Ghost Train 2008

A Pirate battle

Jack-O-Lantern display

Some scary sea creatures

waiting for the train to start

this spun as you passed

Last week we visited the Ghost Train in Stanley Park. Dave and I enjoyed it, Ky...was perhaps a bit young to get the idea. Heidi and I discussed that you often take your first child to events that they are too young for, out of the excitement of having a child. We went when it was already dark and I think Ky was too disoriented to understand what we were doing. For those who have not been, this is a miniature train that goes through the park and they have a theme each year and there are performers and decorations. The theme this year was Pirates. next year we'll go when it is lighter out and since he'll be closer to two I think he'll get more out of it. There is so much to do in this city around Halloween. I think as Kyan grows we'll have to try different things out each year. Hope you are all finding fun Halloween activities in your area.

Book of the Month: October

My first post in a feature I will be doing once a month. I love books and thought it would be fun to review books that I have in my library. In honour of Samhain and Halloween I have chosen:
Witch: The Wild Ride from Wicked to Wicca by Candace Savage.
This book delves into the history of the word Witch and brings the reader from the author's own personal history with witches through the Burning Times and beyond.
There is a wonderful pictorial element as well, she has archived many images from fine art to print and film. This book is worth buying if just for the artwork, but it also tells many recorded stories of folk who were accused of witchcraft or the like. I really like this quote where the author is describing her yearly attraction to dressing as a witch for Halloween: "At the age of ten I had no idea that I was shouldering centuries of oppression, judicial murder and high-minded mockery. Instead, I was attracted by the power of angry cursing and ill-tempered laughter, of forbidden knowledge, of fear. Bad-girl power."
A great addition to any witchy library.

Six Random Things

Mrs. B at Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom has tagged me and given me another award today. Thanks so much. It really makes you feel great to know that people are reading and its nice to have more friends too.

So for the Six Random Things here are the rules:

1. Link to the person or persons who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Random Things about me:
1. I had braces on my teeth from age 11 to 13. My Mom grew up with crooked teeth and vowed that her children would not have them. At 11 I had 4 permanent teeth pulled(because I had too many teeth for the size of my mouth) and then had those lovely silver tracks. I never was teased much about them since my peers decided that my being skinny was more fun to tease about. The day I had them off my teeth I remember feeling like I had this huge mouth of white, and I'm very grateful to my Mom for paying for them. I believe they made it possible for me to do the next random thing.

2. I was a fashion model for 3 years. When I moved to the west coast I had trouble finding a job. So I thought it might be a good time to look into finding a modeling agent, since I had been obsessed with modeling since I was young. I found an agent and went on to have some great times doing local fashion shows and even an ad campaign. I loved modeling, I was really good at it. Since I only started at 24 I was considered a bit "old" (gasp) for a beginner though. So despite my agent's best efforts I was never picked up by an agent from Paris, Milan or Japan. But I had a great time for those 3 years and have a beautiful book of photos. I still look back on it and think "Wow, I really did something that I dreamed of as a child."

3. I hate olives and goats cheese. I have tried over and over to like these things. Every few months I try another sample, taste buds change sometimes, but man, I just don't like them. In most restaurants here goats cheese is in or on things. I really want to like it, but my palate says no. What can you do?

4. I have a huge sweet tooth. I love chocolate of course. But after dinner I always crave something sweet. Pie, cake, ice cream, brownies, I love it all.

5. I'm bilingual. I grew up in Quebec where I went to an English school but took a french class every day. So for 13 years (elementary, secondary and cejep) I took a french class and I lived in a predominantly french town. I would not say that I am fluent because I haven't lived there for over 10 years and you do lose it if you don't use it, but I can hold my own.

6. This one is a bit gross but is a very personal one. I have a vomit phobia. It started when I was around 12 years old. I would have panic attacks at night from just a pang in my stomach. My Mom would come into my room and calm me down and I drank tons of Pepto Bismol, probably damaging my stomach, but what can you do. I no longer have the panic attacks, but I really hate to vomit. I will avoid it at all costs, even if that means not doing something that could induce it like riding crazy amusement park rides or getting really drunk.

Ok now six blogs to tag.

1. Amy at Magical Musings : I have learned so much on her blog and love her art and just her way of being.
2. Bret at This Guys Journey : His blog is really honest and funny.
3. Witchy Mama: She is so prolific and I think you can really tell that she loves life.
4. Janet at Livin' La Vida Vegan: Her blog made me think that I could blog, and for that I am grateful.
5. Darth Mommy : With humour and love she is so personal about motherhood.
6. Amy at Crunchy Domestic Goddess: She is such a well rounded, green livin' cool person.

This is a fun exercise. I hope you all enjoy doing it too.

I would also like to pass on the Kreativ Blogger award to these six blogs. They are all very creative and diverse. Along with passing the award along to six blogs you are supposed to list six things that you love:

1. Books....anyway they come, and in all spots you can find them.
2. Trees...they make me very happy. Nothing can ground you better.
3. Joni Mitchell's music. Her songs just resonate with me, she's my favorite songwriter for sure.
4. T.V. I know its bad to love it, but alas I do.
5. Old/Vintage things. I love old photos, clothing, furniture....etc.
6. Harley Davidson motorcycles. They are loud, shiny and sexy.

