I am delighted to be featured in this interesting and fun Blogging Grandmothers Series. Thank you, Dee!
I am very grateful to be a Mother and a Grandmother. My family makes me smile every day. My love for them is endless and immeasurable.
You can read my featured interview here: Blogging Grandmothers Series 3 with Erica from behindthesceneryphoto
I used to read a little magazine called “Reader’s Digest” from cover to cover as a young girl. After I moved away from home my Father bought me a subscription to this magazine. “Reader’s Digest” was my pop culture, my humour, my miscellaneous trivia, and it contained an abundance of interesting, informative articles.
One of the articles in this magazine in the 1980’s was about a town that had recreated itself on Vancouver Island. At that time we were living in Northern British Columbia.
I always remembered this story and I was hoping to one day visit
Chemainus, “The Little Town That Did.”
Chemainus is in the District of North Cowichan, on the east coast of Vancouver Island.
Lumber used to be the primary industry in this town. The lumber mill operated off and on for 120 years until the mill closed down in the early 1980’s.
As part of a revitalization project, local and international artists were commissioned to create
Giant Murals on the downtown business walls showcasing the history and the culture of Chemainus.
And like “The Little Engine That Could” written by Watty Piper, Chemainus became known as “The Little Town That Did.”
When we moved to “The Island” in 1991 we began exploring many areas near our home. 10 Reasons Why You Should Not Live On The Island We camped in Strathcona Provincial Park and at Long Beach our first summer.
We also drove to the picturesque town of Chemainus. Many times.
We often had visitors and Chemainus did not disappoint. It was the perfect place to explore on foot with family and friends of all ages.
It occurred to me how I haven’t spent much time exploring Chemainus for many years.
I go to Chemainus at least twice a year to see the live theatre shows with family and friends. The performances are always excellent! In the month of August we saw “The Magician’s Nephew” and “Mamma Mia.”
We drive directly to the theatre to watch the productions and then we drive home.
This year, we decided to spend the day in Chemainus.
We decided to become a tourist again.
Chemainus has interesting galleries, boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, ice cream parlours and
Forty-plus World Famous Giant Murals.
1. Leave early.
2. Bring a camera and good walking shoes.
3. Stop at scenic lookouts on the drive through the mountain pass called the Malahat.
4. Plan on visiting a show at the unique, intimate Chemainus Theatre. Book early! The shows are usually sold out well in advance.
5. Walk into a delightful candy store. It is a fun, colourful and sweet place to visit. You will learn how many of the decorations and trim were hand painted.
6. Make sure to leave room for an ice cream cone. The girls had strawberry cheesecake and cotton candy flavours. I had a double which included three flavours. Mine was blackberry, peanut butter chocolate and green tea (don’t judge me…….I love ice cream!)
7. Enjoy the visit with children and adults young at heart.
8. Visit Chemainus with a dear friend. The extra hours together, priceless!
9. Plan to spend time strolling along the streets looking at the murals and learning about the history of Chemainus. Pictures do not do the murals justice. Enjoy the extensive artwork and read the stories describing the murals.
Chemainus is now a world famous tourist destination showcasing forty-plus giant murals with new murals being added. “An Outdoor Art Gallery.”
10. Drumroll please:
Sources:
I had fun playing with painnt app (free) on a few photos. A fun suggestion from Terri Webster Schrandt who is an amazing photographer with a very interesting blog site Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Further information on Chemainus: Chemainus Mural Town Weekly Wanders
A major crisis for 3 1/2 year old, Abby. Therefore, it becomes a major problem for all of us.
It is 8:00 p.m. Abby and Sadie are getting ready to go home with their Mother.
Abby cannot find her slippers. These are not just average slippers. These are Abby’s favourite Ruby Red Slippers.
Everyone is tired. Too tired to check throughout the house looking for slippers. We turn the house upside down anyways.
We look inside toy ovens, doll beds, lego crates, toy boxes, under pillows and in closets. We look everywhere! No luck. We cannot find Abby’s slippers anywhere.
Lots of crying and then good night hugs. The girls go home with their Mother.
I wake up during the night with my mind racing. I am replaying yesterday and retracing my steps.
Yesterday morning, I had loaded up the stroller and taken three grandchildren, ages one, three and five to play in a park close to our house.
Packing up to return home, I saw the red slippers in the bottom of the stroller.
Or so I thought.
Crammed in the bottom of the stroller were water bottles, snack containers, dolls, stuffys and a blanket.
It dawned on me, at first glance I could have mistaken the shiny red water bottle for the red slippers hidden in the chaos.
I tell my husband there is a possibility the slippers were lost somewhere at the park. The children had been playing all over the grassy field.
If by chance the shoes were discovered, they will likely have been discarded or they will have gone home with someone by now.
