Journey & Adventure

I have so much going on and “on my plate” at the moment, I don’t know where to start. Summer seems to be flying by, but I can’t recall where it went. I’ve only been to the beach a couple of times, whereas I’m usually there every weekend. The reason for my beachy absence has been a direct result of high water levels and high winds. When the water is high, the beach disappears. Combine little-to-no beach with high winds and waves crashing on shore, there isn’t a beach to walk on. The two times I have been, we’ve had to wade waste deep in the water for quite a distance until the beach opens up. Once again, high winds preclude me from wanting to venture waste deep into less-than-tropical water with crashing waves. Hence, not many visits to the beach. Sooooo, instead, J and I have been seriously hitting the trails on our mountain bikes. When I bought my bike a year ago, I thought it was the dumbest idea…EVER! My cardio was horrible and I could only make it a couple of miles b...

I’m so happy it’s Friday.   I’ve been working “summer hours” for the past few weeks and it’s great – work an extra hour each day and then leave at noon on Fridays.   If only we could do that year round. Our friends booked their “one-way” flights to Panama this week.   Yes, they are retiring early!   I’m sooo excited for them – a little jealous too, but mostly excited.   I know our time will come – “patience grasshopper”. We haven’t been to the beach in a couple of weeks now – mostly thanks to bad weather and prior engagements.   I can honestly say that without those weekly excursions, my “life-balance” isn’t what is should be.   I’m not at all at peace with the world at the moment. Our annual reviews are upon us here at work and let me say, what a @#%$ waste of time.   Our raises have been predetermined months ago and no matter how stellar my performance has been, I do not have the ability to earn over and above the predete...

I’m having a tough time with this blogging gig lately. I don’t have anything to say – surprising even for myself! I feel so many people have lost interest in it as well or perhaps is the Summer weather keeping everyone active and away from their computers. That’s a nice thought, but I’m thinking the fad might be winding down. I’m not giving up on it just yet, but only time will tell. Yesterday was a holiday here in Canada – Canada Day. Seems pointless to have a Tuesday off. By law the holiday could have been “moved” to the Monday. That would have made perfect sense to have a long weekend in the middle of summer, but alas NO – common sense does not prevail in matters such as these. So now today, feels like Monday all over again. Aghhh! Work continues to be a “means to an end”. I don’t love it, I don’t hate it (most days) – it just happens, I get paid, repeat. It’s progress review time here at the moment. I hate them – they are a waste of time and I suck at trying to ma...

Today was our first walk on the beach for the season in Canada.  We started out with hats and gloves, but by the end of our 4 mile round-trip, we were toastsy (actually sweaty) and the sun was shining brightly.  There is still a lot of ice on the lake and it will likely be there for a few more weeks before the open water reaches the shore, but it was a wonderful, sunny day.  It's been a long, hard winter for sure. The beachcombing was also fantastic and I was able to collect a few treasures that had been uncovered by the winter winds and receding water.  Here is one photo of a large purple, frosted piece.   Purple is said to one of the rarest of colors, needless to say, I was super-excited to find it.

It's March 19th and it is still SNOWING in Canada.  Has been for months, weeks, days... I've suddenly realized that I've seem to have misplaced my hammock and my winnning lottery ticket...

Artistic Photo by J Gumby Enjoying the Sunset - Day 1 Love the Boat Name:  "Free at Last" Lac Bay, Bonaire - Heaven on Earth Gumby Enjoying the Salt Pier - Best Dive Site on Island 1,000 Steps Dive Site - Only 60+ Steps to the Bottom,  Feels Like 1,000 with Dive Gear On Gumby Enjoying A Couple of Cold Ones After a Hard Day of Diving -  Polar, A Nice Import From Venezuela

I’m feeling out of sorts this Monday. I don’t know why, I just know that something’s not right with my world at the moment. Probably, just the Monday blues. I should start feel better by 5:00 pm - I usually do. My boss is on holidays this week. Thank goodness for small miracles. Another week like last week and I might not have been able to contain myself or the rage he creates within me. I had dinner with an old co-worker last week. Our meeting reminded me of how much I miss working with her. We could be silly together, laughing about anything, everything and everyone that crossed our paths throughout the day. It was nice to have a funny, carefree co-worker. I don’t have that here and I miss it. I wish I could go barefoot in the office. I hate wearing shoes. I’m constantly kicking them off under my desk only to have to scramble to put them back on when I need to go to meetings, the printer, supply room or the restroom. This morning I was reflecting upon “what I did th...

