Watching salmon migrate upstream was unexpectedly calming and relatable. The hubby, T and I spent this sunny but chilly Sunday exploring Port Hope, located an hour drive from home. This scenic town served as the filming location for the recent two-movie adaptation of Stephen King’s novel It. The town has a historic charm with itsContinue reading “Swimming Upstream”
Category Archives: travel
The Promise of a New Day
This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for the fresh start that each new day brings. The last two weeks have been rough with T. I don’t know if it’s because the honeymoon phase at school has passed or if he’s finding the transition period challenging but we’ve had rough patches on an almost daily basis. DuringContinue reading “The Promise of a New Day”
Low Tide
One great advice I’ve received about finding balance in life is a metaphor about tides. Tides are described as “the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun, and the rotation of the Earth.” My colleague’s advice is deceptively simple butContinue reading “Low Tide”
Cooking for the Soul
Nature, travel, music, writing, prayers, exercise, reading. How do you nourish your spirit? For me, the answer is all of the above! While I didn’t intentionally set out to do so, my last few posts have been about how I prioritize the mind, the body and the spirit in my journey as a special needsContinue reading “Cooking for the Soul”
Childhood Summers and the Call of the Wild
We hiked along Nigadoo Falls and found an off-the-beaten-path swim spot with a gorgeous backdrop of jagged rocks, tall evergreens, a river current and cliff jumpers. It was a wonderful and refreshing way to spend a Friday afternoon, sharing this cozy private freshwater bowl with a dozen locals. With his lifejacket on, T explored theContinue reading “Childhood Summers and the Call of the Wild”
Reunions with Grandparents!
After a year of separation, T reunited with his grandparents from both sides of the family. Two weekends ago, we spent a Saturday with my uncle’s family, our Aunt and Ma – going on a nature walk and ending the day with a delicious bbq prepared by my aunt and cousin. It was Ma’s firstContinue reading “Reunions with Grandparents!”
Exploring the 1000 Islands
If a photo is worth a thousand words, a great friendship is worth a thousand memories. The hubby, T and I went on a weekend roadtrip with a good friend, one whom I’ve known for over 25 years, since I was 14. We went to explore the Thousand Islands in Gananoque, a three-hour drive fromContinue reading “Exploring the 1000 Islands”
(Not) Leaving on a Jet Plane
Facebook kindly reminded me that two years ago, we were on a family vacation. The pandemic put a hold on our family tradition to travel during March Break. March Break has also been deferred this year until April to help curb COVID cases, so T is in school this week. We’re very grateful to beContinue reading “(Not) Leaving on a Jet Plane”
A Change of Scenery
“You’d think we were going to Disneyland,” I thought after T got super excited when I told him we were visiting a different park last Sunday. Like everyone, we’re all feeling so restless about these “Which window am I going to look out of today?” days. So a change of scenery, even if it wasContinue reading “A Change of Scenery”
Dreaming Of Summer Roadtrips
For our first roadtrip with an 18-months-old T, we naively thought we’d do a 15-hour overnight drive to New Brunswick. After a day at work, we headed off at 8 pm. That was how the hubby and I used to roll. We did the long drive to his parents’ cottage overnight, taking turns, drinking lotsContinue reading “Dreaming Of Summer Roadtrips”
Thank You and Goodbye 2020
New Year’s Eve 2019, I played Snakes and Ladders with T. I said that along the way, we’ll encounter things that lift us up (ladders) or slide us back (snakes), but we keep going till we reach the end. Little did I realize the foreshadowing of 2020! The wonderful thing about a new year isContinue reading “Thank You and Goodbye 2020”
Adventure in the Philippines
During these cold and dark pandemic days, I long for and fantasize about travel. Since travel is not an option, it’s been fun to look back at travels of the past. Over 10 years ago, long before T entered our lives, the hubby and I went on an amazing three-week vacation to the Philippines. IContinue reading “Adventure in the Philippines”
Celebrating Daddy’s 40th Birthday!
The hubby turns 40 today! T and I celebrated his big day starting with a homemade dinner last night. T was very excited all day yesterday. Birthdays, Halloween and Christmas are his holy trinity. We took it easy yesterday. As the sun began to set, the three of us decided to do something productive andContinue reading “Celebrating Daddy’s 40th Birthday!”
Enjoying A Last Burst of Summer
We took advantage of an unusually warm weekend and soaked up the sun and outdoors. The weather forecast gave me the will to get through what felt like a long week and it looked even better as the weekend came upon us! Early November is an interesting time as Autumn gives us one last burstContinue reading “Enjoying A Last Burst of Summer”
Family Day Trip to Enjoy the Beauty of Fall
It’s Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and our family enjoyed a scenic Saturday afternoon outing in nature. We had planned to leave the house by 9 to maximize our day. T and I woke up at 10 and the hubby an hour later. By the time we left the house, it was Noon. But long weekends areContinue reading “Family Day Trip to Enjoy the Beauty of Fall”
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn
It’s the first Fall weekend and we enjoyed a Saturday afternoon hike at Rouge Urban National Park, a wonderful oasis nearby our home. We were blessed with a last blast of summer weather, so we all wore t-shirts and shorts with the added benefit of no bugs or sweltering heat. It seems like everyone inContinue reading “Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn”
Nature and the Passage of Time
Trees tell the story of time. Standing on the rocky Georgian Bay shore scanning the tree line, I see hints of red, yellow and orange. The autumn chill is in the air. Labour Day is the last blast of summer vacation before school starts. This year, school is starting a week late to give schoolsContinue reading “Nature and the Passage of Time”
Swimming in a Secluded Spot at Painting-Like Killarney
We spent Friday at Killarney Provincial Park, where every corner looks like a painting with its smooth red rock facade and Georgian Bay backdrop. Our friends and I have been wanting to camp here for years but sites always sell out. It took a pandemic to get the hubby, T and I here – sansContinue reading “Swimming in a Secluded Spot at Painting-Like Killarney”
Finding the Roaring Spirit of Adventure in Thunder Bay
We arrived in Thunder Bay close to 10 on Sunday evening. T screamed, “Why does it look like this? Where’s the thunder?!” The scenic adventures that unfolded over the following three days of our Summer 2020 family roadtrip more than made up for his initial lack of enthusiasm. First stop on Monday: Beautiful Kakabeka Falls,Continue reading “Finding the Roaring Spirit of Adventure in Thunder Bay”
Family Roadtrip to Explore Northern Ontario
We were determined not to let the pandemic take away our summer tradition – the family roadtrip. In August, we always take two weeks off to visit the hubby’s parents in New Brunswick, two provinces East of Ontario, and add a detour. This year, we hoped to visit New Hamsphire. It goes without saying theContinue reading “Family Roadtrip to Explore Northern Ontario”
My Life With T 