My husband sees my disappointed face and he encourages us to at least take a look. We arrive at the park and notice the newly mowed grass. Darn. The lawn mowers could have easily chewed up the slippers.
I see something red and shiny on a table at the edge of the playground.
The Ruby Red Slippers!
Yay! Tears of joy and a lump in my throat!
These little red slippers may be a minor thing in the scheme of life.
They also represent a major part of what is good in my life.
Our 3 year old: The smile and squeal of delight when I FaceTime with her and show her the slippers.
My husband: How he reads the disappointment on my face and helps me hunt for little ruby red slippers. I easily fall in love with him again.
The people in my neighbourhood: The shoes were picked up and placed in an obvious area. Many children play in that park all day long. They had left the shoes visible for us to find.
Me: Amidst the chaos I did remember to return home from the park with three grandchildren.
Have you ever lost something important in your life?
Postscript: You may be wondering whether Abby left the park with shoes on. Yes, Abby had shoes on. That day it was her Pink Bear wearing the Ruby Red Slippers.
1. You will waste your precious time spending hours walking on beaches and checking out tidal pools.
2. You will have to put up with fresh, clean air and a constant breeze.
3. People are very neighbourly and approachable here. Expect a friendly wave with the obligatory friendly wave in return. You will have to constantly say “hi,” a tiresome custom.
4. You will have to tolerate views of lakes and the ocean as far as the eye can see.
5. Camping outdoors on “The Island” will mean almost no bugs. You will not have the pleasure of swatting, swelling, investing in bug repellent and Afterbite.
6. You will have to get accustomed to the colour green. Moss, ferns and diverse, spectacular trees are found in our forests.
7. You will take too many photos and have the challenge of selecting only a few favourite ones. One of the pictures below is an often photographed little bonsai conifer growing out of an old mossy stump.
This Fairy Lake tree became famous when Adam Gibb’s photo was selected as one of the 100 winning images from 48,000 global submissions for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2012. Adam Gibb’s photo
8. Hiking with friends will consume a great deal of your time. You will never run out of places to explore. Decisions. Decisions.
9. You will want to avoid the Malahat at the end of a long weekend in the Summer. Taking the Pacific Marine Circle Route home will add stress to your day.
You will have to drive an extra hour through a beautiful rain forest, gaze at stunning scenery and endure minimal traffic.
The extra one hour drive may turn into four hours because you will want to stop and explore the beautiful sites along this route. You may possibly include a leisurely lunch in the picturesque town of Port Renfrew.
An entirely wasted day! (in Paradise)
10. And most importantly, why you should NOT live on “The Island?”
Will you be able to keep “Vancouver Island” our little secret?
I think not. Especially when you call it “home.”
Dedicated to: All the visitors that come to “The Island” each year. The people that make “The Island” their home. And to Deb, Widow Badass Blog who has discovered “our little secret.”
A friend shows me her Grandmother’s ring on her finger. She is emotional and very moved telling me how much this ring means to her, how much her Grandmother meant to her.
Another friend shows me the ceramic bowls she created in her first few pottery classes. She describes preparing and centering the clay. She explains how this challenging process requires stillness, concentration, calm perseverance and becoming one with the clay.
Our three year old granddaughter brings me artwork she has created along with an elaborate description of the shapes and colours. Her unfiltered pride is evident in her smile when I display her painting on the refrigerator.
Are objects simply inanimate materials?
Is an heirloom handed down from past generations only symbolic of a special relationship?
Does artwork merely showcase the craftsman’s talent and skills?
Or is there an essence, an energy present that animates these physical materials?
Maori Art
I had not really thought about these concepts until I began to learn more about the Maori culture.
We were surrounded by many art forms visiting New Zealand this year. The Maori believe art is an expression of the life force, the energy within you.
They believe that a physical object, a Mauri, contains a vitality, an essence.
Maori art conveys spiritual information, ancestry and culturally important topics.
The Maori believe that the gods create and communicate through the master craftsmen.
We had the opportunity to visit Te Puia in Rotorua this year. Te Puia is home to the “New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute.”
Today artists learn through classes and much practise. The styles vary from region to region.
Traditional Maori art was created using the materials available at the time, such as wood, bone, pounamu (jade or greenstone), paua (abalone) shell, flax, and feathers. Many artists continue to use these natural, organic materials today.
What do I think? Do I believe a person’s energy can be attached to an object?
Entire fields of science and pseudoscience are dedicated to the concept of objects and energy. I went down the “crystals” rabbit hole when reading about this subject. Possibly a future story.
I had not given this topic much thought until we were exploring New Zealand and learning about the Maori culture. I respect the Wisdom of the Ages. I try to keep my mind open to new ideas and possibilities.
I find I appreciate art more when I learn about the history and cultural significance of an item.