I realize it’s already Wednesday and I’m just now getting around to telling you about my weekend, but things have been busy. Well, maybe not so much busy, as I’ve been lazy and I've been competing in the new Olympic event of "couch-surfing". Anyhow, it was a long weekend in Canada. It was one of those holidays that you get, but you don’t really understand its purpose. I’m okay with that – it was a holiday and I am thankful for it nonetheless. So, part of doing nothing exciting all weekend involved yet another couple of long walks on the beach on both Saturday and Monday. Once again, it was peaceful. After the wind and rain we had on Sunday, the beach was full of glass treasures on Monday, so I was in my glory. Apart from all of the beach glass, shells and driftwood we find, we also find lots of other junk that’s floated away – plastic bottles, old hats, beach balls, sand pails, sunglasses and garbage. This weekend, I found something I’ve never found before…my...

J and I are fortunate to only live approximately 30 minutes away from Lake Erie and as you know, we both LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the water and beach and spend as much time as we can there in the summer months. We usually get there at least one day on the weekends. When we go to the beach, we don’t typically go to swim or sunbathe, but go for a long walk instead. With a wetland and biosphere bordering that portion of the lake, we are able to walk for literally hours without running into another person. It’s truly rejuvenating to just wander in nature, where the only sound we hear is the lapping of the waves on the shoreline, the wind blowing through the poplar trees, the cry of passing sea gulls or a faraway screech of a bald eagle looking for his lunch. When we head out, we don’t have a purpose in mind. We usually walk for a couple of hours in one direction and then turn around and head back. Along our route, we pick up treasures of all kinds including beach glass, shells, rocks, d...

Nothing new here.  The weekend was uneventful, which is always a nice change. J and I went for another loooong walk on the beach yesterday.  I think with all the fresh air and exercise, we need Sundays to recover. I've been working away on a couple of new jewelry pieces, which I thought I'd share. Sea Glass Treasures This one contains pieces of sea and beach glass from Long Point, Lake Erie; Rincon, Puerto Rico; Negros Islands, Philippines; Oahu, Hawaii.  The large pendant piece is the bottom of an old Coke bottle. Driftwood Dreams The pendant on this piece is a piece of old tree bark I found on the beach in Rincon, Puerto Rico.  I love the way the worm holes make the piece look.

Well, there's not much going on in life at the moment.  At least there's nothing worth blogging about.  Okay, well maybe is worth blogging about, but I've done enough complaning of late....so, I bring you some more of my Flamingo Tongue Design creations. Today, it's all about sea glass.  I think if I could make a living from beachcombing, I'd be all over it in a heart beat.  I love finding this stuff... These pieces were all found in the Philippines.  I simply added the pewter bail and chains.

It’s a long weekend here in Canada – Victoria Day. In celebration of Queen Victoria’s birthday, which I don’t think is actually on the 21st of May, but who am I to complain…it’s a long weekend. I’ll take them when I can get them. My weekend plans consist of working in the garden planting some more perennials and laying down mulch, continuing to work in the spare room and of course, working on my tan since the weather is supposed to be fantastic. J and I are also planning on going to the drive-in (yes, we still have a few of them here in Canada). Our plan is to see the Avengers and whatever else might be playing. I was really hoping to see Battleship as well, but I’m not lucky enough for two blockbusters to be playing on the same drive-in screen. And if time and energy permits, we may head out for a long walk on the beach. It will be our first beachcombing outing of the year and I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of beach glass and other treasures I can find. What...

