thousand skiers in the province. (WOW!)

 Andrea also said that if I wanted to try skiing they would happily provide me with equipment and a coach. Or I could spend some time taking photos on my own-whatever I like! It would be a great opportunity to strap on some skis see if I can still do it. I haven't cross country skied since I moved to BC from Manitoba 27 years ago. I used to cross country ski alot in the winter. I loved listening to the rhythm of my breath, the swish of my skies and the deafening silence of the countryside. Cross country skiing is like a zen meditation.

I of course have jumped at the chance to help Andrea and support Para sport! I can't think of anything that would make me happier! I love the Paralympics, I adore Whistler, the sneaux and I love to volunteer. It's a win-win, any way you slice it! I've got March 16th circled on my calendar in big red pen and am counting the days! I just need to purchase a new pair of sneaux boots and beg or borrow a long lens for my Rebel and I'm all set!

The mountains are calling and I must go!

YAYOM Whistler Part 3

   

Some things I love about Whistler:

The people are friendly. 

The views from just about anywhere in town are spectacular. I am a girl who fell in love with the mountains. I never tire of drinking them in.

Lost Lake is gorgeous. 

Whistler Village is entirely walkable. In fact, it's also wonderfully accessible. As time goes on, I take notice of this more and more, not just because it's relevant in my life, but also because I believe it's important to build inclusive communities. I love it when I see thoughtful consideration and adaptations being made to a city so everyone is welcome.

Whistler is also incredibly dog-friendly. There are tons of patios where you can sit with your dog and enjoy a meal. Throughout the village you will find water bowls available for dogs to get a cool drink. There are also lots of stations with dog bags so you can pick up after your four legged friend. Whistler also has several dog beaches and parks with off leash times. Many of the hotels and several local B&Bs offer dog friendly accommodation, some of which do so with no extra charge. Gotta love that! 

On a side note, Indy's begun posting about his travels on his own blog, Left Coast Lab. There's very little information out there in cyberland about dog friendly travel in BC, so he's filling the gap. He'd love it if you'd follow his blog. You can also find him on Twitter.

There is so much to see and do in Whistler. I didn't get a chance this trip, but my plan is to go back and do Peak 2 Peak and Ziptrek. I did the Ziptrek across Robson Street in Vancouver during the Paralympics and loved it and ever since I've wanted to do the big long ziplines in Whistler. 

Here's a couple more photos from the YAYOM class:

(Setting up a shot.)

I learned so much over the weekend. I love how each class I've taken along the way has built on what I learned in the previous class. I love the process of learning and experimenting. I really enjoyed sharing this experience in person with my classmates. It was interesting shooting with others. I liked the camaraderie.

YAYOM Whistler Part 2: Graffiti

On Saturday, Vivienne took us to shoot photos in Ross Rebagliati Park. (Which ironically or appropriately, depending on which way you want to look at it, smelled like pot.) Anyway, I noticed there was a skate park there, filled with fantastic graffiti (one of my favourite things!) so I decided to come back early Sunday morning with my camera when it would be quieter.

This guy is the main artist responsible for all the caricature work in the skate park. I believe he's working on an image of Gene Simmons. I didn't get to ask him personally-the air was very fumy with all the paint he was spraying and he had a respirator on. (Smart guy!) Apparently (according to the 20-something skaters I talked to) Gene Simmons has a place up in Whistler, so he's sort of local.

The skater guys were very friendly. I think they were surprised to see my tooling around so very early in the morning, taking photos of their skate park. One of them chatted me up and when he discovered I was there for a photography course, pulled out his iPhone and started showing me all the shots he'd taken of his friends that morning. He was actually pretty talented-he got some great shots and they were really well composed. Talk art and you can instantly make friends with just about anybody!

There will be more about Whistler again tomorrow!

YAYOM Whistler Part 1

Okay! I'm ready to share a few of my favourite self-portrait shots from YAYOM Whistler. My hand series continues. I don't think I'll ever get tired of shooting portraits of my hands. I especially love this one.

Vivienne had us try shooting ourselves at odd angles. I was forced to wear socks (which I never do in the summer) because I had wicked blisters on my heels from trooping around in the extreme heat. (It was 32C on Saturday!) I was so annoyed those socks were going to be in my photos, but as Vivienne pointed out, they were part of the story of that day. I didn't even notice till now that I had two odd socks on. Whatever! Sometimes you just have to say screw it and soldier on. 

 More shoe gazing. This is actually an art installation in a park. It's a chair that sits atop a hill. It's made from plaster and chicken wire (so it's free form) and it's inscribed with a bunch of writing in different languages.

Mmm! How I love black and white. Touching a fallen log.

This one is pure magic. That's the real colour of Lost Lake and I managed to capture the sunlight dancing on the water, which makes the most beautiful and magical bokeh. Which brings me to my next point....

(On purpose, not just by chance, which makes me really happy.) I also learned that there's a whole manual focus function I knew nothing about! THAT was worth the price of admission, right there!

Here's a fun shot of our class! We had the best time together. I always enjoy meeting new people and my classmates were lovely. Hopefully we'll keep in touch!

I'm still sifting though a raft of photographs and I have lots more to share in another post-yarn bombing, the Olympic Rings, some amazing food, graffiti and the spectacular scenery. In the meantime, Vivienne has posted about the weekend, so go check it out! Click here  for Vivienne's first post and here for post #2.