Horizons

“ There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be.” – John Lennon

I’m sitting at Terry’s desk today, it’s cooler in his corner and the window here affords a somewhat different view. I can still see the sun-lit forest and a small slice of Lost Lagoon but I also have a rooftop to gaze upon, it is a sought after patio with a stack of terracotta pots leaning against the white chimney and I can see the tenants’ just-washed laundry hanging outside their open door. Summer has arrived (again!) and I’m looking forward to the warmer days ahead.

Summer so far has been filled with languorous walks in the forest, picnics in the park and many walks by the ocean, with nature just a heartbeat away, it is easy to capture that child-like feeling from summers past. Besides my almost weekly visits to the Farmer’s Market to shop with Mom, I’ve also been trying to take advantage of the free events that pop up during this time, making sure I get my fair share of culture, music and good food! One of our favourite festivals is coming up just around the corner, it is an East Indian Festival, held in a grassy field beside Second Beach – the scent of incense will be in the air as well as  the smell of delicious cooking, my eyes will be dazzled by all the colourful sari’s, my feet will be stepping over fallen marigold petals and the haunting music will be seducing my senses. We go not only to take in the visual feast but to also indulge in the free feast –  a small donation usually gains one two full paper plates of tasty vegetarian fare. If we are in the city, this is the only festival we will not miss and I can hardly wait!

This week also holds anniversary notes for me, two are very dear to my heart – first off, I can’t believe that one year has flown by already, that this once pie-in-the-sky blog is now filled with my weekly notes to my lovely neighbour Huguette; I’m so grateful for every reader who stopped by to read a word or two and hope that you have gotten to know us better through my words. Secondly, as I have mentioned previously, this week begins my last year of close surveillance from a cancer diagnosis (and two major surgeries to remove the cancer) in August 2012 – that feeling of waiting for the “other shoe to drop” is fading fast and I can look at the horizon again knowing that possibility dwells there. I am where I should be, every past and present moment distilled on to this digital page, drops of rain falling fast to become a river that will eventually bring me back to source, but not now, I have more writing to do…

One of many, a beautiful horizon shot taken from the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Another gorgeous sunset as seen from the balcony of our studio in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Journal Excerpt: December 13, 2000 – Mexico moments not to forget, scribbled down

•  Our 20 minute hikes to the Conchas Chinas ( Spiral Shells) beach area; beautiful clean sand, lovely shells and warm soothing waters to play in, iguanas spying on us
•  Meeting Brock Tully ( writer and Kindness advocate) from our own West End (in Vancouver) at the plaza in Centro during the processions and tanning with him at Conchas Chinas, he is such a nice person!
• Also meeting Maria at “Monchies” (a funky hole-in-the wall eatery) with our Saskatchewan friend Al, a young Mexican girl selling yummy goodies from a small basket on her arm.  A tiny seven year old with a beautiful, long black ponytail. We saw her again at Cafe San Angel, she borrowed one of our black pens to write us her name – we later gave her one of our pens, she let us know that she would love one. She writes very well and also likes the printed word, I saw her reading newspaper headlines at a small store across from the cafe. She is a real sweetheart.
• Seeing the fireworks display last night at the plaza to celebrate the last night of the processions. Very beautiful, quite different from our Vancouver fireworks – figures of flowers, fish, a camel, a dove, a huge butterfly (mariposa) and the Virgin Mary! 

A stunning horizon shot of English Bay off our balcony here in Vancouver, B.C.

I never tire of the view from Second Beach, Vancouver, B.C.