After my mini meltdown of yesterday, I’d like to give a special thanks to Seṅorita Andaluciana for coming up with my new mantra and Jacqui providing the idea of an “incentive” photo. I can now carry, with a new and improved outlook on the future. Thanks ladies! Sand Between My Toes, Ocean View, Sunny Dreams...

I know I've been a bit MIA lately, but life is still out of hand.  Summer has been great, but I can honestly say, I don't think I've done much. Some days have been spent at the beach... Some local scuba diving... Some cloud watching... Some sunsets...   Some wine on the beach, while watching the sunset... Life's been uneventful, but all in all...good.

I love being near water – any body of water will do.  There’s something therapeutic about watching the waves roll in and out and the sound of the surf that brings inner peace – at least to me.  Not that my life is full of turmoil, but a day at the beach is guaranteed to bring me calm. We are fortunate to have one of the Great Lakes (Lake Erie) within 20 minutes of our house, so every chance we get in the summer, we head to the beach.   We are also fortunate enough to know where the secluded beaches are and it’s these secret beaches that allow me access to literally miles of unspoiled beachfront.  It also helps that they are part of a biosphere reserve. On Saturday, J and I left home early and arrived at the beach by 8:00.  We proceed to walk along the beach for the 4 hours – 2 hours in one direction and 2 hours back.   J would wander here and there, photographing this and that.  I would stroll in and out of ...

This is a re-post from last summer.  Since I haven't had time to be creative, I'm recycling.  Rest Assured, it still applies... I’ve been thinking about going to the beach this weekend. Ahhh the beach – warm sun, warm water, fresh air and sand…lots and lots of sand. If it weren’t for the sand, the beach could almost replace Walt Disney World as the happiest place on earth; however the sand that encompasses the shoreline of the lakes, oceans and rivers and makes up the thing known as the “Beach” is unbearable to me. I strongly dislike sand. I particularly dislike the feeling of dried-on sand between my toes. You know what I mean – after you’ve been swimming and need to walk across the sand to your beach towel (Water + Sand = Crusty Toes). Ughhh… When I was much lighter younger, I was successfully able to charm my then boyfriend (now husband) into sweeping me off of my feet and carrying to my awaiting throne beach towel without so much as a grain of s...

It’s Friday – Yippee!! Yesterday was a holiday here in Canada and with that came a day off.  The sucky part of that - I had to come back to work for one stinking day.  The suckier part of that – there is no one here today except for my boss and a handful of other people.  I guess at least some people had the smarts to take today as a vacation day.  The suckiest part of all – I’m not one of those people.  Damn my need to save my vacation days for actual trips out of my lovely country in the dead of winter. J worked yesterday (has today off in lieu of the holiday) and The Boy has finally secured a summer job, so I had the house to myself.  It was VERY nice to have some alone time.  I think that last day I had the house to myself was in 2003 (no lie). Queen Elizabeth II is coming to the city where I work on Monday.  Yep, she is actually taking a tour of a Research in Motion facility, which happens to be down...

It's snowing here in my part of Canada today.  Actually it's flurrying.  Regardless what you call it - it sucks.  So with that being said, I'm going to my happy place...

I love jewelry, but I don’t own a ton of it. I have a few simple pieces and am quite content with what I own. While I’m not one to parade around wearing gobs of bling; I will admit that I have a fascination with shiny or brightly colored objects – one could say “different pieces”. I prefer pieces that contain an element of the unusual, BUT nothing gawdy. No Grandma Betty jewelry for me. Many of the pieces I’ve collected during my travels. For example, I have a rock pendant, wrapped in copper wire that was made by a band of roving hippies from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I have a “stone money” pendant made from the husk of a coconut by the betel-nut chewing crack addicts of Yap. I also have a turtle-shaped pendant that has been carved from elk horn, which was most likely made in China, but I like to tell everyone I carved it myself while on safari in Montana. As I said, unusual stuff catches my eye and before you think I’m totally off my ...