In the Land of Mommies

When you are a dreamer like me you think of lots of scenarios in your head. They play out so simply and usually have a lovely movie soundtrack as well. When I was pregnant I imagined play dates, and talking with...(insert name here) about sleepless nights and teething. The reality for me after 10 months of mommy-hood is different. I chat to my close friends with kids about these things, and my mom and mother-in-law too, but I don't really have any close mommy friends with babies Ky's age. I have tried, and the possibilities are still there that I'll become closer with some of the acquaintances I've made so far, but it seems that my friendship style is not conducive to Mommy land. Granted I've never made friends fast and furious the way some do. I guess I'm bad at small talk, and it seems especially mommy small talk.
"How old is he, oh is he walking yet?"
"Those are great shoes, where did you get them?"
"I attend this playgroup Monday and Wednesday and on Fridays we do Mommy boot camp!"
I really suck at that type of conversation. I don't mean to belittle anyone who is good at it. Some of my girlfriends are sooooo good at it. Give them 2 minutes in a crowd with a piece of gum stuck on their shoe and they have 3 phone numbers and a group hike scheduled for the next day.
My whole life I have had wonderful friends, but almost every friendship has taken time, conversations over tea, coincidences of running into someone on the way somewhere and having more conversation. I guess I just need one on one time. I need to bond with someone. Feel a soul connection maybe. A reason to talk beyond the weather...and in Mommy land you just don't have the luxury of time. For a while I felt a bit guilty about this. Will Ky suffer because I can't make other Mommy friends? Do I suffer because I lack the dreamed about "support group" that so many people said I needed prior to Ky's birth?
I don't think so. I have friends with kids, most are older but that's ok. I have a great family, who offer tons of support. As a homebody I love to putter around, and play with Ky, and I don't mind being the only adult until Dave gets home. And in a year or so when Ky starts to need friends, he will meet his friends, and I will either bond with the other mommies, or smile at him while I read on the park bench and marvel at how much he's grown.
I can't force myself to become a social butterfly if I'm not, and I will deal with the inevitable guilt that arises here and there with being a mom. The last thing I need is to put more pressure on myself. So if you're out there feeling bad about not having a mommy group to hang out with once a week, don't beat yourself up about it. These things take time, and while time is always short when you are a new mom, you are bound to find some friends as long as you keep trying.
And in the mean time there is nothing wrong with you and baby being your own play group. At least you don't have to talk about the weather.

Thanks Mrs. B & Dancing Goddess Dolls

I was thrilled to receive my prize from Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween on Thursday. Kelli at Dancing Goddess Dolls does beautiful work. I love Hecate and have placed her on my Fall/Samhain altar. A big thanks to you both for making my New Year so special.

Art of the Month: October

Blanket of Stars, quilt, 2005

Cross view, Blanket of Stars, 2005

Detail, Blanket of Stars, 2005

This piece was a gift for a dear friend's daughter. I was new to quilting,(I still consider myself new to quilting) and was inspired by the idea of being wrapped in a quilt of stars. There is a mixture of hand embroidery, machine quilting and applique. It was a huge undertaking for me. To date it is the largest quilt that I have made. I work in a mixture of quilting and embroidery so bigger pieces are very time consuming. My friend's daughter enjoys the quilt and spent many of her younger days pointing and touching it. I hoped to make it tactile enough for a toddler and yet not so juvenile that she won't enjoy it as an adult.

Poverty and Homelessness: Blog Action Day 2008

Today is Blog Action Day. I learned about this from Nature Deva. Bloggers from around the world unite to write about a world issue. This year the topic is poverty. After the Canadian election yesterday this topic is even more important. A court ruling handed down yesterday in Victoria BC, has given homeless people in that city the right to erect tents in public parks and green spaces. For more info click here.
Many of us may cringe at the "unsightliness"of this. Make shift shelters, debris and goodness knows what else will be laid out for all to see. This is a landmark decision and one that the mayor of Victoria is not happy about. In many countries around the world poverty is not as hidden as it is here. We shake our heads at our homeless, thinking they may be lazy, drug addicts, or mentally ill. Some give spare change, some support homeless shelters, but most of us turn our heads the other way. Poverty exists in Canada and while our government gives tax cuts to corporations people have no public housing. Our climate on thw west coast may be the mildest in Canada, but I cringe to think that a nylon tent or card board shelter is all that keeps many homeless from our sub-zero temperatures. I don't want to see tent cities in our public parks, but I don't want to see human beings living in poverty anywhere. Why is it that parks can only be used by people who have? If you were homeless would you rather sleep in a tent in a park or in a cold concrete doorway or dangerous back alley? We need to get our homeless the option of housing. The options of shelter and the help they require to pursue what we all do. I say the option because some people who live on the street choose to live there. I do not understand that choice but I try not to judge it. I have not walked in anyone else's shoes. For those that want off the street our governments from federal to municipal must provide safe alternatives for them. I think that is a worthy case for my tax dollars, and until they do, on their drive or walk to work each morning they will be faced with the reality of poverty in Canandian cities, tents and all.