sense of wonder

A farm fresh sense of wonder. 

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"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life..." // Rachel Carson

Imagine the ability to recall the first time you saw a horse or discovered that chickens lay eggs. Imagine carrying with your adult self the same sense of wonder you once held as a child. Imagine! We drove out to the country to see Gracie's cousins on Sunday, two girls that it's clear she already loves dearly. I was struck by the number of new experiences Gracie had, later hearing her repeat "hose-sie" and "bok-bok" all night long. Her sense of wonder, though sometimes coupled with fear, is a beautiful thing to witness.

I loved this visit so much and only wish we could do it more often.

Brussels sprouts hiding under there... 

8/52

"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."

the 52 project: 8/52.

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As sunshine spread warmth over the day, we undertook an excited trip to Stanley Park Saturday morning, first walking in the {empty} rose garden, then by the lake and finally oceanside, where we should have started at the outset (our daughter has an ocean in her heart after all!). Standing in the sand Gracie threw rocks with Sean while we marvelled at the many people running/biking/walking/skating along the seawall. Seeing everyone out made us remember that it's there, that we need to take advantage of this world class city amenity (read: extensive picnic planning underway).

Pinecones shaped like bananas, Gracie's penchant for being carried, the way she says "oow-shin" each time she sees the Pacific, running to show Sean each of her treasures, breath visible while quacking at the Stanley Park ducks, expansive sky - these are a few of the things I will remember about this day. 

Sunshine in Stanley Park [last photo taken by Sean Markey]. 

happy saturday

Photo practice, lens flare in nature, Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC. 

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Happy Saturday, friends!

pumpkin seed pesto

eating green in 2013: pumpkin seed pesto, recipe found here. 

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simply. more. green.

It's been a long time since I broke with routine for a Friday evening (99.9% of the time opting for pizza and salad). After a relatively rough week caring for sick ones and subsequently falling ill myself, something other than pizza was needed. A few weeks ago I bought some vegetable pasta curly cues that were begging to be eaten up with a tasty sauce. This pumpkin seed pesto recipe arrived in my inbox today from Eden of Feed Life, with perfect timing as apparently pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, a nutrient that encourages healing (among other things).

Now that we've had a zinc-tastic family meal, it's time for a funny movie - also known to speed healing! 

Zinc-tastic pumpkin seed pesto for happy, healthy times. 

when only sugar and fat will do

eating green in 2013: savoury kale scones with squash and cheese, recipe found here. 

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simply. more. green.

Everyone in our house has taken a turn battling the flu over the past week and a half, thus some comfort food to be enjoyed with a nice cup of green tea. When as under the weather as we have been, sugar and fat are the only true mood boosting remedies (this goes for any manner of malady - along with a little kale, butternut squash and cheddar cheese!).

Cheers to strong immunity, green things and good health in 2013. 

Cheesy, kale-y goodness. 

an afternoon with yoga sproule

An afternoon with Emily of "yoga sproule". 

Happy Monday to you!

Just over a week ago I spent an afternoon at the home of the lovely Emily who writes the blog yoga sproule. Having recently made the leap from marketing nine-to-fiver, to mom, to newly trained yoga instructor, Emily has altered her path to bring it more in line with her authentic self. Including yoga as a regular part of her life for over seven years (including a yoga intensive in India, and regular practice throughout pregnancy - hello - amazing!) the choice to teach, refine and share her practice with others brings a particular levity to Emily's step. I'm looking forward to taking a class with her myself as I could use a little more of feeling centred and mentally grounded in my life. How about you? You can find Emily's teaching schedule here. 

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yoga sproule moving through a series of poses. 

the magic that is nana

Mischief makers - Nana and Gracie - a weekend together holding hands and making one another laugh. 

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[Photos: Granville Island + Jericho Beach Park]

7/52

"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."

the 52 project: 7/52.

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On Valentine's Day we bought G a new book, No Matter What, in the spirit of starting a tradition for our family. The tradition will include buying or borrowing a book about love, caring or generosity and as time goes on, sharing these books with other little ones we know. "No Matter What" is a testament to being loved for who you are, telling the story of a parent's love that is always there (even when our little babes are feeling grim and grumpy. There's been no shortage of grumpy in our house this week!).

The discovery of her pockets, cuddling with the snow leopard, exuberant "ta-dahs" - these are a few of the things I loved about this Valentine's Day play session.

"Ta-daaaah!"

gorgonzola + minty green pizza

eating green in 2013: zucchini, pea and mint pizzas, recipe adapted from here.

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simply. more. green.

A green cheer me up; a stinky delight; minty freshness. I made these pizzas today for everyone in our house who is under the weather, which is actually everyone but me (may I not jinx myself!). Originally meant to be tarts, I adapted the recipe slightly by using a cornmeal/spelt crust and Gorgonzola rather than feta. Little G started with the crust, moved onto peas and eventually licked a few pieces of zucchini. I think the choice of cheese may have been too strong for her and will consider using something with a little less "bite" next time. For tonight, it's been delicious, even if I am eating most of it alone!

all about light

I am in the midst of a six week photography course, studying under the ever inspirational Erin Wallace of a love supreme. This week is all about light and since the sun finally decided to shine on Vancouver, I spent the morning oceanside with G to practice shooting. I chose to shoot into the sun (entirely on manual of course!) which can be tricky as the camera freaks out trying to read the abundance of light flooding into its sensor. I'm still not sure that I've nailed it 100%, but I'm starting to understand the fundamentals of wide versus narrow aperture and what kind of image will be produced in bright sun. Midday sun is incredibly unkind to photos (and the people trying to take them), leaving early morning and early evening (before sunset is best) for photos with soft "magic hour" light...

I'm so excited for summer 2013 - with my camera set to manual I'm going to chase light all over the place!

Here are a few samples:

Playing in the sun at Jericho Beach, Vancouver, B.C.