The Maori traditions have helped me recognize the spiritual connections we have with our environment and the emotional connections we have with our ancestors.
The effort and meticulous care taken during the creative process is an expression of our inner selves, our essence.
Are materials infused with love and energy during the creative process?
Is this life force passed on to the artifact?
I do believe it is. When I learn about the traditions, the history and the spiritual significance
The artwork takes on a life of its own.
What do you believe?
Weblinks: Mauri New Zealand Art Maori Arts and Crafts
This afternoon, sad, teary-eyed Sadie shared with me that her fish had died. She had this fish since she was born.
Children often bring up topics when you are unprepared and you least expect it. I looked at it as an opportunity to discuss death with a four year old.
“Everyone and every living thing dies. It is normal to feel sad. Love for each other never dies. Memories live on. It is good to share your feelings.” The usual things we say.
Questions from Sadie included: “Was her fish in outer space? Was my Dad in outer space?” She was aware that my Dad had died many years ago.
I told Sadie that I really wasn’t sure where her fish is and where my Dad is. We talked about heaven.
Sadie wanted to see pictures of my Dad. I opened up the file on my computer from my last visit with my Dad. My Dad was very compromised, elderly and in ill health.
Sadie noticed the Christmas decorations in the background. She asked whether he had died at Christmas. I told her, no. Some time in January.
The hair rose on my arms.
I hunted down his memorial script. May 4, 1929 – January 23, 2007.
A sob escapes my throat.
Sadie is now five years old. One year older and one year wiser.
After a long, fun-filled day, we were waiting for Sadie’s Mom to arrive to take her home.
This time I received an extra long hug. She wouldn’t let go.
Then she said “I don’t want to forget you.” I looked at her and she had tears in her eyes.
I paused. Where did this come from? Does she know something I don’t know?
I was taken aback. I didn’t have time to prepare an answer. I said what I think are appropriate things to say to a five year old. “You won’t forget me. I will never forget you. You will always be in my heart.” I was a little emotional, too, although I tried my best to hide these feelings.
I get it. I also don’t want to forget.
Memories surface around special holidays. This year my Dad would have turned 90 years old on his birthday.
A few of my memories:
Memories can fade. We will forget details about our loved ones, especially grandparents that may have left us many years ago. We may have only a hazy recollection of events.
Sadie had questions about death and about my Dad in Part 1 of this story.
How do we teach children about death?
When we have the privilege of spending time with children, we quickly realize that we will learn far more from children than they will learn from us.
Sadie taught me that it is okay to ask the hard questions. It is okay to love someone and be afraid of losing them. It is okay to have tears in your eyes.
Sadie taught me that sometimes the only answer you really want is a very long hug and not let go.
A few weeks ago I was making some notes outside the yoga studio, waiting for my class to begin. I was debating on whether I would write and share this story. I walked into the studio and I met a friend who was telling me about her upcoming birthday plans. I asked her what day is her birthday? She said, May 4th.
Today would have been my Dad’s 90th birthday, May 4th.
When a word continues to appear on my radar, I need to pay attention.
I first heard about Pyt last year. The Danish Library Association chose Pyt as the nation’s favourite word. I was immediately intrigued. The Danes are known as the happiest people on Earth. I want to know their secret.
This is the same culture that coined a favourite word, hygge, a few years ago. I easily adopted hygge as a way to relax and destress. Reading, cocooning, snuggling, a feeling of contentment. A favourite way to spend my time.
Now the word Pyt has surfaced. I have read a variety of translations describing the meaning of this word, how to pronounce it and when to use it. I understand how a cultural word may not be easily translated into the English language. I speak German, and we have words that do not directly translate into an English word.
Pyt (‘pid’) is used for minor frustrations and annoyances. Pyt is used to express ‘don’t worry’, ‘accept it’, ‘move on.’ weblink link
When I read further about Pyt, I found out that the Danes had even created a button with Pyt on it. When you press this button you will hear the Pyt word. A reminder to pause, gain perspective and let it go.
I could see how a physical symbol would help the expression Pyt seep into a culture’s language and values. I had a Happy Face button. The Happy Face emoji is still a part of popular communication. 😊
The underlying message that continues to surface for me is “acceptance.” This concept is emphasized in one of my favourite books, “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. In 2017 my one word intention was “acceptance.”
I still need to be reminded to accept the things I cannot change.
I am usually a glass-half-full kind of person. Yet, we all have stresses in our life, even the Danes. Many of us use strategies to gain perspective, like walking in nature, meditation and creative outlets. The Danes also use words to help prompt a more peaceful, happy life.
We can learn from other cultures. We can share secrets. We, too, can be the happiest people on Earth.
postscript: amazon sells Pyt decals and wall stickers. I may have to create my own Pyt button, even if it is in my mind.
